tion has no resemblance to the Egyptian. We can only learn
what, were the physical characters of the Ethiopians* from the
accounts which the ancient writers have left respectino- them.5
Herodotus reports the Macrobii Ajlthiopes, in .whose, country
was the table of the sun, to have had the largest and the
most, handsome persons of all nations. This description of
their bulk and stature agrees with the accounts given of the
Shilukh on the higher parts of the Nile. The Ethiopians cannot
have been ancestors of the Shilukh, whose abode in this
region of Africa’has been only of three centuries in duration,
but it is remarkable that nations succeeding each other-as
occupants of the same country appear so often to acquire
similar characters of person.
We find no accurate description of the Ethiopians of Meroe
earlier than that given by Ptolemy. A remarkable passage df
this writer gives us incidentally some information. In discussing
the different methods of determining the -position of paral-
4els of latitude, Ptolemy observes, that we may be^guid^V
when other resources fail, by observing the natural productions
of particular countries. Thus we do not find, as he says, that
immediately under the tropic men have the cplour of Ethiopians,
nor are there elephants and rhinoceroses in that latitude.
W. For some distance beyond the tropic, the native
people are only of a moderately dark colour, as are those
who live thirty schceni beyond Syene. But in the country
about Meröë, the people are quite black, and for the first
begin to be complete Ethiopians,* and here elephants and
other strange animals are found.” It seems probable from
the use of the term “ Aethiopes,” as distinguishing the native
race of intertropical climates, that Ptplemy meant by it to
describe Negroes.
The Ethiopians, properly so termed, are always distinguished
in the Hebrew Scriptures by the national name of
Cush, and the Septuagint always translate Cush by AiOiomg,
— Ethiopians. These interpreters, as they resided in Egypt,
must have known the people whom they have so designated.
• E j^ iv o tc mpi 1/lep6tjv róiroiQf r'/Sri tcaraicóptoc; tlfflpkXavtg rd xpwuara,
Kai.TrpMTwg AiOioireg ateparot, m i to tS>v sXetpavrojv xa i to t&v icapaSo^oripwv
'Cóxav yspog Imvififrai.—Ch Ptolein. Geog. lib. i. c. 9.
Hence a, passage in the* prophet Jeremiah, which seems to
have been a Hebrew proverb, affords sufficient proof that the
genuine Ethiopians were a black p e o p l e C a n the leopard
change his spots, or the Cush his skin?” 1'
S ectio n YII.r-^On some peculiarities in the Teeth, and in
the position of the Meatus Auditorius, in Egyptian Heads.
Blumenbach has repeatedly Ppservea a peculiarity in the
teeth of Egyptian mummies. The incisors are thick arid
found; hot, as usual, flattened lhto eogo^but’ resembling
truncated cones ^ the cükp'idati .are not pointed, but broad
and flat on the masticating’ surface, like the neighbouring
bïcüspides. This seems to be a‘ vefy frequent character of
thè teeth in mummies. It is doubtléss attributable in part to
riiechanical attrition, depending on the . nature of the food
which' the?1 ffeth were constantly employe^rin masticating.
Blumenbach thinks this not aftogemer sufficient tq^explain
the peculiarity, and' imagines it to depend ip part on a natural
variety.*
Mr Lawrence says that he has examined the teéïliin several
Egyptian mummies, arid although he found them to have
this peculiarity^ he was éoriviüced that it .was accidental, and
not arising-from any natural difference. In several heads of
mummies which I have had opportunities of inspecting, tne
same appearand displayed itself. The iricisores have appeared
worn to mere stUmps, which are thick and round, and
are mere truncated cones.
Although it seemed most easy to account for this appearance
by attributing it to the nature of the food used by the Egyptians,
and supposing that their teeth were worn away by masticating
a hard material, yet the generality of its occurrence
in Egyptian mummies, and its rarity in other races are remark-
* Blumenbach says, the Egyptian teeth differ widely from those of nations who
file them away. “ Aber von eben diesen durch die Kunst abgeschliffenen Zahnen
unterscheiden sich jene an den gedachten Mumièn schon auf den ersten Bliek, be-
sonders durch die auffallende Starke und Dicke des Theils der Kronen, der nach
den Alveolen gekehrt ist.”—u auch von den Zahnen, deren Kronen beym kauen
des nahrungsmittel abgenuzt worden. Daheg ich doch immer noch ehér vermuthe,
dass bey jenen alten Aegyptern auch eine Nationaleigenheit im Bau selbst dabey
mit zum Grunde liegen mag.” Beytrüge, p. 100.