February 22, 2003
The Classical Model of Race
In ancient times, the current models of racial classification were not used. One reason for this was that the Greeks and Romans were not familiar with East Asians, Australians, or Americans - these were not included in their racial thinking. Another reason was that the distinction between whites and blacks, which came into prominence because of European colonization was not the only one of importance to them.
The Classical Model of racial classification divided humankind into a number of geographical zones: the North, with its fair-haired, light-eyed, tall people (Celts, Germans, Scythians); Italy and Hellas, with its dark-haired, mixed or dark-eyed people of intermediate stature; the Middle East and North Africa, with black-haired, dark-skinned and curlier haired people (Syrians, Arabs, Egyptians); the Far South with its black-skinned, black-haired people, divided into a woolly-haired African branch (Ethiopians), and a straight-haired Asian branch (Indians).
The ancient writers understood the influence of both climate and heredity in shaping racial variation. Ethiopians were black because they were "burned by the sun". Hellenes were deemed to exhibit their physical and mental attributes on account of the excellence of the Hellenic climate. But also, ancient writers understood that these differences were not transient effects based on the circumstances of one's birth. They were heritable qualities, and hence Herodotus seeks to establish a relationship between Colchians and Egyptians based on appearance, and between Gelonians and Hellenes for the same reason. Tacitus understood heredity's role as well, when he hypothesized that the British Silures were of Iberian origin because of their curly hair and dark skin tone.
Posted by Dienekes at February 22, 2003 04:57 PM | PermaLinkI am so proud of all these so important and academic researches, not only as Egyptians who studied his Ph.D in Greece but as man who search for the reality in this so confused world.....
you can see my so poor Ph.D in Athens Univ. faculty of Philosophy Dep.καλσικησ φιλολογιασ, με το τιτλο, Η εικονα τησ Αιγυπτο στην αρχια Ελληνικη τραγοδια (1998). ευχαριστο παρα πολυ, Dr. Tarek Radwan (Cairo Egypt).
The ancient Egyptians were mentioned by Greek and Roman writers most often with Ethiopians and not
Arabs or Syrians.Ancient writers didn't think of
any Middle East that is a recent phenomenom.Arabs
nor Syrians are considered apart of the same race
as the Egyptians and certainly not by the ancient
Egyptians !!!!
The ancient Egyptians depicted many
different nationalities apart from themselves and
in the tomb of Huy a high official Nubians are paying tribute and they have the same complexion
as the Egyptians brown and some are black complexioned.The Egyptian civilization also had nationals from other countries who were different
complexions during its 3,000 year history.
Who created this classical racial model you are
referring to?
and syrians are dark-skinned?
as such, most arabs and middle-eastern folk are light-brown but syrians like other people from the levant are (white jordan,palestine,lebanon,parts of cyprus) and most of them are fair-haired, blue/green eyed folk!
so much for information!
Posted by: ss at October 19, 2003 02:33 AMMost Syrians and people from the Levant are definitely NOT fair-haired blue/green-eyed folk.
Posted by: Dienekes at October 19, 2003 10:52 AMThe bottom line is that the ancient egyptians who started the great civilization were of the same race as the nubians. In fact Egypt began as a colony from my ancestors(Cushites). And eventually surpassed them. I do admit that later in Egypt's history they did have alot of mixture with other races. I mean look, Ancient egypt was the USA of its day. So of coarse there were many other races who dwelled in ancient khemet(Land of the blacks). And eventually mixed in, and as the black dominance of egypt declined, and race became a big issue in the world, the real egyptians were drove southward. Thats why today you see that the further south you travel in egypt, The more african the people become. Even the bible says that Mizraim(Egypt) was the brother of Kush. And they all dwelled in the land of ham. Ham means burnt or black. It also says that god destroyed egypt and ethiopia(NUBIA or CUSH) to never rise again as a dominate power and that their people will be scattered amongs the country. And that they would return to souther Egypt.
Posted by: Taharqa at January 3, 2004 12:11 PM>> The bottom line is that the ancient egyptians who started the great civilization were of the same race as the nubians.
This is inaccurate. The Egyptians strongly differentiated themselves from the Nubians. The Egyptians themselves were predominantly of Mediterranean type, although they did possess a small Negroid minority (certainly < 1/8 and more likely ~ 1/12).
Posted by: Dienekes at January 3, 2004 06:18 PMKemet does not mean 'Land of the Blacks.' It means 'Black Land,' i.e. the rich soil of the Nile after it flooded it's banks. The people were paying respect to the life-giving river and silt that made their existence possible. As far as race, I believe that they were mixed - of course there were some Africans among them, but many were not African. Many Egyptians were Arab and the Mediterranean type. This was the dominant type as evidenced by their art work. And they did highly divorce themselves from the Kush - theses were not the same people.
Posted by: Lischen at February 3, 2004 09:21 PMEgyptians were not "Arab".
Posted by: Dienekes at February 4, 2004 02:28 PM