Egypt, Europe & Africa

Debates have been raging for centuries over the ethnic origin of the people who created and ruled Ancient Egypt. Many museums portrayed the Ancient Egyptians, and their civilisation, as having more in common with Europe than Africa. However, more recent lines of thinking have challenged this view, claiming that Ancient Egypt was in fact Black African in origin.

Is the race of ancient Egyptians important?  

4 responses to “Egypt, Europe & Africa

  1. Pharaohic Egypt – that is, Egypt under the Pharoahs – was populated almost exclusively by black Africans.

    Ptolemaic – that is, Egpyt under the descendents of Ptolemy I Soter – was ruled by Greeks (Europeans) from 305 BC to 30 BC. Hellenistic (Greek) culture remained strong in Egypt up until the Muslim conquest in the seventh century AD.

    The “race” or ethnicity of the pre-Muslim Egyptian general populace would have been African. However, the ancient Greeks colonised large parts of the Mediterranean, including northern Egypt, so there would have been Europeans in ancient Egypt starting well before the Hellenistic conquest, probably employed mainly as merchants and farmers.

  2. Well, based on these recovered carvings, I can only imagine that the Egyptians were far from black. Judging by the engraving of the black slaves they had amongst them, I can only imagine they didn’t think too highly of them.


    And here is a bust of Queen Nefertiti looking much more in line with a Caucasian.

  3. Silas> Ancient Egyptians and Creeks were North Africans, not European And note both are not white. The pictures you posted doesnt prove the race of Egyptians . Generaly speaking most Temples Depict Egyptians as Black to light Brown, If they were really White or close, Post 3 more Pictures of white Egyptians. for the record ,Queen Nefertiti look more like an Afar woman. DEF not Nubian But mabey Greek(Note Not European)

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