It could not tell its own nature. It could not tell that it was itself a myth. This mistake has proven key to the unfolding of global history in the last two centuries. We have literally been paying the price ever since. The races of humanity constituted types of Homo sapiens.
Classifications have to be based on something.
For instance, the primary biological division classification known as Kingdom is based on observed differences between plants and animals. The classifications of both Homo and Sapiens are based on measurements of brain capacity and tooth size. Take a wild guess. Skin color is the primary unit upon which type has been based. It, in turn, refers to the phenotype, i.e. the physical appearance of the individual.