The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-09-09
The Ancient Negro.

1t is noteworthy that an old error has
been recently revived and is now going the
rounds OF the newspapers, and is sometimes
repeated by public speakers. 1t consists,
says the New York JourndL Of Commerce,
in the statement that the African, Of the
negro type, is the descendant of the inhabs
itants OF ancient Egypt. In 'other words
that the ancient Egyptians were, negroes.
1t is somewhat curious that such statements
as this can obtain currency in the face of
so much knowledge and diffused ihforma-
ton as the modern world possesses but
the age is one in which men belive very ea-
silys aud the temptation to deceive is very
great uon Ii d3.du gh44i asI g a5i
1t would be difficult to prove that the
antediluyian race was not a negro, race
if any one chooses to assert that, it was.
For we have no remaining evidence on the
subject So Of many other classes in vari-
Gus historical periods. But the knowledge
we possess of the features, complexion and
physique Of the ancient Egyptians is as
complete and minute as, that we now have
of the inhabitants of Sumatra or of Hawaii,
The Egyptian monuments and .tOmbs con-
tain thousands of descriptive paintings and
portraits. 1t is interesting to notice among
them the differences which existed between
races as long ago as b. 1000 and 1500s
and even at more remote period. The
whole world seems to have looked to Egypt
at one time as the centre of light and CIV
ilization, and in the various conquests of
the warlike Kings Of Egypt, they brought
numerous captives to the Nile country,
and the portraits of these various captives
are found in great abundance on the monu-e
ments to this day. The negro was slave
in Egypt then, and his portrait appears fre,l
quently, with the same peculiarities which,
now mark it He is represented in many
of the attitudes peculiar to the modern
Ethiopian The thick lips, woolly hair,
black complexion, peculiar limbs, all are
accurately represented The Assyriani is,
frequently found on 1.-THE Egyptian monu-s
ments, and the type Of countenance is al,
ways marked and unmistakeable. The
Egyptian race was one of peculiar and de.
cidedly noble countenance and appearance
1t was as unlike the ancient Ethiopian as
the modern Caucasian is uniketh modern
African. There was no point of resemb-s
lance, and it should be impossible for any.
well-infoImed person to fall into the error
to which we have alluded. The numerous
books now published in which illustrations
from the monuments are given and tie
presence in this country of f.many Egyptian
antiquities, should prevent the mistakes--
And If the pictures from the monuments
are not enough, we have thousa nds Of ex-
amples, in the identical bodies Of the an
cient Egyptians mummied and preserved
to this day Thus any one who has any
curiosity on the subject may go into the
Abbott Collection Of. the New York His
torical Society, and there examine the heads
of various Egyptian ladies and gentlemen.
The long braids Of silken hair which yet
remain on the head Of the dead EgyptaiD3
lady, abundantly attest her freedom from
negro blood, while the narrow foot with
its high arched instep inclosed in the white
kid slipper, speaks of q, grace and beauty
Of form which there are abundant. other,
reasons to believe was possessed by the Ia
dies of P Pharaonic times. 1t is a strange
fact in'history that the negro, as depicted
on Egyptian monuments three thousand
years ago, was the negro of our day. I