The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-07-05

The Ancient Negro.

| IL Is noteworthy tnat an oiu error mas
been recently revived and Is now going
the rounds Of the newspapers, and is
sometimes repeated by public speakers.
Il consist, says the New York Jomnal
| lof Commerce, in the statement that the
African, Of the negro type, is the des-
cendant Of the Inhabitants of ancient
Egypt, In other words that the an
cient Egyptians were negroes. It is
comowhat curious that such statements
as this can obtain currency in the face
Of so much knowledge aud diifuscd in
formation as the modern world posses
ses but the age is one in which men
believe very easily, and the temptation
to deceive is very great.
II would be difficult to prove that
the antedihvian race was not negro
racc---if any one chooses to assert that
it was, for we have no remaining evil
douce on the subject. So of many 9TH
er classes in various historical periods.
But the knowledge we rossess of the
features, complexion and physique OF
tho ancieht Egyptians is as complete
aud minute as that we now have ofthe
inhabitants Of Sumotn or Of Hawaii
The Egyptian monuments and tombs
contain thousands Of descriptive paint
ings and portraits II is interesting to
notice among them the differences
which existed between races as long ago
as u. G. 1000 and 1900, and even at
more remote period. The whole world
seems to have looked to Egypt at one
time as the centre oflight and civiliza-
lion, and in the various conquests Of
the warliko Kings Of Egypt, they
brought numerous captiyes to the Nile
country, and the portraits Of these yari,
Gus eaptiycs are found in great abun-
dance on the monuments to this day
The negro was slave in Egypt then,
and his portrait appears frequently with
tho saino pcculiarities which now mark
it. lie is represented in many Of the
attitudes peculiar to the modern Ethio-
plan. The thick lips woolly hair black
complexion, peculiar limbs, all are ac-
cura,ely represented. The Assyrian Is
frequently found on the Egyptian mon
umeut, aud the type Of countenance is
always marked and unmistakeable.--
Tho Egyptian race was one Of peculiar
and decidedly noble couutenancc and
appearance. 1t was as unlike the an
cicut Ethiopian as the modern Cauca-
sian is unlike the modern African
There wis no point Of resemblance, and
il should be impossible for any woll-in-
formed person TO fall into the error to
which we have alluded. The numcr.
oas books now published in which Illus
trasioas from the monuments are given,
aud the presence in this country Of ma
ny Egyptian antiquities, should prevent
the mistake And If the pictures from
the monuments are not enough, we have
thousand. Of examples, in tho identical
bodies Of the ancient Egyptians, mum
mied and preserved to this day. Thus
any one who has any curiosity on the
subject may go into the Abbott Collec-
tion Of the New York Historical Soce-
ty, and there examine tho heads OF
| various Egyptian ladies and gentlemen
The long braids Of silken hair which
yet remain on the head of the dead
| Egyptian lady, abundantly attest her
freedom from negro blood, while the
narrow foot, with is high arched instep
incloscd in the white kid slipper, speaks
I OF grace aud beauty Of form which
| there are abundant other reasons to be-
licye was possessed by the ladies' of
Pharaonc times. 1t is strange fact
lin history chat the negro, as depicted on
i Egyptian monuments three thousand
years ago, was the negro Of our day.