As one of the four ancient civilized nations, the ethnicity of Egypt has always sparked curiosity among many. Their skin is not white, yet they have a distinctly different appearance from modern Africans. Therefore, alongside the exploration of ancient Egyptian culture, people often wonder: What ethnicity are the Egyptians? Why do they look different from today’s Africans?
The Egyptians are a diverse ethnicity, encompassing many regions
The comparison of Egyptians and Africans may stem not only from skin color but also from a deeper relationship, which has become a hot topic among scholars: “Africa is the cradle of humanity, while ancient Egyptians originated from Black Africans.” Naturally, for many Western scholars, this is entirely implausible; they argue that white people are the true ancestors of the Egyptians. However, these assertions seem to come from one side of the debate, with everyone eager to claim the title of “ancestors” of ancient Egyptians. So, what ethnicity do Egyptians actually belong to?
Historically speaking, in the territory inhabited by ancient Egyptians, there were not just Egyptians but also the famous Samium people, white people, and black people. The black individuals were migrants from the southern regions, while the white individuals included those from North Africa and Europe. This indicates the racial development of the Egyptians, but this notion is quickly dismissed by many, as ancient Egyptians are considered the founders of ancient Egyptian civilization. So, did they belong to this Egyptian land from the very beginning? Certainly, this is difficult to assert, and the question of their origins remains a mystery.
Egyptians have a distinctly different appearance from modern Africans. (Illustrative image).
Additionally, many believe that when humanity first occupied the land, the Samium were a highly dynamic people, often referred to as the Caucasian race, living a nomadic lifestyle. Among them, Arabs and Jews are descendants of the Samium. Thus, it is entirely possible that they migrated to Egypt for development. However, this is merely an idealistic perspective; the Samium have very distinct physical features, such as thick hair, a hooked nose, and a large, long face. Notably, the image of Jesus in paintings has been depicted based on the physical characteristics of the Samium, which is entirely different from the appearance of Egyptians.
Some argue that, with modern scientific methods, simply extracting DNA from Egyptian mummies and testing it would yield immediate results. While this sounds promising, scientists have long conducted research in this manner and discovered that the race most similar to Egyptians is that of the Near East. This finding further suggests that the differences between Egyptians and Africans are no longer surprising; rather, it lends some credibility to the belief held by white individuals that Egyptians share a common origin with them.
In fact, the “Egyptian Chronicles” clearly document that the majority of ancient Egyptians were individuals who had been assimilated, including Nubians, black people, and Libyans. Ancient Egyptians held a high status and position. This implies that the ethnicity of the Egyptians shares similarities with migrants from the aforementioned areas, but they certainly do not share the same origin, including Black Africans.
Ancient Egyptians differ from Africans, not just in skin color, but also in their evolutionary bloodlines
Some may be unconvinced, stating that scholars have long studied the origins of humanity from Africa. Perhaps by the time ancient Egyptians became lords of civilization, they underwent many changes due to evolutionary intermarriage, but this does not mean they lack “relatives” in Africa. This could be true, as the origin of humanity cannot be definitively established by any single study or individual, nor can it be completely denied. We can look at the skin color and physical characteristics of ancient Egyptians, which contain dominant genes that may convince us: Egyptians originated from Africa.
The appearance and skin color of Egyptians differ from Libyans, indicating they are a distinct group. (Illustrative image).
Visually, we can see that the skin of Egyptians is not as dark as that of Africans, nor is it as yellow as that of East Asians; their skin is a bronze color. And what about their appearance?
According to archaeological studies, they had black hair, dark eyes, broad faces, short foreheads, and tall, robust physiques. This indicates they not only lack the skin color of Africans but also do not possess African physical traits, clearly marking them as distinct from Africans. Interestingly, this appearance and skin color also differ from Libyans, further showing they are an independent group.
Moreover, prior findings regarding numerous ancient local corpses in the Nile Valley led anthropologists to classify them as Cro-Magnon people, though they also exhibited genes from both red and black individuals. It is essential to clarify that ancient Egyptians and Africans differ primarily in skin color, but their bloodlines evidently trace back to African origins. Of course, this intermarriage evolution has continually progressed, as bloodlines across regions have never been entirely pure.
This discovery underscores a reality: whether ancient Egyptians or other ethnicities, they can all be considered unique entities, a pure race that gradually developed into a complex, diverse society. Therefore, when comparing ancient Egyptians to modern Africans, the significant differences can be easily explained.
In reality, we all understand that Egypt itself is a land of many ethnicities, and the inhabitants there could not ensure the continuous development of a single ethnicity. This is precisely why humanity has developed into the civilization we see today: freedom and intermarriage have allowed for greater growth and choices.
Perhaps the Egyptians can articulate several issues more clearly; their ethnicity has transitioned from prosperity to decline, and their path reflects a constant process of change, continuously harmonizing with other bloodlines and ethnicities. Thus, they share many similarities with various ethnic groups, yet ultimately may not be identical, which is entirely understandable.
Archaeologists suggest that humanity originated over 200,000 years ago, with the ancestors of humans in East Africa. About 60,000 years ago, humans began to form groups and migrate, moving away from their homeland in Africa and gradually evolving into tribes across the globe. However, even so, the race of ancient Egyptians has changed and no longer resembles its African roots, similar to us and other ethnicities worldwide.
