Was Ancient Egypt a Multi-Race Country?

Considering the antiquity of ancient Egypt, the question begs: was it a multi-race country? Afrocentrists argue that it was dominated by black populations from the beginning. However, determining the exact racial composition of early Egypt is challenging due to the lack of complete historical records.

No, Egypt was not a single race country, as the concept of nation-states with homogeneous populations is a modern invention heavily influenced by European colonialism. Kemet, as the ancient Egyptians called it, began in the southern regions, primarily the area south of the First Cataract in Sudan. The power center of the earliest Egyptian civilization was located in the southern half of the country.

Archaeologists and linguists have unearthed substantial evidence supporting the indigenous African origins of Kemet's early inhabitants. For example, the linguistic similarities and anthropological data all point towards an indigenous African heritage. Nonetheless, cultural and genetic admixture increased significantly due to successive invasions, including those by Mamluk and Ottoman Turks.

The role of African populations is evident in ancient Egyptian culture and physical features. Historical and anthropological records suggest a strong African connection, particularly with the southern regions, which were likely the birthplace of early dynastic Egypt.

For instance, the ancient Egyptians were believed to be a colony sent out by the Ethiopians, with Osiris as their leader. According to Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, the land that is now Egypt was transformed from a sea to a fertile land through the sedimentation of the Nile. Diodorus Siculus also noted that many customs and traditions of the Egyptians were derived from the Ethiopians, including their kings being regarded as gods, their burial practices, and even the shape of their hieroglyphic writing, which resembled the physical features and customs of their African ancestors.

The link between ancient Egypt and modern African cultures is further emphasized by the preservation of cultural practices. For example, many modern East African tribes, such as the Oromo, Beja, Afar, and Amahara, still maintain hairstyles, traditional wears, and other customs that are reminiscent of ancient Egyptian culture.

Furthermore, recent studies in anthropometry and genetics have provided more scientific evidence of the African heritage of ancient Egyptians. The raw values in Table 6 indicate that Egyptians had a 'super-Negroid' body plan, as described by Robins in 1983. Figure 7, a plot of population mean femoral and tibial length data from Ruff (1994), also supports this, showing that the Egyptians generally possess body plans typical of tropical climates.

While some samples from the Badarian and Early Dynastic periods exhibit shorter tibiae, the overall clustering of the samples suggests a more uniform ethnic composition.

In conclusion, ancient Egypt's racial composition was more complex than originally assumed. It was a society deeply rooted in African heritage, with evolving genetic and cultural admixtures over millennia.