Whether or not Egyptians were black has been an ongoing debate dating back decades. Although there are several influential African dynasties, the reign of Emperor Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti, has long been a symbol of Black pride. The Egyptian emperors were powerful, and their legacy long-lasting, so it’s not hard to understand why black folks feel particularly possessive over the way in which this dynasty is portrayed in popular culture.
But it’s not so simple. According to a Washington Post article published in 1990, Egyptologists simply refuse to place ancient Egyptians into the racial categories we use today.
“When you talk about Egypt, it’s just not right to talk about black or white,” said Frank J. Yurco, an Egyptologist at the Field Museum and the University of Chicago, and one of the historians who have been drawn into the discussion that began with the Nefertiti advertisement. “That’s all just American terminology and it serves American purposes. I can understand and sympathize with the desires of Afro-Americans to affiliate themselves with Egypt. But it isn’t that simple.
“The ancient Egyptians identified people by their national names,” he said. “Whenever a {non-Egyptian} group moved into Egypt, they were accepted. There was no mass dis-crimination. New groups became Egyptianized. To take the terminology here {in the United States} and graft it onto Africa is anthropologically inaccurate.”
Mummy remains, anthropological records and other tests indicate that Egyptians varied greatly in complexion from the light Mediterranean of Nefertiti to the darker brown of upper Egypt to the Nubians, who were distinctly Negroid. Egyptian hair, both ancient and modern, ranges from straight to wooly and from reddish brown to black.
Which brings me to today’s debate. The Today Show revealed a 3D replica of Queen Nefertiti this morning, and black twitter ain’t so pleased:
The 3D replica was created as a part of the forensic reconstruction project funded by the Travel Channel. The project will be featured in a two-part special as a part of the network’s, “Expedition Unknown,” hosted by Josh Gates, and airing on Wednesday, February 7 and February 14.
The internet ain’t so here for this replica, though, citing that this image portrays the Egyptian Queen as White Arab woman, when she should possess more Nubian features.
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Frankly, I don’t find this image to be a far deviation from the Nefertiti Bust, crafted in 1345 BC by an Egyptian sculptor. See for yourself:
The Nefertiti Bust is a painted stucco-coated limestone bust of Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten.[2] The work is believed to have been crafted in 1345 B.C. by the sculptor Thutmose, because it was found in his workshop in Amarna, Egypt.[3] It is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. Owing to the work, Nefertiti has become one of the most famous women of the ancient world, and an icon of feminine beauty.
My Thoughts
This Queen Nefertiti doesn’t look any less black than Beyonce or Tina Knowles, and we certainly claim them. Don’t we always preach that black people come in all shades? Yes, Egypt is in African and there is evidence to support that there were black folks who look like me out there doing the damn thing, however, I’m not so quick to dismiss the notion that Nefertiti looked more “white” than “black.” The eye color of this replica, for me, is questionable, but other than that, I’ve known black people to look like this. I honestly can’t call it. Africa is a continent, not a country, and as such, African people don’t all look like me. I’m not willing to dismiss either side of this debate because I simply don’t know enough about Ancient Egypt to weigh in fully.
What say you? Is this an example of whitewashing or nah?
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That’s bull?. We can’t have nothing. White people didn’t come to aferica till 1450. Y’all took our inventions our religion turned it into Christianity. Our big butts braided hair big breasts we can’t have nothing.
Nefertiti probably looked more like Tracee Ellis Ross but they got her out her looking like Tilda Swinton.
His explanation us bullshit, he forgets that ancient Egyptians didn’t mix with anyone outside there ethnic group A because they did not exist and B it would never happen, she would have been black in every sense of the word, that red hair different texture nonsense is a copout Africans have red hair my cousins pn my fathers family side do. We don’t all have the same texture. No the the colour distinction wasn’t there because we were all shades of brown, this man has done somesaults to make her look like a white woman, to the point of thinning her lips, that gap between her nose and lips is holy unnatural. Beyonce and hrr mother is pale but they look like black women, my cousins are pale with red hair and green eyes but they still look like and are Africans.
If we do not re create our own history through books, paintings, videos , music, media and other means. It will be changed through someone else eyes and when they do, we now want to be vexed.
You have no right or reason to be vex until you start embracing who you are and studying, showcasing, sharing, and teaching it and your history.
As a professional photographer I do think that the pictures and video feed looks white washed, which may have been a technical glitch or done on purpose.
Stop with all the white washing blacks have been around since the 1st dynasty and for white scholars and others who depict Nefertiti as being white is insulting
Its consistent with white supremacy’s record. Who’s surprised??? What’s shameful is Hoda Kotb. She’s never embraced her Egyptian origins, or considered herself Black. Of coarse, the amerikkkan government classifies Black Egyptians white, already, to skew census numbers, of a white supremist majority in amerikkka. FACTS
Her paintings are on the wall for viewing…….this isn’t even close. Not that AA people are african but damn what’s all the pitter patter about?
You do know they say these things to justify a caucasian Jesus (which the bible says is the image of the beast might I add) being able to hide in Egypt.
You should looking into a scholar name henri stierlin… he talks about how that statue that you’re referencing is considered a FAKE!! That statue of nefertiti is the ONLY one that is reference as non melaninated person which is kept in germany. All other references of nefertiti from Egyptian text, hieroglyphic paintings and statues all of Africa she is BLACK!! How could she be that complexion in that region with the climate reaching upwards of 120 degrees? Almost everyone was very dark, and if you wasn’t you would have been exposed to melanoma. Bottomline is there was no “lightskin” let only white looking people roaming Egypt at that time.
The 3D bust if Nefertiti looks like a old white women, kind of resembles Joyce Meyer to me. The ancient bust of Queen Nefertiti looks like the old black lady down the street or that you see in church with no makeup and their hair pulled bacj in a tight bun. The eye color on the 3D image is very questionable, it really seems like they lightened her skin color.
Thanks that’s very true and I saw this earlier in the week!