This couple’s statue depicts a couple in a warm embrace which is a common convention among ancient Kemetic (Egyptian) couple statues from the old kingdom on. While the woman has unfortunately been almost completely destroyed, we can still see remnants of her large boisterous braided hairstyle which can also be seen on other 18th Dynasty artifacts such as the Statuette of Lady Thuya and the Statuette of Lady Tiye.

In this statue the unnamed man (possibly AmenH๏τep himself) wears a long twisted loc style which has also been worn by Seti I at Abydos in numerous wall reliefs. While the description claims this to be a wig, it is just as plausible that it was his natural hair. Only a handful of wigs have actually been recovered which suggests most of the statues and reliefs were actual natural hairstyles. Wigs were sometimes worn but almost exclusively by nobility. They were rare due to their high cost and time and effort of upkeep. The elaborate boisterous hairstyles worn by the unknown man would suggest a high level of social status.

In Ancient Kemet hair was an embodiment of their idenтιтy and many of their crowns drew inspiration from ancient Kemetic and Nubian hairstyles. Hairstyles carried religious and social significance and portrayed information about gender, age, and social status. They wore elaborate braids, locs and short twists. The ancient Kemetyu and Nehesy (Nubians) had a variety of hair textures from coarse to curly that could keep its shape when certain oils and animal fats were added. They would slather ʙuттer onto their hair and scalp, protecting it from the sun which then could be twisted into locs, combed out into long flowing waves, or used to enhance curl definition.

In a 2009 study British archeologist Geoffrey Tᴀssie acknowledged the importance of Egyptian hair in the portrayal of social and class status stating, “hairstyles were a means of displaying status. An insтιтutionalized cannon for hairstyles was established coinciding with the creations of administrative insтιтutions. These codified hairstyles continued to serve as the norms for identifying members of the administration or signs of authority.” The study of ritualistic and hierarchical hairstyles in ancient societies is called ethno-trichology which studies a variety of societies and cultures, particularly focusing on those with distinct hair care practices and beliefs related to hair. By studying these societies, ethno-trichology aims to understand how cultural, social, and historical contexts shape hair care practices and beliefs.

Were Ancient Egyptians Black? Let’s Look at the Evidence

Ancient Egyptians were sophisticated and culturally rich, but how much do we know about what they really looked like?

maiherpri papyrus black egyptian king tut mask

Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating periods in our human history, and it has been studied for thousands of years. Although we have many surviving artefacts from this time period, there is still much speculation about what Ancient Egyptians actually looked like. In Western drama productions Egyptians are often portrayed with white or brown skin. But is this actually accurate? Or were ancient Egyptians black? Let’s look into the history of Ancient Egypt to find out more.

Ancient Egyptians Were Likely To Be Ethnically Diverse

Ancient Egyptian portraits MEN WOMEN — Egyptian mummy portraits, 1st c. B.C.E. – 1st c. C.E., image courtesy of People of Ar

Historical evidence from Egyptian texts, artworks and mummies suggests ancient Egypt was always ethnically diverse, so could not be classed as belonging to any one racial category. But it is worth noting that the skin-colour distinctions we have today didn’t exist in ancient Egypt. Instead, they simply classified themselves by the regions where they lived. Scholarly research suggests there were many different skin colours across Egypt, including what we now call white, brown and black. But this is still a subject of much debate. Many believe skin colours varied between different regions of Egypt, such as Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt and Nubia. Because Ancient Egyptians were around for about 3,000 years, it is also highly likely that changes in ethnicity took place throughout this long timespan.

Evidence Reveals There Were Many Black Ancient Egyptians

Kemet people ancient Egypt — Kemet people of Ancient Egypt, image courtesy of The African History

Some historians, archeologists and writers over the years have argued that ancient Egypt was a predominantly black civilization, populated by Sub-Saharan Africans. Their research shows how ancient Egyptians once called the land of Egypt and the entire African continent Kemet, meaning “land of the black people.” Some scholars even argue that all black people are descended from ancient Egypt – Michael Jackson’s 1991 music video for Remember the Time is one of the most popular and widespread allusions to this interpretation of history.

Prominent Black Ancient Egyptians

Maiherpri Egyptian papyrus — Papyrus of Maiherpri revealing his dark hair and skin tone, image courtesy of the Egypt Museum

There is much evidence showing how ancient Egypt was ruled and governed by various prominent black leaders. One is the powerful nobleman Maiherpri, who was alive during the reign of Thutmose IV. After his death he was buried in the Valley of the Kings. We know of his skin colour from his mummy and from illustrated manuscripts, in which he appears darker skinned than the more widely circulated images of Egyptians. It is believed he may be Nubian or of Nubian descent. Queen Ahmose-Nefertari is also often identified as black, and according to contemporary Egyptologist Sigrid Hodel-Hoenes, her skin colour was worshipped because it echoed the “colour of both the fertile earth and the netherworld and death.” It is thought Lady Rai, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Nefertari was also black. Her mummy is in remarkably good condition and reveals her dark skin and braided hair.