Where did the ancient Egyptians come from ?
Egypt is one of the most mysterious and amazing civilizations of antiquity. Its ancient Egyptians left us a legacy of majestic pyramids, mysterious temples and a rich culture. But where did these people come from?
The history of the ancient Egyptians begins around 3100 BC, when two states, Upper and Lower Egypt, united under the rule of Pharaoh Menes. However, the origins of Egyptian civilization go even deeper into the past.
Archaeological research shows that the first settlements in Egypt arose around 6000 BC. At that time, the Nile River was the main source of life for the local population. Its fertile banks provided convenient conditions for farming and agricultural development. Thanks to this, the Egyptians were able to develop the land and create the first settlements.
The theory about the origin of the ancient Egyptians from the biblical ancestor Ham and his son Mizraim is based on the story that Mizraim came to the banks of the Nile from Mesopotamia and settled there with his children.
Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that the ancestors of the pharaohs and Egyptians were the Atlanteans. He believed that the Egyptians were formed from two peoples - the dark-haired Tehenu and the fair-haired Temehu. Igor Dyakonov, an orientalist, supported Plato's view, believing that the dark-haired population were Berber tribes, while the origin of the fair-haired population remained unknown.
Herodotus, the Greek historian, considered the Egyptians to be related to the Colchians. He based his guesses on the external similarity of people, noting that both the Egyptians and the Colchians had dark skin and curly hair. He also noted that in Colchis they know more about the Egyptians than in Egypt about the Colchians.
In the 20th century, scientists began to rethink the Bible and a new theory emerged, according to which the Egyptians descend from ancient Semites who lived on the Somali Peninsula long before the appearance of black people there.
The Italian anthropologist Giuseppe Sergi proposed the hypothesis that the Egyptian people arose from a mixture of three races: Hamites, Mediterraneans and Nordids, and only the Nordids were light-eyed. According to the Italian, the ancestors of the Egyptians were Hamites and Mediterraneans. This theory has received wide recognition in international science.
Scholars have suggested that the Egyptian civilization arose from the Mesopotamian conquest of North Africa, and the Egyptians were not the indigenous people of Africa, based on biblical history known to many scholars. This hypothesis was confirmed by the results of excavations carried out by Grafton Smith at the beginning of the 20th century.
He discovered that the remains of people living in Egypt during the predynastic period were very different from those who lived later during the dynasties. By comparing pottery, figurines, and architectural elements, Smith suggested that the first dynasty of pharaohs arose after the Mesopotamian invasion. The inhabitants of Mesopotamia, having subjugated the local population of North Africa, became the initiators of the emergence of civilization.
According to the research of modern scientists, about 35% of the population of early Ancient Egypt were dark-skinned, 30% were Caucasian, and the rest were of mixed race. In 2017, German scientists published the results of their study of the genomes of 90 Egyptian mummies, comparing them with the DNA of modern Egyptians and Ethiopians.
They found that the mummies' DNA was significantly different from that of the modern Egyptian population. Modern Egyptians have 20% more African blood than ancient Egyptians, and modern Ethiopians have a very different genetic profile. Geneticists have also found that the ancient Egyptians were close relatives of the peoples living in the Middle East and the Levant.
The proportion of African DNA among the ancient Egyptians was only 6-15%, while among modern Egyptians it is 14-21%. It is believed that this change occurred about 700 years ago. Genetics also determined the physical appearance of the ancient Egyptians, which included fair skin, dark eyes and lactose intolerance. However, it remains unclear where the population of the Middle East originated.
Egypt is one of the most mysterious and amazing civilizations of antiquity. Its ancient Egyptians left us a legacy of majestic pyramids, mysterious temples and a rich culture. But where did these people come from?
The history of the ancient Egyptians begins around 3100 BC, when two states, Upper and Lower Egypt, united under the rule of Pharaoh Menes. However, the origins of Egyptian civilization go even deeper into the past.
Archaeological research shows that the first settlements in Egypt arose around 6000 BC. At that time, the Nile River was the main source of life for the local population. Its fertile banks provided convenient conditions for farming and agricultural development. Thanks to this, the Egyptians were able to develop the land and create the first settlements.
The theory about the origin of the ancient Egyptians from the biblical ancestor Ham and his son Mizraim is based on the story that Mizraim came to the banks of the Nile from Mesopotamia and settled there with his children.
Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that the ancestors of the pharaohs and Egyptians were the Atlanteans. He believed that the Egyptians were formed from two peoples - the dark-haired Tehenu and the fair-haired Temehu. Igor Dyakonov, an orientalist, supported Plato's view, believing that the dark-haired population were Berber tribes, while the origin of the fair-haired population remained unknown.
Herodotus, the Greek historian, considered the Egyptians to be related to the Colchians. He based his guesses on the external similarity of people, noting that both the Egyptians and the Colchians had dark skin and curly hair. He also noted that in Colchis they know more about the Egyptians than in Egypt about the Colchians.
In the 20th century, scientists began to rethink the Bible and a new theory emerged, according to which the Egyptians descend from ancient Semites who lived on the Somali Peninsula long before the appearance of black people there.
The Italian anthropologist Giuseppe Sergi proposed the hypothesis that the Egyptian people arose from a mixture of three races: Hamites, Mediterraneans and Nordids, and only the Nordids were light-eyed. According to the Italian, the ancestors of the Egyptians were Hamites and Mediterraneans. This theory has received wide recognition in international science.
Scholars have suggested that the Egyptian civilization arose from the Mesopotamian conquest of North Africa, and the Egyptians were not the indigenous people of Africa, based on biblical history known to many scholars. This hypothesis was confirmed by the results of excavations carried out by Grafton Smith at the beginning of the 20th century.
He discovered that the remains of people living in Egypt during the predynastic period were very different from those who lived later during the dynasties. By comparing pottery, figurines, and architectural elements, Smith suggested that the first dynasty of pharaohs arose after the Mesopotamian invasion. The inhabitants of Mesopotamia, having subjugated the local population of North Africa, became the initiators of the emergence of civilization.
According to the research of modern scientists, about 35% of the population of early Ancient Egypt were dark-skinned, 30% were Caucasian, and the rest were of mixed race. In 2017, German scientists published the results of their study of the genomes of 90 Egyptian mummies, comparing them with the DNA of modern Egyptians and Ethiopians.
They found that the mummies' DNA was significantly different from that of the modern Egyptian population. Modern Egyptians have 20% more African blood than ancient Egyptians, and modern Ethiopians have a very different genetic profile. Geneticists have also found that the ancient Egyptians were close relatives of the peoples living in the Middle East and the Levant.
The proportion of African DNA among the ancient Egyptians was only 6-15%, while among modern Egyptians it is 14-21%. It is believed that this change occurred about 700 years ago. Genetics also determined the physical appearance of the ancient Egyptians, which included fair skin, dark eyes and lactose intolerance. However, it remains unclear where the population of the Middle East originated.