African Hair In Antiquity: Natural Was Cool Enough!

Recently, I took a wonderful trip to Egypt where I journeyed from Cairo to Giza, cruising the Nile to Luxor and other cities, all the way to Aswan and ultimately to Abu Simbel to see the great tombs of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. I was also able to see the temple of the female Pharoah Hashepsut and acquired significant information about Queen Nefertiti and her Husband, Pharoah Akhnaten. A highlight of the trip was also the Pyramids and the Sphinx.   Although I have traveled extensively throughout the world, this journey was the most profound and enlightening.  I took over 1000 pictures in Cairo and at the various sites, tombs, temples, etc. and while doing so, among other things, I focused on the hair of the ancient African Egyptians.  A quick map of the world or of Africa will show one quickly that Africa is located in North Africa.

Below is a collection of photos that I took personally as well as additional photos of mummies which I obtained through web research since in the Royal Mummy Room that I visited at the Cairo Museum, where most of the precious items of Egyptian Antiquity are stored, including all of King Tut's treasures found in his tomb, pictures are not permitted. Photos are not permitted at all in the Cairo Museum but were permitted in the Nubian Museum in Aswan. I purchased a book which includes photos of most of what is in the Cairo Museum as well as a book entitled Royal Mummies which includes all of the Mummies in the Royal Mummy Room. So, below, for your consideration, are pictures of a small sampling of the African people of Egyptian Antiquity and their hair. If you are squeamish about mummies, this post may not be for you but surely we can see that for these African people of antiquity,  N.I.C.E.!

     

The pictures above and to the left, which include braided hair, kinky hair, short cornrowed styled hair and afro styles as well as an afro pick are clear indications of the Natural Is Cool Enough perspective of the African people of  Egyptian Antiquity, from the Pharoahs and Queens to the Common people.  There is also documentation that African Egyptians during antiquity (ancient times) also wore wigs (often braided) and used henna which accounts for the red hair of some of the mummies such as Ramses II (not pictured here).