Egyptologist and former Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass asserted that Afrocentric claims about the “Black origins” of ancient Egyptian civilization are “false and misleading”, according to a statement published on Thursday, 20 June. Hawass made these comments in response to a Facebook post by Afrocentric advocate Professor Kaba Kamene that stirred controversy among Egyptians. In the post, which has now been deleted, Kamene shared a photo of himself with a group of Afrocentrists at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, asserting in the caption: “I am teaching the Kenet Travel Group about our history.” Hawass highlighted that although the Black Kingdom of Kush briefly ruled Egypt around 500 B.C., marking the end of the Pharaonic era, it left no lasting impact on Egyptian civilization. The Kingdom of Kush, also referred to as the Kushite Empire or simply Kush, was an ancient kingdom situated in Nubia, spanning the Nile Valley in present-day northern Sudan and southern Egypt. He emphasized that the facial features of Egyptian kings depicted in these artworks are distinct and do not suggest they were Black. Hawass clarified that the issue is not about opposition to Black…
Afrocentric Claims of ‘Black Origins’ of Ancient Egyptian Civilization Spark Controversy
June 21, 2024
