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It is customary to mention the straight hair of certain carefully chosen mummies, the only ones found in museums, to affirm that they represent a prototype of the White race, notwithstanding their prognathism. These mummies are displayed conspicuously in an attempt to prove the whiteness of the Egyptians. The very coarseness of their hair precludes acceptance of that contention. When such hair exists on the head of a mummy, it merely indicates the Dravidian type, in reality, whereas the prognathism and black skin-pigmented, not blackened by tar or any other product-excludes any idea of a white race. The meticulous selection process to which they have been subjected rules out any possibility of their being a prototype.
-- The African Origin of Civilization

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Diop was, of course, correct on two points:

1) Among the Cushitic peoples of northeast Africa, of which the Kemetians formed a part, long hair and straight hair was common. It certainly wasn't unusual.

2) Given their tract record, it is plain common sense, to be skeptical of Western Egyptologists and their 'discoveries' and presentations.

But it is my opinion, that due to the process of mummification, it is doubtful that any really 'woolly-haired' mummies would ever be found. And I think that had Diop lived in Harlem, for example, prior to the 1960s, he probably would have understood why this would be.
Ancient Egyptian mummies were, inadvertently, submitted to a form of 'conking' and/or Jheri curl!

Deliberate hair-straightening; the conk and the jheri curl

The Conk, which originated in the 1920s, was an attempt by Black men to straighten their hair to make it look like that of White men.
The primary ingredients used to straighten or relax the hair are:
Sodium hydroxide (the conk) and Ammonium thioglycolate(the jheri curl). These chemical agents work against moisture, or in other words they dry the hair structure to the degree that it relaxes and the woolly hair looses its natural tendency to curl. This chemically straightened hair also cannot be reverted back to its original natural state. The only way to get rid of a conk is to allow it to grow out.

Inadvertent hair-straightening; Kemetian mummification

The primary process of embalming the corpse was the 'natron bath' wherein the corpse was completely covered in dry natron for a period of forty days. The chemical ingredients in natron are:
Sodium carbonate; bicarbonate; sodium sulphate; and chloride. These chemical agents work against moisture, in fact, it was used to 'dry out' the body. (Kinda like making beef jerky.)

This, I think, is why you find all these long haired-straight haired prognathous Negro (IE, Dravidian types.) mummies.

Its more 'conk' than conspiracy.
What say you?
...

Today, that same test prevents Whites from passing Ancient Egyptians off as white.

You are correct,however,that the substance in the embalming material bas been known to straighten hair,and over time mummy hair loses elasticity that hold hair into place. Still there are Nubians and modern Upper Egyptians with a wavy type hair that is not straight but is actually very thick. Europeans have wavy hair that is very thin and has a more rounded folice as opposed to people of African desent.

Modern day Fellahin women cannot grow very long hair. You hardly ever see one with shoulder length hair.

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Originally posted by ausar:
Wally, ancient Egyptian women and more ancient rural Egyptian women all wear extensions of false hair. There are not many so-called long haired mummies in ancient Egypt,and the one case with Thuya was that banages made her hair appear longer than what it originally appeared. The Elder Lady might be an exception but most royal mummies are definatley not long haired.

You are correct,however,that the substance in the embalming material bas been known to straighten hair,and over time mummy hair loses elasticity that hold hair into place. Still there are Nubians and modern Upper Egyptians with a wavy type hair that is not straight but is actually very thick. Europeans have wavy hair that is very thin and has a more rounded folice as opposed to people of African desent.

Modern day Fellahin women cannot grow very long hair. You hardly ever see one with shoulder length hair.

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I find that people tend to make too much out the "appearance" of mummies, in absense of any further scrutiny!

I think I've read that *thousands* of mummies were taken out of egypt, many unwrapped at carnivals & such, lots burned as firewood, others eaten for medicinal purposes. So why do only Elder Lady & Rameses appear in the books?

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Wally, ancient Egyptian women and more ancient rural Egyptian women all wear extensions of false hair.

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Exactly, as do African-American women.

ausar writes:

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There are not many so-called long haired mummies in ancient Egypt,and the one case with Thuya was that banages made her hair appear longer than what it originally appeared. The Elder Lady might be an exception but most royal mummies are definatley not long haired.

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Exactly, and this is why Diop made this point:

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It is customary to mention the straight hair of certain carefully chosen mummies, the only ones found in museums, to affirm that they represent a prototype of the White race, notwithstanding their prognathism...The meticulous selection process to which they have been subjected rules out any possibility of their being a prototype.

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And sunstorm2004 writes:

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Strangest thing to me is that no matter what book I pick up, I keep seeing the same two mummies: "Elder lady" and Rameses.
I think I've read that *thousands* of mummies were taken out of egypt,...So why do only Elder Lady & Rameses appear in the books?

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I understand that your question is merely a rhetorical one, and you are right, because of the reasons cited by Diop in the above.

If one could assemble all of the texts pertaining to Ancient Egypt wherein they show pictures of mummies; they will nearly always be those of Rameses II, Seti, the Elder Lady, Thuya, Yuya, and Sekenre Tao...