Hambly, Wilfrid D. The Serpent in African Belief and Custom. American Anthropologist July - September, 1929 Vol. 31(4): 655-666.

In this article, Hambly examines the diffusionist nature of serpent worship in Africa while grappling with the use of the term "worship" to characterize human relations with serpents. He is careful to differentiate between python worship, rainbow-guardian snakes and their association with rain, birth-snakes and fertility, snake-souls and their relation to reincarnation, transmigration and totemism and snake-medicine and general superstition.

In the explanation of these beliefs he presents examples primarily from Uganda, Nigeria and Egypt where serpent worship is thought to originate, though he makes special mention of a possible Semitic and Hamitic influence. His conclusions, however, exclude outside origins for serpent worship in favour of ancient indigenous origins. These indigenous origins are explained through migration throughout the continent, primarily East to West, which would naturally diffuse the serpent worship. He even links present-day worship to the "once-flourishing" serpent cult of the past, which presents some problems for the anthropologist today in terms of essentializing and unfairly linking cultures so temporally distant; but this is unsurprising considering his ethnocentric comments throughout the piece.

His reasons behind this assumption that people would still worship the serpent are fairly convincing, though, as he insists that the concepts of serpent worship are basic and fundamental to all societies, so it is no wonder that the snake is worshipped on such a wide scale. Hambly also suggests similarities between serpent worship across the continent, drawing a spatial connection between apparently disparate cultural groups as he further links African cultures to those around the world, especially the Middle East, saying animals, especially snakes, are often used in similar medicinal (ie. the use of animal fat) and magical rites. He is very careful to separate the Egyptian from other African cultures however, because his regard for the Egyptians clouds his judgement enough that he cannot see any similarity between that culture which he sees as noble and the Blacks he sees as obtuse savages to the South.
http://www.publicanthropology.org/Archive/AA1929.htm

This kind of thinking is what I see prevades most of those who call themselves Egyptologists,including Zahir Hawass. Despite evidence that ancient Egypt derived large parts of its culture, even its language, from lands to the south and southwest, most Egyptologists still persist in separating Egypt from the rest of Africa.

Originally posted by Ausur
Any more race threads than there already is then most will be deleated. If you are a poster posting under different names then your posts will be deleated also. No more race threads!! We have more than our fair share already,and please also comment on the non-race related topics about AE soceity. Enough is Enough!!!

In his book, The Destruction of Black Civilization, black scholar, Chancellor Williams informs us that history has proven that a number of tactics were employed by anthropologists to blot out black accomplishments. Here is a list of Williams' observations about how anthropologists chose to operate:

1. "Ignore or refuse to publish any facts of African history" that would not support their racial theories.

2. "Create a religious and 'scientific' doctrine" to ease the white conscience for oppressing and enslaving African people.

3. "Flood the world with hastily thrown together African 'histories'" that contain European perspectives only.

4. "Start renaming people and places. Replace African names of persons, places, and things with Arabic and European names." This will disguise their true black identity.

5. Change the criteria for defining race. For example, one drop of Negro blood in America makes you a Negro, no matter how light your skin. When reporting ancient history, reverse the standard. Make one drop of white blood render someone a Caucasian no matter how dark the skin. (Test this criteria during the "riding-at-the-back-of the-bus" era of the South during the 1940s in the USA. Be assured that any of the Pharaoh's of Egypt, especially up to and including the 25th Dynasty, would have been required to sit at the back of the bus.)

6. When black participation in civilization is so obvious your best schemes can't hide it, find a way to attribute the success to outside white influence.

7. When all the ancient historians contradict your theory, seek to discredit them.

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Originally posted by multisphinx:
not that i dislike race forums, but really mohammad thats how they start.

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This wasn't tied specifically to race, I thought the comment at the end may have added a bit of a racial tinge to it. This has nothing to do with the race of ancient Egyptians, but demonstrates how people try to separate Africa culturally. I think we've already debated enough about Egyptian racial origins so its not a question about what race they were.

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Originally posted by ausar:
Technically,this does relate to cultural ties of AE soceity. It's not a race thread in my opinion. Although it has leaning of race tied into the message. I think I should revise the rule to say you can talk about race if it ties in context with AE culture.

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Ausar how long was the snake worship in Egypt well established? I don't think this type worship came from the Middle East into East Africa and spread.

I personally don't feel they are Middle Eastern either,but you could always point out the specific African traits of AE culture. Such as ancestor whorship, the idea of the shadow as a living extension, the belief in the rain-maker king,coming of age circumcision rites.

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Originally posted by homeylu:
Topic "Warning!" started June 21

Originally posted by Ausur
[b]Any more race threads than there already is then most will be deleated. If you are a poster posting under different names then your posts will be deleated also. No more race threads!! We have more than our fair share already,and please also comment on the non-race related topics about AE soceity. Enough is Enough!!!

Ausur?[/B]

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Unlike the thread on caucasionism, this one specifically discusses Egypt...