The annexed head, also of a king, and bearing some resemblance to the one above figured, is copied from Mr. Waddington’s[[58]] drawing of a group over the portico of the Fifth Pyramid at Djebel Birkel (the ancient Armada?) supposed to be among the oldest sculptures in Nubia.
We have already alluded to the opinion of Prof. Ritter and others, that the old Bejas and the modern Bishareens were derived from the Berber or Libyan stock of nations. I am ready to go farther and adopt the sentiment of the learned Dr. Murray, that the Egyptians and monumental Ethiopians “were of the same lineage, and probably descended from a Libyan tribe.”
This view of the case at once reconciles the remark of Champollion, Rosellini, Heeren and Rüppell, that they could detect the present Nubian physiognomy every where on the monuments; but at the same time it supersedes the necessity of their inference that Nubia was the cradle of civilization, and that the arts, descending the river, were perfected in Egypt. The latter question cannot be definitively settled until the archæologists decide on the relative antiquity of the Egyptian and Nubian monuments. In the present state of the discussion, however, the preponderance of facts is greatly in favour of Egypt.[[59]]
Without attempting to discuss this intricate question on the present occasion, I will merely add my conviction that the original Meröites were neither Arabs nor Hindoos, (although, as we shall explain, they became greatly modified by these nations in after time) but that they formed an unequivocal link in the Libyan chain of primitive Caucasian nations.
The Fellahs.—These people, also called Arab-Egyptians, are found every where in the valley of the Nile, of which they are the principal cultivators. “Their heads,” observes Mr. Lane, “are a fine oval, the forehead of moderate size, not high, but generally prominent; their eyes are deep sunk, black and brilliant; the nose is straight and rather thick; the mouth well formed; the lips are rather full than otherwise; the teeth particularly beautiful, and the beard is commonly black and curly, but scanty.”[[60]] They have a yellowish complexion, and are, in general, a strong, well formed people. There can be little question that the Fellahs are a mixture of the Arab stock with the old rural population of Egypt; an amalgamation which dates chiefly from the seventh century of our era, (A. D. 640,) when the Saracens under Amrou conquered the country, and separated it from the Greek empire. The constant influx of Arab population from that time to the present must have more or less modified the features of the previous inhabitants; and yet even now we are assured by Jomard and others, that the Fellahs of upper Egypt present a striking resemblance, in all respects, to the monumental paintings and sculptures. “A l’aspect des hommes du territoire d’Esné, d’Ombos, ou d’Edfoû, ou des environs de Selsélé, il semblerait (pour emprunter une image du plus célèbre des ecrivains modernes) que les figures des monuments de Latopolis, d’Ombos, ou d’Apollinopolis Magna, se sont détachées des murailles, et sont descendues dans la campagne.”[[61]]
Mr. Gliddon’s kindness has furnished me with eight Fellah skulls, of which five are represented in the subjoined wood-cuts. Three of them only are adult, and all are small, and present a remarkable prominence of the face (termed prognathous by Dr. Prichard;) a feature which appears exaggerated in the following outlines, on account of the occiput and teeth being drawn on the same plane.
The large receding forehead,[[62]] so characteristic of both Arabs and Fellahs (and, as we have seen, of the several links of the great Semitic chain of nations,) is well marked in most of these crania, together with the long and salient nose.
That several of them are in feature more Arab or even Hebrew than Egyptian (A, C,) is obvious, and the reason has been already given; yet how far the Fellahs will compare, in the details of physical character, with the true Libyan or Berber tribes, remains for future investigation. When this shall have been accomplished, it may be found that the Fellahs preserve the nearest approximation to the ancient Egyptians of any people now inhabiting the valley of the Nile.