“This wig is still tightly attached to the head of the “Nubian” warrior and high official Maiherpri. The wig is the only one so far found made with black (1/0), heliotrichous (Negroid) hair, it consists of hundreds of tight ringletted tresses.” (“Egyptian Museum Collections Around The World”page 1145 Mamdouh Mohamed Eldamaty, Zahi A. Hawass, Mai Trad 2002)
“The hair was usually black and straight. In no case was it ‘woolly’, though sometimes it grew in short crisp curls.”[34] He further proclaimed that the ancient Egyptians were culturally Asiatic in origin”
“In contrast to such highly artificial examples, the Nubian fan-bearer Maiherpri had been buried (KV36) with a unique coiffure of short tight spirals of heliotrichous hair set over his shaven head, giving the impression of a totally natural style.” (Cairo CG2400; Daressy 1902, “Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology Paul Nicholson, Ian Shaw 2000)
We are able to form a very precise idea of the structure of the body of the Proto-Egyptian (First Egyptians) … it presented no resemblance whatever to the so-called ‘woolly’ appearance and peppercorn-like arrangement of the Negro’s hair.” (The Ancient Egyptians and Their Influence Upon European Civilization, 1911, G. Eliott Smith, Professor of Anatomy in the University of Manchester, England.)
“The Nubian fan bearer, Maherpra, was also buried in the Royal Valley, but in contrast to the previous highly artificial styles he wore a unique coiffure of short tight spirals of his own heliotrichous (Negroid) hair set over his shaven head, creating the impression of a totally natural style.” (Daressy 1903, page 74-75. “The Ostragon” volume 13, number 2, 2002)
“Hair was predominately used to construct the wigs and false braids which served as items of daily and funerary attire throughout the Pharaonic period (Fletcher 1995). The hair employed for this purpose was specifically human hair, and in almost every case can be identified as cynotrichous (Caucasian) rather than heliotrichous (Negroid) (Hrdy 1978; Titlbachova and Titlbach 1977; Brunton 1937; el-Tatrawi 1935).” (“Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology Paul Nicholson, Ian Shaw 2000)
“Tiyi’s parents display aquiline facial features and fair, Caucasian-type hair.” (Fletcher, Chronicle of a Pharaoh, page 71; 2000).
“The mummy of a woman found in the side chamber of the tomb of Amenhotep II and for years known as the ‘Elder lady’ has been identified as Queen Tiye. This was done by comparing the measurements obtained from a cephalogram, or lateral head radiogram, of her cranium with those of ten other female mummies known to be connected with the 18th dynasty royal family. It was found that the closest match to the Elder Lady was Thuya, known to be the mother of Tiye. The identification was confirmed by taking control samples of hair, together with strands of hair taken from the head of the Elder Lady , and subjecting theim to ion etching and scaning electron microscope analysis. The same procedure was also used found in the tomb of King Tut and labeled as the hair of Queen Tiye. On the basis that the hair is as peculiar to the individual as his or her fingerprints a match was made. “Queen Tiye died in her late forties, her hair still long, naturally curly and blonde.” “Armarna, Ancient Egypt’s Age of Revolution” 1999; Barbara Watterson
He [Ramses II] had red hair like his father thus the association with Seth (of red hair)…It has been determined that Ramesses was a fair-skinned man, associated, possibly, with the Berber of Africa, and displaying Nordic characteristics of a long head and long neck, with a prominent, aquiline nose. (“Excel HSC Ancient History Book 2” Peter Roberts 2006)
“In 1975 a 105 member team of scientists led by Lionel Baloud “restored” the mummy of Rameses II (c. 12790-1213 B.C.) and concluded, among many other points, that his hair was of the “European” type. Some Egyptologists even maintain that Rameses II’s hair was also red, rather than dyed red.” (“Egypt Trunk Of The Tree: A Modern Survey Of An Ancient Land Volumes 1-2 Simson R. Najovits 2004)
“Ramses II mummy’s hair is confined to a temporo-occipital zone which corresponds to an advanced stage of baldness. Hairs are slightly crimped and show an oval cross-section, the great axis of which lies between 60 and 70 urn: they are specific of a cymotrich leucoderm.” (“Scientifique à l’égyptologique” Lionel, Balout; Roubert, C., Desroches-Noblecourt, Christiane, 1985)
Professor P. F. Ceccaldi, with a research team behind him, studied some hairs which were removed from the mummy’s scalp. Ramesses II was 90 years-old when he died, and his hair had turned white. Ceccaldi determined that the reddish-yellow colour of the mummy’s hair had been brought about by its being dyed with a dilute henna solution; it proved to be an example of the cosmetic attentions of the embalmers. However, traces of the hair’s original colour (in youth), remain in the roots, even into advanced old age. Microscopic examinations proved that the hair roots contained traces of natural red pigments, and that therefore, during his youth, Ramesses II had been red-haired. It was concluded that these red pigments did not result from the hair somehow fading, or otherwise altering post-mortem, but did indeed represent Ramesses’ natural hair colour. Ceccaldi also studied a cross-section of the hairs, and he determined from their oval shape, that Ramesses had been “cymotrich” (wavy-haired). Finally, he stated that such a combination of features showed that Ramesses had been a “leucoderm” (white-skinned person). [Balout, et al. (1985)
Scientific analysis of his (Ramses II) has confirmed that in his youth, the king was indeed a natural redhead. (Tyldesley 2001)
Rem N Kemi 