The Cairo Symposium (1974) - Skeptics and Moderates (Part 1)

The Cairo Symposium was not a mere gathering of Pan-African activists who came together solely in light of the independence of various African states. Within the symposium, there were individuals with differing viewpoints. Some vehemently opposed the idea, while others held more moderate positions. Additionally, there were proponents of the thesis that ancient Egypt consisted of individuals of the "Negroid" race. Professor Jean Vercoutter (1911-2000) emerged as one of the most outspoken critics against the aforementioned thesis.

It is worth noting that Mr. Vercoutter, a prominent French Egyptologist, served as the director of the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology in Cairo from 1977 to 1981. Based on his research, he reached the following conclusions:

a) The available data from physical anthropology and craniometry was insufficient to substantiate the accuracy of the aforementioned thesis.

Anthropology: Is?the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species.

Craniometry: Is?the measurement of the cranium (the main part of the skull),?usually?the human cranium.

b) Limited research had been conducted on the connections between the Delta and Sahara-Darfur-Nile regions in relation to ancient Egyptian times.

However, he acknowledged that the existence of a "white" population was not plausible, as archaeological research thoroughly disproves this claim. Furthermore, he noted that the likelihood of a "Negroid" race was also improbable. This is significant because, in my opinion, it definitively dispels the notion of a so-called superior white race originating from the birthplace of civilization.

Another participant in the conference whom I consider to have held a moderate stance was Professor Nicole Blanc. During the symposium, she proposed for the following;

a) A more comprehensive examination of the issue of the ancient Egyptian population, extending beyond the conventional methods of assessment.

b) It was imperative to conduct further research in each ecological zone of the Nile Valley, Western Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Blanc emphasized the importance of studying each ecological zone independently, necessitating the use of region-specific and specialized methodologies customized to the characteristics of each zone.

Professor Blanc, on the other hand, put forth the argument that given the Nile Valley's function in enabling connections with West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, it would be justifiable to suggest that the civilizations originating from that region were authentically African rather than merely serving as intermediaries between the Mediterranean world and Black Africa.

The last viewpoint at the conference for today would be from Professor S?ve-S?derbergh (1914-1998), a Swedish professor of Egyptology who directed the Scandinavian excavations in the Sudan from 1960 to 1964. He established that based on these excavations, there were contacts between the Nile Valley, North Africa and the Sahara. Nonetheless, he also advocated for a much broader form of study. I would categorize him as a moderate, although I suspect his centrist leanings may be more aligned with skepticism rather than outright acceptance of the thesis. The basis for me reaching this conclusion stems from S?derbergh's argument that relying solely on race as the determining factor for understanding the population of Ancient Egypt is outdated.

In my opinion, this viewpoint regarding race raises significant concerns. The reason is that the notion of race as a basis for superiority was not propagated by Black Africa; rather, it was propagated by Western colonial institutions. It is important to remember that in Africa, Europe and other Western powers held dominant colonial authority, and they used this ideology to justify the inhumane treatment of Africans. As I have highlighted in previous articles, the perpetuation of the colonial order involved eradicating any traces of African history and promoting the idea of its irrelevance in world history. Professor Friedrich Hegel's perspective on Africa's place in world history is an example of this mindset. Consequently, it is incorrect to suddenly adopt a middle stance without recognizing the grave academic injustice that was inflicted upon Africans. African philosophers and researchers, therefore, have the moral right to employ the method of race, along with other available methodologies, in their studies.