celeb news Famous egyptian archeologist wants to teach Jada Smith about Cleopatra

[ATRL-o-matic]

No Cleopatra was not black — here are the facts

 

(...)

Cleopatra was not black. As well documented history attests, she was the descendant of a Macedonian Greek general who was a contemporary of Alexander the Great. Her first language was Greek and in contemporary busts and portraits she is depicted clearly as being white. 

 

The evidence for Cleopatra’s true heritage is overwhelming – and not, as Pinkett Smith has said in defense of the show, “highly debated.”  

 

The actress playing Cleopatra has offered this advice to the show’s many critics: "If you don't like the casting, don't watch the show." It is advice that I, and I suspect countless Egyptians, intend to take.  

 

 

There are many words that could be used to describe the falsehood at the heart of this series, and headlines in newspapers around the world – from the US to Egypt and Greece – have carried several of them, including “historical revisionism,” “cultural appropriation,” and “black-washing.”   

 

The protests are not motivated by racism. As the Egyptian lawyer Mahmoud Al-Semary, who has launched a legal bid to have access to Netflix blocked in Egypt, has pointed out, this is outrage provoked by a form of cultural identity theft.  

 

(...)

 

One need only look at all the known statues of Cleopatra VII, such as the head of the queen that I and fellow archaeologist Kathleen Martinez found inside the Temple of Taposiris Magna, west of Alexandria,  during our search for Cleopatra’s tomb.  

 

None of these statues, including the one we found, which was made of alabaster, gives any indication that Cleopatra was black.

 

During our excavation inside the temple, we also found a large number of coins bearing the face and name of Cleopatra. Again, not one of the depictions supports the decision of the producers of the series to portray their queen as black.   

There is a similar lack of evidence for Cleopatra having been black to be found in a depiction on the facade of the temple at Dendera, which shows her with the goddess Hathor and her child Caesarion, the son of Caesar.  

 

(...)

 

The truth as we know it can be found in the many scenes depicted in temples throughout Egyptian history. Here we see the pharaohs smiting the enemies of Egypt and, in front of them, all of the people of the surrounding regions, including Nubia, Libya and Mesopotamia.  

 

Luckily for historians and archaeologists, the ancient Egyptian artists were sticklers for detail – examine the faces, and the racial characteristics of each of the figures are clearly shown.  

 

This can be seen in one of the great scenes that was found during our excavation and conservation inside the tomb of Ramses II in the Valley of the Kings. It shows the sun god Ra on his boat and, standing in front of him, people of four clearly identifiable races: Egyptians, Africans, Libyans and Asiatics.  

 

Cleopatra was not black, and I would welcome the opportunity to teach Pinkett Smith about a woman whose achievements and story were sufficiently dramatic not to require politically motivated embellishment in the retelling of them.  

 

When Cleopatra took the throne in 51 BC after the death of her father, Egypt was severely damaged, significantly in debt and experiencing high inflation. The Nile had recently flooded more destructively than usual, political power lay in the hands of Rome and the feelings of anger and rebellion among the Alexandrians toward the pharaoh had reached fever pitch. 

 

 

Cleopatra rose to the occasion, entering the political arena with a strong character, a sharp mind and, it has to be said, feminine charms that she did not hesitate to exploit, as witnessed by her relationships with and manipulation of the Romans Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.   

 

Cleopatra had several private tutors who prepared her to rule Egypt, but she also pursued academic interests of her own, such as science and philosophy, and could be said to have been a pioneer in the field of women’s rights. Unlike her forebears, Cleopatra learned the native language of Egypt, as well as Greek and other tongues.   

 

Cleopatra, then, was many things, and well deserving of having her story told to modern audiences, but one thing she most definitely was not was black.  

It is a shame that Netflix has categorized this new series as a docudrama, rather than a pure drama, because no one who knows anything about ancient Egypt can possibly take it seriously.

  

 

Dr. Zahi Hawass is Honorary Chairman, Antiquities Coalition Advisory Council, Egyptologist and Former Minister of Antiquities of Egypt, a position he served twice. He is also the Director of Excavations at Giza, Saqqara, Bahariya Oasis, and the Valley of the Kings. He has been involved in several important archaeological projects. He led the search for the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony on the premises of a Ptolemaic temple near Alexandria. (Source: Antiquities Coalition) 

 

 

 

Entire article at:  https://www.arabnews.com/node/2290456

 

The educated drag: 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by MaoMars

[satellites.™]

I'm sure she knows and does not care.

[magazine]

Like meghan said: f*ck teachers 

[ProudLBS]

20 minutes ago, MaoMars said:

it's so bizarre, that Netflix trailer with the grandma saying to not listen to what people tell you in school bc she is a reputable source about Cleopatra 

I mean ??? who approved this mess  

Why Netflix likes to spend money in these vanity projects? It what intrigues me the most

 

Controversy sells lol

 

Who would’ve heard of the show otherwise?

Edited April 25, 2023 by ProudLBS

[MrFenty]

While I feel she wanted the controversy, most of this probably would have been avoided if they never brought it up in the first place. If the trailer focused on Cleopatra's rise and fall and the casting just was what it was, it probably would have been fine. But them hammering the point that she was black despite what people say was ridiculous. There are other black heroines and icons, not to mention Cleopatra is regarded as being largely responsible for the downfall of Egypt so not sure why you'd really want her as a role model. 

[Domination]

I mean…  I think the academic response to some Black Americans projecting certain qualities on ancient Egypt is a bit overblown. Yes, at worst it’s completely illogical to misrepresent Cleopatras heritage and doesn’t really serve her but I think most people who respond positively to these depictions feel connected to the folk elements of this trope, not whether or not they’re consuming a historically accurate depiction.

[Sergi91]

Facts over feelings 

[305]

Very weird for Netflix even allow thus casting decision, straight up erasing history. Shame on Jada 

[Trent W]

Just now, 305 said:

Very weird for Netflix even allow thus casting decision, straight up erasing history. Shame on Jada 

I think they just wanted the controversy 

[ZIVERT]

Jada knew what she was doing. She's so annoying.

[Superbitch]

Was the show even good?

[Desperate Fantast]

9 minutes ago, Domination said:

I mean…  I think the academic response to some Black Americans projecting certain qualities on ancient Egypt is a bit overblown. Yes, at worst it’s completely illogical to misrepresent Cleopatras heritage and doesn’t really serve her but I think most people who respond positively to these depictions feel connected to the folk elements of this trope, not whether or not they’re consuming a historically accurate depiction.

"Blackwashing" is not the point. This is cultural imperialism. They stole their history, revised it to their liking, and sold it to a global audience.

 

It'd be one thing if this were a fictionalized depiction, but this was sold as a documentary, in which they repeatedly told the audience not to trust the historical consensus, backed by overwhelming evidence.
 

This whole thing is beyond insulting.

[LatinFreak]

Jada is not very liked in Hollywood as it is... this will be the final nail in her careers coffin 

[terrorblade]

fact check: true✅

[smartalek22]

well i thought cleopatra was some goddess or legend or something 

idk anything about her but she seems stannable

[Carla Rosón]

52 minutes ago, ProudLBS said:

Controversy sells lol

 

Who would’ve heard of the show otherwise?

!!

[SoldierofLove]

1 hour ago, smartalek22 said:

well i thought cleopatra was some goddess or legend or something 

idk anything about her but she seems stannable

[BGKC]

Jada is so insufferable 

[midnightdawn]

This is why you don't get a Hollywood actress to produce a history documentary.

[popmusicisdead]

Jada should focus on f*cking Jaden's friends while Will cries in the corner instead of pulling sh*t like this 

[Katamari]

2 hours ago, smartalek22 said:

well i thought cleopatra was some goddess or legend or something 

idk anything about her but she seems stannable

 

[Donquizote]

[Donquizote]

41 minutes ago, popmusicisdead said:

Jada should focus on f*cking Jaden's friends while Will cries in the corner instead of pulling sh*t like this 

[Luckitty]

there's so much evidence that cleopatra (and most ancient Egyptians and North Africans in general) were not black, I don't understand why a lot of people want to claim them as black when there are so many ancient civilizations in west africa and other parts of africa who were actually black

[Cryptique]

31 minutes ago, Luckitty said:

there's so much evidence that cleopatra (and most ancient Egyptians and North Africans in general) were not black, I don't understand why a lot of people want to claim them as black when there are so many ancient civilizations in west africa and other parts of africa who were actually black

AMERICA and their obsession with WOKENESS and DIVERSITY