Welcome to the Skellingcorner, tumblr home of a 27 yo weirdo from Luxembourg.
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Guess who succumbed to her decklust and got out to purchase a new one today? *raises hand*
This is the Botticelli Tarot in the Golden edition - it´s so sad that the camera doesn´t pick up the shiny golden parts. The art on it is absolutely gorgeous, and so far I adore the vibe it is giving off.
[image description: Model Domestic figure, Middle Kingdom. via Met Museum, the overlaying texts says “A Study of Hair Texture in Ancient Egypt”]
It is generally accepted now that ancient Egyptians were indigenous Africans. Seeing them with black African ancestry, however, seems to be tougher for people to acknowledge by both scholars and the general public alike. Even Egyptologist Stuart Tyson Smith argues that “Egyptologists have been strangely reluctant to admit that the ancient Egyptians were rather dark-skinned Africans…” (191). Through a closer observation of ancient Egyptian art we can find that many ancient Egyptians shared physical traits to black Africans, not just in skin colors but in hair texture as well.
Black Africans do not have a homogeneous appearance in anyway, so instead I use the term “black African” as a way to describe a generality of resemblances across multiple ethnic groups.
When studied as individuals, not all ancient Egyptians would be perceived as black Africans in the way expected in contemporary Western society, the same goes for many modern North Africans. Although not every ancient Egyptian would be considered black, the civilization did have visible black Africans throughout their entire history.
Discoveries from Pre-dynastic Egypt
Long-teeth vertical combs, resembling afro combs, have been found [Gallery]
A toupee made out of sheep’s or goat’s wool (Tassie 1066).
Palettes depicting men with tight curls and round hairstyles. [Gallery]
Long corkscrew curls are worn, sometimes with the ends made into miniature dreadlocks [Gallery]
Woolly Hair in Achaemenid Egypt
[image description: an artistic depiction of Herodotus, known as the “father of history and travel writing.” Photo via The Telegraph)
The ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, described the hair of the ancient Egyptians, as woolly using the term (οὐλότριχες), ulotrichous which means woolly or crisp hair. The root word, οὐλό, also has been used by Greeks to also describe the hair of Ethiopians, or black Africans (Snowden 6).
In Later Periods
Depictions of ancient Egyptians with crisp hair can still be seen even after the Ptolemaic dynasty. [Gallery]
[image description: Alabaster cameo portrait bust of an Egyptian woman from the Roman period, wearing a stola. via British Museum]
The Cultural Norm for Hair
Ancient Egyptians with straight hair did exist, as shown in their art.
[image description: A Fresco Scene of two grape farmers, from the tomb of Nakht via post]
According to Egyptologist Joan Fletcher, during wig constructions, the type of hair they used for the wigs in every case was “Caucasian” hair rather than afro-textured hair except that of Maiherpri’s (495). The use of the term Caucasian hair is vague, Fletcher might have meant that the hair did not resembled afro-textured hair. It is suggested by another Egyptologist, Geoffrey Tassie, that the hair could have been gathered from foreign captives, or through trading (1066). If Fletcher is correct about the type of hair used for almost all wigs, then the texture of the “Caucasian” hair seemed to have been frequently altered to contemporary fashions, such as curly wigs.
[image description: (from left to right) lady Istemkhebs’ short curly wig, duplex wig, Ahmose-Hentempet’s short curly wig. Located in the Cairo Musuem. via Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-western Cultures]
These alterations to the hair actually bear resemblance to afro-textured hair and aesthetics found in other black African cultures. We can even see many of these similar alterations and styles in modern-day black Africans that inhabit Northeast Africa, such the Afar.
[image description: A comparison I made of hairstyles between ancient Egyptians and Afar men. via post]
Throughout their history, ancient Egyptians made tools and hairstyles that would have unlikely to come into existence if they did not anything in common with black Africans. Even to this day black Northeast Africans wear similar hairstyles to the Egyptians of long ago.
Bridge, Sarah. “The Ethiopian Tribes Who Use BUTTER to Style Their Hair: Incredible Photos Reveal the Elaborate Curled Creations of the Afar People, and the Hamer Who Mix Ghee with Red Ochre to Spectacular Effect.” Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 13 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
Fletcher, Joann. “Hair.” Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology. By Ian Shaw. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2000. 495-96. Print.
knowledgeequalsblackpower.”Maiherpri, Buried at Thebes, Valley of the Kings, New Kingdom 18th Dynasty, 1427-1392 BC” Tumblr. 10 Jan. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
Martin, Frank. “The Egyptian Ethnicity Controversy and the Sociology of Knowledge”.Journal of Black Studies 14.3 (1984) 296+300-306. Print.
Redford, Donald B. From Slave to Pharaoh: The Black Experience of Ancient Egypt. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins UP, 2004. Print.
Snowden, Frank M. Blacks in Antiquity; Ethiopians in the Greco-Roman Experience. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 1970. Print.
Tassie, G. J. “Hair in Egypt.”, “Hair in Egypt: People and Technology Used in Creating Egyptian Hairstyles and Wigs”,”Hairstyling Technology and Techniques Used in Ancient Egypt”. Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-western Cultures: With 107 Tables. ed. Helaine Selin. Berlin: Springer, 2008. 1060-1076. Print.
Why would anyone consider the Ancient Egyptians as anything other than black? 0.o They were in Africa, a people of African descent, and all the Egyptian portrayals are of black people?? Like?
Excuse me but I wanted to ask: how do I properly write character development for a shy, frail woman? I don't want her to be instantaneously strong and capable but get a little mental strength. Should she witness something? Have a pep talk? Thanks!
Hi there!
All of the above and more. What you’re talking about is enough to form the underlying plot of a novel. The journey from weak to strong is one of the most commonly used, and it definitely shouldn’t be breezed over with a single scene. Have it as a continuum instead of a single change.
The character first needs to choose not to be weak anymore. This is a fundamental step and it’s fine to have them in denial or unwilling to change.
The next step is their initial progress. It’s routine to have a pep talk or a pearl of wisdom from a wise master of some kind here. They don’t have to have a white beard and meditate - anyone who can speak from a position of experience or wisdom works. You want this period to have a feeling of progress and accomplishment, so throw in a few victories.
It’s not all rosy though - once they’ve had time to get more confident, it’s time to bring them down again and let them know they’ve a way to go yet. Some sort of defeat or change in perception is needed to humble them and teach them a lesson integral to their process of growing stronger. This is a real opportunity to personalise the story. What lesson do you want the arc to teach about strength? That arrogance undermines? That it’s nothing without compassion? That there’s always a bigger fish? The character’s lack of understanding of this should be their downfall here.
And then they start to learn. They pick themselves up, and learn from what knocked them down. This is a common place for another pep-talk or pearl of wisdom.
With their newfound understanding, the character can then go on to face adversity. Their success here is less trivial than before - something real is achieved. Either the problems they’re tackling are more important in the world they’re in, or the way they’re going about it is healthy for them somehow.
In this state, they’re ready for their final challenge. This should come at the end of your story and occur in the same time and space as the big final confrontation. If you’ve got a group of characters, they should all be having their own personalised final challenges in the last few moments. This is a big part of the audience’s satisfaction with the story, and it’s why the best stories hit us so hard - it’s a cascade of realisation that carries through all the characters. Whatever the character’s final challenge is, it has to resonate with that realisation they made earlier. Their defeat earlier was a lesson, and this is the exam.
That’s how to do it traditionally over longform. Ultimately, fit the arc in however it goes best, but this is the tried and trusted method of getting it done. It’s your basic zero-to-hero story.
I’m thinking of naming one of my MCs Zelda. I was wondering if this is okay/legal to do, since the Legend of Zelda is popular/successful. Do I need to come up with a different name?
I saw your post on not using character names as description. In my novel, my MC’s best friend’s nickname is Nala, because she is obsessed with The Lion King. Is that not allowed?
*** Just a reminder that I am not an attorney, let alone a copyright attorney, so I can’t give you legal advice. This is just information to help you gain a better understanding of using names in fiction. If you need verified legal advice, contact an attorney.
Names cannot be copyrighted, but when they are unique (meaning it doesn’t exist elsewhere) to a particular character like “Daenerys” or “Renesmee,” and are part of a popular series or franchise, they may be protected under trademark, meaning that you can’t use them without potential legal trouble.
Can I use the name Harry Potter? It depends. If you’re writing a military drama and there’s a minor character who is a non-magical retired colonel named “Harold Thompson Potter” who happens to go by “Harry,” if one of your characters refers to him as “Harry Potter” once or twice, you could probably get away with that. This is a minor character who has nothing in common with the boy wizard of the same name. However, you probably couldn’t get away with naming your teenage main character “Harry Potter,” even if they’re completely non-magical, because they are a major character who has some things in common (like age) with the trademarked Harry Potter.
Character names that are actual names are fine to use. You can name a character “Harry” because “Harry” is an actual name that was in use long before the Harry Potter series. Both “Zelda” and “Nala” are also actual names that were in use long before The Legend of Zelda and The Lion King. Using “Nala” as a nickname for your character who is obsessed with The Lion King is also fine, as long as her nickname comes from obsession with the movie, not from similarities to the character Nala.
Character names that come from actual words are a little bit trickier. “Katniss,” for example, is the name of an actual edible plant, and that is where The Hunger Games author, Suzanne Collins, got the name. However, “katniss” is not a really well known plant, like roses or tulips, so, especially because it feels so specific to The Hunger Games, and because THG is popular and franchised, you probably couldn’t get away with it. On the other hand, if you wanted to name your character Maori character “Moana,” that might be okay. “Moana” means “ocean” in Maori and has been used as a name for a long time.
How do I know if a name is an actual name? The easiest thing in the world is to go to Google and search for the name + “baby name.” This should bring up numerous entries on baby name web sites that will give you information about the name. From there, you can look to see if the name was in use prior to whatever popular character it’s attached to. If it has been, you’re probably fine to use it as long as your character isn’t too similar to the other character. Let’s use the name “Bellatrix” as an example.
So, say you’ve just watched Harry Potter and you want to know if you can use “Bellatrix” in your Sci-Fi story that takes place on a Martian colony in the year 4342.
2) The second hit on the list is Nameberry, which is one of the best and most helpful baby name sites. From the Nameberry entry on Bellatrix, we learn that the name comes from one of the stars of the Orion constellation. We also learn that at least one real life person, pre-Harry Potter, has the name, though it’s spelled a little differently.
4) But has it really been used as a name prior to Harry Potter? You can go to family tree websites like “Ancestry.com” and plug the name into the search bar to see what comes up. Bellatrix on Ancestry.com brings up numerous fake entries for Bellatrix LeStrange, however, if you click past those, you will find entries for people born long before the Harry Potter series was published, who either have the first or middle name “Bellatrix” or whose spouse or mother did. That said, it’s fair to say it is an actual name.
5) But can you use it? Probably? I mean, the name wasn’t invented for the Harry Potter series, and it appears to have been in use as a human name long before the series, too. It’s also a celestial name, so there’s a pretty good argument for using it in a story that takes place in space, like the one in our example. If the character is neither evil nor magical, she wouldn’t have much in common with Bellatrix LeStrange. So, this is one where you’d probably be okay. At the very least, you have some pretty solid footing.
The bottom line here is this… RESEARCH BEFORE YOU PANIC. Google is such a wealth of information. You can spend five minutes and learn everything you want to know about a name: its meaning, its origin, its popularity, how long it’s been in use, where it’s geographically popular, popular people with the name, other popular uses… it takes five minutes. So, go forth and research those names with confidence! If nothing comes up for the name except entries about the character it was already used for, odds are the name was made up for that character.
——————————————————————— Have a writing question? I’d love to hear from you! Please be sure to read my ask rulesand master listfirst or your question will not be answered. :)
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