Egyptians Angered by Pharaohs' Skin Tone in Wall Mural
A wall mural created for a Chinese president's state visit to Egypt sparked public anger after the pharaohs' skin tone was seen as echoing Afrocentric claims about their origin, prompting the artwork to be urgently repainted.
A dispute has erupted in Egypt over a wall mural created to mark a state visit by the Chinese president to the country. The pharaohs depicted in the artwork were painted with a skin tone that led many local residents and commentators to conclude the piece endorsed Afrocentric views about the origin of ancient Egyptian civilization and its rulers.
A Dispute Over Historical Interpretation
Afrocentric theory, which holds that the pharaohs and civilization of ancient Egypt were closely tied to sub-Saharan African peoples and their appearance, is traditionally viewed with skepticism in Egypt. Many Egyptians consider this interpretation to be at odds with historical accuracy and the country's national identity, and the skin tone chosen for the mural triggered widespread outrage on social media and among the public.
Mural Hastily Repainted
Following accusations that the work distorted the pharaohs' true appearance, those responsible decided to alter the mural without delay. The artwork, originally intended as a symbolic gesture marking relations between China and Egypt, instead became the center of a debate over how ancient civilizations should be portrayed in contemporary art. The episode illustrates how sensitive the question of the pharaohs' origin and skin color remains in Egypt, a topic that regularly sparks heated debate among historians, activists, and the wider public.
