Dear Mr. van Deelen: Thank you for your reply to my "position." It was well-informed and well- expressed (except that the word "seizes" should be "ceases"). My position, briefly stated, is that Egypt and North Africa have been melting pots for over 10,000 years, with southern Black elements mixing with northern White elements to produce the Brown races that have characterized the Mediterranean nations for the entire "historic" period (ie; from c.3200BC). As for the Nubians, they were undoubtedly Black Africans and you may recall seeing the little statue groups of BLACK Nubian bodyguards. When Egyptians wanted to portray Black people they gave them Black skins. And as for natural bi-chromaticism in the sexes it does exist among the White folks, with men usually a ruddier brown than the women, who can be "fair" to the point of "lily white." You say that "many of the 18th century pharaohs are black". Nolo contendre: I only say thay many of the pharaohs of all periods were not Black. You mention Queen Tiya, who was obviously Black, but not her husband who was obviously not Black. But this only illustrates my position (the traditional anthropological position on Egyptian demography), namely, that Egypt was, is, and has always been, a racial and cultural melting pot. Regards, Todd