102 



NATURE 



[March 30, 1916 



Darfur (or Kordofan) at the close of the Old 

 King"dom " (p. 20). 



There is no reason whatsoever for labelling 



Predynastic Egyptians formed one of these groups 

 and the Middle Nubians another ; but there was a 

 buffer-population, the " B-group " of the archaeolo- 



FiG. I. — Pottery deposit near Canteen or Customs House, Romano-Nubian period, h rom '' The Archaeological Survey oi Nuljia. " 



these people "Libyan." In prehistoric times there 

 were groups of kindred peoples scattered along 



Fig. 2. — Later C-group period. Large jar of blacl; polished ware 

 with incited acid coloured patterns in imiiation ot basket-work. 

 Cemetery loi, grave 38 Scale i : 6. brom " J he Archaeo- 

 logical Survey of iSubia." 



the Nile valley like beads upon a string, which 

 reached from the Mediterranean to Abyssinia. The 



gists, between them to hinder free admixture 

 either of blood or culture, but which itself was 

 affected most intimately — in other words, wasj 

 virtually enslaved — by the more powerful Egyptian! 

 people. The Egyptians themselves were sub-! 

 jected to the stimulating influence of contact wit? 

 more virile races in the north, and advancecj 

 rapidly along the paths of material progress. Th«j 

 Middle Nubians were affected by the retarding; 

 influence of Negro admixture, and incidentally 

 retained for many centuries and with relativel 

 slight changes the arts and crafts which original) 

 were the common heritage of both Egyptians an' 

 Nubians. 



The archaeological evidence relating to this ir 

 structive history has been set forth in a most luci 

 way by Mr. Firth. 



The excellence of the way in which the Surve 

 Department has carried out this work of archae< 

 logical research and of the publication of i 

 results makes one wish that the newly-establishc 

 British Protectorate of Egypt may use the kno\ 

 ledge to put in order its Antiquities Departmen 

 which is not only intimately related in a variety 

 ways to the proper financial administration of tl' 

 country, but also has responsibilities for the prop' 

 care of monuments by which posterity will judi- 

 of the success or otherwise of British rule » 

 Egypt. G. Elliot Smith. 



