Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Rod Charters · 6th October 2008, 05:12 PM

The following is from Wikipedia but don't know its correctness. Rod:

The Beja are found mostly in Sudan, but also in parts of Eritrea, and Egypt. They formerly were classified as belonging to the Hamitic race (a classification now generally regarded as politically and scientifically[1] incorrect).

Most of them live in the Sudanese states of Red Sea around Port Sudan, River Nile, Al Qadarif and Kassala, as well as in Northern Red Sea, Gash-Barka, and Anseba Regions in Eritrea, and southeastern Egypt. Other Beja ethnic groups are endemic to Egypt's Western Desert and to Yemen. Some Beja groups are nomadic.

The Bejas contain smaller tribes, such as the Ababde (or Ababda), Bisharin, Hedareb, Hadendowa (or Hadendoa), the Amarar (or Amar'ar), Beni-Amer, Shukuria, Hallenga and Hamran, some of them partly mixed with Bedouins.[citation needed] The European colonial masters and the explorers became fascinated with the Bejas which they often described in eulogistic terms.

The Bejas attach a high importance to their hair. Their prominent crown of fuzzy hair (called tiffa in their language) has characterized the Beja for centuries. Bejas believe that they are the descendants of a Lioness deity and her human consort. Egyptian Beja groups are believed to be the descendants of the Maahes Caste of High Priests of Amen and their Soldiers. Egyptian Priest-Kings Pinudjem, Psusennese and Masaharta are acknowledged as the patriarchal ancestors of Egypt's Western Desert Maahes by Egyptian Bejas.

6th October 2008, 05:12 PM	#5
Rod Charters Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 48	From Wikipedia The following is from Wikipedia but don't know its correctness. Rod: The Beja are found mostly in Sudan, but also in parts of Eritrea, and Egypt. They formerly were classified as belonging to the Hamitic race (a classification now generally regarded as politically and scientifically[1] incorrect). Most of them live in the Sudanese states of Red Sea around Port Sudan, River Nile, Al Qadarif and Kassala, as well as in Northern Red Sea, Gash-Barka, and Anseba Regions in Eritrea, and southeastern Egypt. Other Beja ethnic groups are endemic to Egypt's Western Desert and to Yemen. Some Beja groups are nomadic. The Bejas contain smaller tribes, such as the Ababde (or Ababda), Bisharin, Hedareb, Hadendowa (or Hadendoa), the Amarar (or Amar'ar), Beni-Amer, Shukuria, Hallenga and Hamran, some of them partly mixed with Bedouins.[citation needed] The European colonial masters and the explorers became fascinated with the Bejas which they often described in eulogistic terms. The Bejas attach a high importance to their hair. Their prominent crown of fuzzy hair (called tiffa in their language) has characterized the Beja for centuries. Bejas believe that they are the descendants of a Lioness deity and her human consort. Egyptian Beja groups are believed to be the descendants of the Maahes Caste of High Priests of Amen and their Soldiers. Egyptian Priest-Kings Pinudjem, Psusennese and Masaharta are acknowledged as the patriarchal ancestors of Egypt's Western Desert Maahes by Egyptian Bejas.