UNESCO Ancient Civilizations of Africa (Editor G. Mokhtar)

Ancient Civilizations of Africa
These Temehou appear to have been keen warriors, and the Middle
Empire Pharaohs often had to fight them. They are frequently portrayed
under the New Empire and easily recognized by their tresses hanging
in front of the ears and curling back over the shoulders. They often wore
feathers in their hair and were sometimes tattooed. Their weapon is the
bow, or sometimes a sword or boomerang. These features are also noted
among the Syrtes Libyans of the fifth century by Herodotus. Hence it
can be deduced that the Temehou are indeed the ancestors of the Libyans
known to the Greeks in Cyrenaica. This, however, cannot in itself justify
G. Moller's 38 bold theory that they are identical with the Adyrmachidae,
close neighbours of the Egyptians according to Herodotus (IV, 168), even
though the latter were regarded by Silius Italicus (Punica, IX, 223, 225)
as Nile-bank dwellers - not unlike the Nubae - who perhaps on occasion
occupied southern oases. According to the same author (Punica, III, 268-9),
their bodies were blackened by the sun as were those of the Nubae, and
this would bring them close to the Adyrmachidae of Lower Nubia, whose
neighbours the Temehou were; but this does not tally with the clear
complexions of the Temehou. Their presence at Kawa is a hypothesis which
has been advanced. 39
The forays of the Temehou became more menacing during the nineteenth
dynasty. After Seti I had driven them back c. —1317, Ramses II
incorporated Libyan contingents into the Egyptian army and organized
a defence line along the Mediterranean shore as far as el-Alamein. 40 The
stele at the latter spot confirms the occupation of the region by Ramses II
and is the first object referring to the Libou. From the name of these
people the Greeks derived the geographical term Libya, which then applied
to their area of movement, and then step by step to the whole of Africa.
Under Merneptah, in —1227, mention is made of the Meshwesh as
western neighbours of the Libou. 41 Both the Libou and the Meshwesh
appear to have formed part of the broader group of the Temehou; 42 but
the figured representations show that the Meshwesh wear the phallic
covering (no doubt because they were circumcised), whereas the Libou
wear a loincloth. Having occupied the oases of Bahariya and Farafra, the
combined tribes were defeated north-west of Memphis by the Egyptians.
38. G. Möller, p. 48; a philological refutation by W . Hölscher, p. 50.
39. M. F. L. Macadam, 1949, Vol. I, p. 100, Nos. 20,21: ADRMKDE and ADRMLKD.
40. J. Y. Brinton, pp. 78-81, 163-5
an d P'- XX, Fig. 4; A. Rowe, pp. 6-7, Fig. 4.
On six new stelae, showing victory scenes of Ramses II over the Libyans, found later
at Zawyet-el-Rakkam by Labib Habachi, see J. Leclant, 1954, p. 75 and PI. XVIII.
41. G. A. Wainright, pp. 89-99. Concerning the names of Libou and Meshwesh chiefs,
see J. Yoyotte, 1958, p. 23. Yoyotte considers the Libou to be closer to the Delta.
F. Chamoux, p. 55, locates them, on the contrary, west of the Meshwesh, but we think
he is wrong. Libya in the strict sense remained a region close to the Mareotis; see Claudius
Ptolemaeus, 1901, pp. 696-8. The Libou must therefore have settled very close to Egypt.
For the subsequent fate of these peoples, see J. Yoyotte, 1961, pp. 122-51.
42. W . Hölscher, pp. 47-8; cf. note 34 above.
430