A few references from
the Old Kingdom (2707-2170 BC) seem to refer to the people known today as
Pygmies. Small numbers of Pygmies were brought to Egypt as sacred dancers. They are found in the
Pyramid Texts, involved in the frenetic mortuary dance. The safe arrival of a dancing Pygmy is a matter of concern to young
Pepy II in a letter to the expedition leader Harkhuf, recorded in
his tomb at
Aswan. These references imply that Pygmies danced especially for the king, just as the king dances before the god. If necessary, a dwarf could substitute, suggesting that Pygmies were a great rarity and never present in large numbers. Today Pygmies live in the rain forests of central
Africa, although there is considerable debate regarding the antiquity of their occupation there.
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