` ::There is a valid question which arises from the above. What specific definition of ``ancient Egyptians`` do we use? ``Ancient Egypt`` according to our article covers a period of 3500 years. The ethnic characteristics of the population at the beginning of that period were almost certainly changed by the end of that period, and it probably contributes to the questions raised by the article to not at least try to draw distinctions between at least the beginning and end of that era.  `