Roberts, David; Croly, George: The Holy Land: Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia (Band 4): = Egypt & Nubia [1] (1846)

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Though the Nubian women are dark in their complexions even to blackness, they have nothing else
that should class them with Negroes; on the contrary, their features are finely formed, and even Greek
in character, with a striking expression, which, when mantling into a smile, shews their white and
beautiful teeth, increased in brilliancy by contrast with their dark features.

With the exception of a girdle, or apron, of straps of leather decorated with shells (generally
couries), the young women go entirely naked: their forms are beautiful, and their habit of carrying
water-jars on their heads gives a grace and dignity to their mien, and an elegance to their attitudes
and actions, that offer the most beautiful studies to a sculptor; and, to their honour be it recorded,
they are, unlike the modern Egyptians, remarkable for their chastity. When they marry, their
costume is changed; they then wear a coarse white cotton dress, which hangs loosely but gracefully
about them. They sometimes tattoo their faces and bodies, and wear large pendent rings; but both
these detract from their beauty.

The most remarkable part of their costume, however, lies in the way in which they dress their
hair: in this they preserve the coiffure of the ancient Egyptians, wearing it in an infinite number of
plaits, which are decorated with shells; they then daub it over with a sort of pomade, made by
pounding the bean of the castor-oil plant, and with this they also lubricate their bodies, to soften and
protect their skins. In this hot climate such anointing may be necessary, but the fetor thus produced
is a most powerful repellent to charms otherwise irresistible.

Roberts's Journal.