LIBYAN, lit/can (Luba, Legate. Egypt. Lebu, .143e€T, Libges). A branch of the stock, or linguistic family. occupying from most ancient times the north of Africa be tween the Barcau Desert and the Atlantic Ocean.
They include in Morocco Anunirg (Berbers). Rifians, and S elh as (Shluhs ) ; in Senegal. Senagus; in the Desert, Tuaregs and Tibbus; in Algeria, Kabyks, Shuichi, and Beni-.11zab ( za bites) ; in Tripolitana, Zoaares and Jebel, and Ghada ;nes, southward.
The Libyan people are of medium stature (5 feet 7 inches) and in build are spare, but. strung. They are fair-skinned, and much lighter than the average fellah of the Nile or titan the Arabs. Dark hair and hazel eyes are inure frequent than light hair and blue eyes, though ia all villages persons resembling the North German type are to be seen. It is interesting to note how this mark has persisted. On the walls of the tomb of Seti I. and Merenptab (me. 1300), at Thebes, are shown four types, representing the Egyptian, the Asiatic, the Negro, and the Libyan. The Egyp tians are painted-red, but the Libyans are white, with blue eyes and fair beards, preserved until this day in the blond Berber, from Tripoli to Tangier and far into the desert.
The honie of the Libyans is for the most part a mountainous region, here and there lifted above the snow-line and flanked by a Piedmont on north and south, the former sloping into the :Mediter ranean, the latter toward the Sahara.
As distinguished from the nomadic and pre datory Arabs, the Libyans are and have been partly agricultural, partly industrial, and partly commercial. The difficult traffic across the Sa hara into the Negro Sudan has been theirs from time immemorial. For the prosecution of this commerce horses, camels. and asses were needed. and the rearing of these gave variety to their ac tivities. Agriculture has always been their con genial pursuit. In the narrow valleys terraced gardens are common, but in the wider. more open spaces the plow takes the place of the hoc and the implements seem not to have changed their form in many hundreds of years. The Libyans possess little mechanical skill, as is evidenced by their mills, looms, and metallurgy. Pottery is
made by hand, without the by modeling or building up by coils, and burnt in little kiln- in the open air. In some tribes, the Kabyles (q.v.). for example, the forms and decorations remind the student of the most ancient ceramics of Egypt.
The dress of the Libyans of to-day is for the men a cotton or woolen undergarment and over this a hurnoose, consisting of blankets sewed to gether and having a capuchin hood attached. Sandals with soles of plaited grass complete the costume. To this a ciiida (Kaid) will add a scarf, loose tunic, sleeved waistcoats, embroidered waistcoats, a girdle, and a tnrhan. besides a ro sary, boots or stockings of red leather, and large black shoes.
Tie women wear a single tunic of coarse ma terial, with holes for the aims, tied up at the waist with a girdle. A profusion of silver orna ments is common, and finer garments with gay headdress are worn nn festive occasions.
The unit of 'Libyan social life is the monog amous family, iu which the women do not go veiled, but custom has on them many restric tions. The unit of political life is the village community. with purely democratic government, unless outside influences have prevented. as among the Tonaregs. The presiding officer of the general assembly has no power of initiative. but. is the servant of the village. Villages are united into tribes, for geographic and economic reasons, and these in great emergencies unite in confed eracies. Beneath this democratic system and modifying its action exist secret societies or or ganizations which are sworn to protect their members in every difficulty. Excepting on the rarest occasions the Libyans have never de veloped a national spirit.
The Libyans or Berbers have been Moham medans since the seventh century. licrodotus says that the Libyan nomads sacrificed to the sun. Egyptian, Greek. and Roman polytheism:, singularly enough. made little impression on them. Beyond ma t urg-worsh i p and the wearing of charms they were almost without a cult. Con sult Randall-Maciver and NVilkin, Libyan Notes (London, 1901). See BEfunat, and the various Libyan tribes under their special designations.