In Arthur Edward Powell’s book The Solar System (1930), Chapter 35 is actually titled "The Fourth (Atlantean) Root-Race: The Rmoahal." You are correct that Powell discusses the "Malayan" or "Brown" types in the context of the transition between races, but there is a slight distinction in how the lineages are categorized in Theosophical literature (which Powell compiled from the works of Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater).
The Lemurian-Atlantean Transition
According to the text, the 4th Root-Race is the Atlantean race, not the Lemurian. However, the connection you are likely recalling involves the sub-races of the 3rd (Lemurian) and 4th (Atlantean) Root-Races:
- The 3rd Root-Race (Lemurian): The later sub-races of the Lemurians (specifically the 7th sub-race) are described as being the transition point into the Atlanteans.
- The 4th Root-Race (Atlantean): The first sub-race of the Atlanteans is the Rmoahal. Powell describes them as emerging from the Lemurian stock.
- The "Malayan" Connection: In Theosophical ethnology, the Malayan and certain Polynesian peoples are often identified as being descendants of the late Lemurian sub-races or early Atlantean mixtures.
Summary of Racial Classifications in Powell's Work
Powell organizes the evolution of these races as follows:
| Race Order | Name | Primary Location | Associated Color/Type in Text |
| 3rd Root-Race | Lemurian | Lemuria (Indian/Pacific) | Black/Dark Brown |
| 4th Root-Race | Atlantean | Atlantis (Atlantic) | Red-Brown (Rmoahal/Tlavatli) |
| 5th Root-Race | Aryan | Eurasia/Global | White/various |
Key Distinction
While the Rmoahal (the first sub-race of the 4th Race) is described as having mahogany-red or brown skin, the "Malayan" type is usually cited as a remnant of the 7th sub-race of the Lemurians, which served as the "root" or seed for the coming Atlantean race.
If you are looking for the specific mention of "Malayan Brown" as a root, it most likely refers to this 7th Lemurian sub-race, which provided the physical vehicle for the transition into the 4th (Atlantean) Root-Race.
In Arthur Edward Powell’s The Solar System (1930), your memory of the "Malayan Brown" is quite accurate in terms of the physical descriptions Powell provides, though the specific terminology relates to the transition between the Lemurian and Atlantean races.
In Chapter 35, titled "The Fourth (Atlantean) Root-Race: The Rmoahal," Powell describes the very first sub-race of the Atlanteans. Here is the breakdown of how he characterizes the "Malayan" type in that context:
1. The "Root" of the 4th Race
Powell (compiling from Besant and Leadbeater) explains that the 4th Root-Race (Atlantean) did not appear out of thin air. It was "rooted" in the 7th sub-race of the 3rd Root-Race (Lemurian).
- This 7th Lemurian sub-race is described as being much more human-like than earlier Lemurians.
- They inhabited the area around what is now the Malay Archipelago.
- Powell notes that the Malayans and Papuans of the modern world are among the closest surviving descendants of these late Lemurian/early Atlantean transition types.
2. Physical Description: "Brown" and "Mahogany"
In Chapter 35, Powell describes the Rmoahal (the 1st Atlantean sub-race) specifically:
- Skin Color: He describes their skin as "mahogany-red" or a deep "brown." * Height: At the peak of their evolution, they were giants, reaching heights of roughly 10 to 12 feet, though they gradually decreased in size over millennia.
- The "Malayan" Connection: Powell states that as the Rmoahals migrated and mixed with the remaining Lemurian stock (who were darker/black), they produced various "brown" shades. The modern Malayan people are cited as a distant, "degenerate" (in the sense of being smaller and less psychically active) remnant of this ancient brown-skinned stock.
3. The Distinction in Chapter 35
While the 4th Root-Race as a whole is "Atlantean," Powell focuses on the Rmoahal in Chapter 35 as the bridge. He mentions that:
"The first sub-race, the Rmoahal... emerged from the seventh sub-race of the Lemurians... their color was dark red-brown, not unlike the modern Malayan."
Summary Table
| Group | Role in The Solar System | Description |
| 7th Lemurian Sub-race | The "Seed" or "Root" | The ancestors of the 4th Race; lived in the Malay region. |
| Rmoahal (1st Atlantean) | The "4th Race Root" | Mahogany-red/Brown; the first formal Atlanteans described in Ch. 35. |
| Modern Malayans | The "Remnant" | Cited by Powell as the current physical evidence of that ancient brown-skinned lineage. |
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11 January 2026: 7.31 p.m