West Alpinid Phenotype - Face Features & Origin

Average Face

The West Alpinid phenotype average face is a composite synthesized from multiple individual photographs by historical anthropologists. It represents a statistical impression of recurring facial features, not a real person.

Geographic Distribution

The West Alpinid phenotype is native to Central Europe. The historical distribution below reflects approximate centers of prevalence documented roughly 1500 years ago; modern borders and population movements have since blurred these boundaries.

Approximate coordinates: 49.00°, 15.00° (latitude, longitude).

Physical Characteristics

Fair to light brown skin, straight or wavy, usually (light) brown hair with a blonde minority. Rather short to medium height, mesoskelic, endomorph. (Hyper-)brachycephalic, chamae- orthocranic. Face wide and round with a great interorbital distance and soft features. Leptorrhine, short, small, sometimes concave nose. Female snub noses common. Forehead steep and round. Body hair not very strong.

Historical Background

Alpinid proper, historically found in the mountain regions of Western Europe. Often a cohabitant of a second mountain type, the Dinarid. The nucleus of Alpinids lies in the Western Alps and Central France (e.g. the Swiss Disentis, the French Savoy, Auvergne and Massif Central regions). Common in Southern Germany as well (e.g. Franconia, Black Forest), the Apennines of Italy, Northern Spain, and Belgium.

Source: Human Phenotypes — West Alpinid

References & Literature

The West Alpinid phenotype entry above is compiled from the following academic references. Readers are encouraged to consult the original sources for verification and deeper context.

• Broca, P. 1868. Nouvelles recherches sur l'anthropologie de la France en général et de la Basse-Bretagne en particulier. Mém Soc. Anthr. Paris III, 147-209.
• Gros, Durand de and J. P. et de Lapouge. Matériaux pour l'anthropologie de l'Aveyron. Bull. Soc. langued. géogr. XX, XXI.
• R00
• D00
• Coon, C.S.. 1939.. The Races of Europe. The Macmillan Company. New York.
• Eickstedt, E. von. 1952. Biodynamik der Europiden. In: Historia Mundi. Band 1, Munich, 115-134.
• Biasutti, R. 1967 (1941). Le Razze e i Popoli della terra. 4th Ed. Vol 1-4. U.T.E.T., Torino.
• Knussmann, R. 1996. Vergleichende Biologie des Menschen: Lehrbuch der Anthropologie und Humangenetik. 2ed. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.
• Lundman, B. 1943. Jordens Människoraser och Folkstammar. Nybloms Förlag, Uppsala.
• Lundman, B. 1988. Jordens folkstammar. Huddinge.

Related Phenotypes

Other human phenotypes related to West Alpinid by geography or typological similarity.

• African Alpinoid

  Central Europe

  The most brachycephalic Maghrebi type, shows close morphological similarities to Alpines and in a lower degree to Armenids and Berberids. Pr...

• Baskid

  Central Europe

  Ancient European type associated with the Basques. Found in its purest form in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region of Southwestern France, altho...

• Borreby

  Central Europe

  Ancient Northern European variety. Named after some of the Neolithic Borreby skulls of Denmark (not all!). Some emphasised resemblance with ...

• Central Brachid

  Central Europe

  Indo Brachid variety, with a morphological and geographical position between West and East (Indo) Brachids, but possibly resulting from diff...

• East Alpinid

  Central Europe

  West Asian type that is anthropometrically and morphologically very similar to European Alpinids. Most common in the mountain zones of Anato...