Irano-Afghan

The term Irano-Afghan is a term used in physical anthropology for a description of Nordics, based upon shared physical characteristics through geographic adaptation. More modern terms include Nordic Iranian and Irano-Nordid. Numerous studies supports the formation of the type in the Iranian plateau and includes Geology, meteorology and Paleontology, furthermore geographical, anthropological , mythological, historical and linguistic studies, supports the theory.

Morphological uniqueness

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Irano-Afghan

Anthropologist Carleton S. Coon described Irano-Afghans in his book The Races of Europe, as being long-faced, high-headed and nose-hooked.

According to anthropologist Earnest Hooton:

"The Iranian Plateau type differes from the Upper Palaeolithic meaning Atlanto-Mediterranean type particularly in its long, high-bridged, and boldly jutting nasal promontory. It has the same huge dolichocephalic head and massive, usually long face.The great nose may be either straight or convex, more often the latter."

"Beard and body hair: usually heavy."

According to Renato Biasutti the type was defined by:

Brunet-white color, very dark hair and eyes, abbundant pilosity; medium stature (165), slim body; very long (74) and high head with prominent occiput; long face; large and high nose with root at the level of the forehead, straight or convex spine, strongly curved nostrils (64); full lips, robust chin.

Paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey, believes that differences are only geographically racial. [2]

Distribution

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Ramesses III

Irano-Afghans or Nordic Iranians in anthropological terms, are Harder Mediterraneans most common and the principal element in Iran and Afghanistan north-west Pakistan and Turkmenistan. It is also a major factor in Turkey and Iraq and comprises parts of the population of India, China (West), Arabia, Middle east, Palestine north Africa and Europe, as a result of migration of Irano-Afghans. Together with Pontics and Corded-Nordics they make up the eastern branch of the Mediterranean group. Morphologically they are closer to Corded-Nordics, and the type traditionally defined as “Nordic” in Physical Anthropology. Modern Nordics are typically mesocephalic, but their ancestors were dolichocephalic. The cephalic index was defined by Swedish professor of anatomy Anders Retzius and first used in physical anthropology. A cephalic index of 80 or more is called brachycephalic, or broad, a measurement between 75 and 80 is mesocephalic, or intermediate, below 75 is considered dolicocephalic or long.

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Nordic Iranian

In Nordic countries cordeds compromise 12% - 18% of the population.[3] The Cordeds are metrically very similar to the Elmenteita from East Africa - the two groups could be combined without loss of homogeneity. In Mesopotamia, they may be favorably compared with the three dynastic skulls from Ur. Coon also related Irano-Afghans to the old Corded Ware culture of Europe.

In later works Coon proposed a Nordic (i.e Corded) origin through depigmentation in the Eurasiatic grasslands, having arrived there from Iran at around –5000. Genetic research explains the depigmentationphenomonen as being related to foodshortages and especially the lack of vitamin D obtained through seafood and sunlight in which northern European latitudes lack thereof. Lighter Skin, hair, and eye color is due to a low concentration in pigmentation, thus allowing more sunlight that triggers the production of Vitamin D. The MC1R gene is related to this.

Sufficient intake of these elements thus also alows for repigmentation over time, with an estimated timespan of at least 2500 years.

Pigmentation however, does not constitute an anthropological validity as "race" is measured through skeletal association.

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Tocharian mummy displaying Nordic features and wearing Iranian clothing found in Western China, Tocharians spoke the eastermost Indo-European dialect in which Old Chinese was Influenced. The Chinese described Tocharians as having long noses and being "hairy as monkeys"[1].

Nordics are found in majority in Iran and Afghanistan where the dolichocephalic strains are numerically predominant. Its type is associated with the ancient Aryan movement via Sumer/Mesopotamia, Nordics are not to be confused with "Nordish" or "Nordics" of northern/central Europe, i.e collection of different subtypes of northern/central Europe and Scandinavia where the dinaric, brachycephalic and snubnosed skulls of Tydal, Phalian, Bruenn and Borreby types are predominant and the major population element.

Nordic skeletal system types (i.e Irano-afghan/corded) are by far globally numerically inferior to the more primitive and widely distributed non Nordic types . Nordic skeletal association can also be found among ancient ruling Egyptian pharaos.

Language

Haplogroup r1a1 dated to 36,000-15,000 years BP, are associated with Proto-Indo-Europeans, Indo-Iranians and the Spread of Indo-European languages.

Modern linguistic anthropology cites that speakers of Aryan languages were involved in a migratory path with Europe as well as India as destination, rather than a source. Speakers of Indo-European languages, migrated from Iran to northwestern India at around 2000 B.C and brought an early form of Sanskrit language.[4].

The routes of this great migration have set Iran as the center and set out on migration in any direction where Nordic peoples spread its language and culture.

Along with Hebrew, Proto-Indo-European has been traditionally regarded in Western culture to be The Adamic language. Anne Catherine Emmerich (1790), stated in her private revelations that the most direct descendants of the Adamic language were Bactrian, Persian and Indian languages, i.e. speakers of Indo-Iranian languages.

Further reading

• Coon, Carleton S., The Races of Europe.

External links

• Anthropological Morphologies Online Resources

• Caucasoid Morphological Types, American School of Classical Studies at Athens