Caucasoid: Difference between revisions
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== Geographic scope == |
== Geographic scope == |
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[[Physical anthropology]] defines [[Caucasoid]] with a pattern of physical traits typical of humans indigenous to an area centered on [[Europe]] |
[[Physical anthropology]] defines [[Caucasoid]] with a pattern of physical traits typical of humans indigenous to an area centered on [[Europe]] |
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== Semantic scope == |
== Semantic scope == |
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The term '''Caucasoid''' is most used in discussions of human [[prehistory]] and in the [[forensic]] analysis of human remains. The suffix [[-oid]] indicates "a similarity, not necessarily exact, to something else". Caucasoid, therefore, may not automatically imply [[Caucasian]] - whatever the parameters for the definition(s) of Caucasian may be. |
The term '''Caucasoid''' is most used in discussions of human [[prehistory]] and in the [[forensic]] analysis of human remains. The suffix [[-oid]] indicates "a similarity, not necessarily exact, to something else". Caucasoid, therefore, may not automatically imply [[Caucasian]] - whatever the parameters for the definition(s) of Caucasian may be. |
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Revision as of 04:47, 2 December 2005
Caucasoid is a racial classification usually used as part of a system also including Australoid, Mongoloid, Negroid, and sometimes others such as Capoid.
Geographic scope
Physical anthropology defines Caucasoid with a pattern of physical traits typical of humans indigenous to an area centered on Europe
Semantic scope
The term Caucasoid is most used in discussions of human prehistory and in the forensic analysis of human remains. The suffix -oid indicates "a similarity, not necessarily exact, to something else". Caucasoid, therefore, may not automatically imply Caucasian - whatever the parameters for the definition(s) of Caucasian may be.
Caucasoid does not apply to contemporary or historic definitions of racial or social groups; please see Whites and Caucasian race for those. Use of Caucasoid in these contexts may be seen as assertion of an essentialist viewpoint that contemporary or historic racial differences are biologically determined, or may simply be an imprecise attempt to use a more scientific-sounding synonym for Caucasian.
Racial classification and even the existence of race is controversial. Please see Race, Validity of human races, Race (historical definitions), Scientific racism, and Afrocentrism for discussion of these subjects.
Skeletal and genetic traits
Caucasoids present the lowest degree of projection of the alveolar bones which contain the teeth, a notable size prominence of the cranium and forehead region, and a projection of the midfacial region; these show some similarity to certain Neanderthal traits, though the currently dominant single-origin hypothesis excludes any Neanderthal descent for modern humans.
Some studies of genetic similarity find Caucasoids to be part of a Eurasian Supercluster that includes Eastern Eurasians, Pacific Islanders and the peoples of the Americas and Greenland. Other studies place Mongoloids as closer to the Australoids; then these two next cluster with Caucasoids before joining Negroids.
Carleton S. Coon's book "The Races of Europe" classified Caucasoids into subraces named after regions or archeological sites such as Brünn, Borreby, Alpine, Ladogan, East Baltic, Neo-Danubian, Lappish, Mediterranean, Atlanto-Mediterranean, East African, Irano-Afghan, Nordic, Hallstatt, Keltic, Tronder, Dinaric, Noric and Armenoid. This extremely typological view of race was, even at the time of publication in 1939, becoming seen as very much out of date among anthropologists.
See also
- Caucasian race
- Negroid
- Mongoloid
- Australoid
- Capoid
- Race (historical definitions)
- Extra-European Caucasoid
External links
- Caucasoid Subraces Classification by Carleton S. Coon.