Armenoid race

A Syrian Armenian man of Armenoid type, from The Races of Europe: A Sociological Study by William Zebina Ripley (1911)

In the racial anthropology of the early 20th century, the Armenoid type is a subtype of the Caucasian race. According to anthropologist Carleton Coon, the countries of the northern part of Western Asia, namely Anatolia, the Caucasus, Iran, and the Levant, were considered the center of distribution of the Armenoid race.

Origin, distribution and physiognomy

A Lebanese man of Armenoid type, from Ripley (1911)

Carleton S. Coon wrote that the Armenoid racial type is very similar to the Dinaric race. The only difference is that Armenoids have a slightly darker pigmentation. He described the Armenoid as a sub-race of the Caucasoid race. Armenoids were said to be found throughout Eurasia. However, the largest concentrations occurred within Anatolia, Transcaucasia, Iran, and Mesopotamia. Known as the "true" Caucasians, Armenoids were relatively tall, usually with medium to dark brown or black hair, light to medium skin colour, large round eyes that were usually brown; a round, brachycephalic head shape with a straight backing (planocciput) (see Cephalic index), high cheekbones and non-prominent chins. Lips were full, and noses were often aquiline. Large minority of Armenoids have blond hair and blue, green, or hazel eyes.

It has long been believed by physical anthropologists that the quintessence of Near Eastern brachycephaly is to be found in the Armenians; the racial term Armenoid being named for them. The Armenians have long been established in the territory which is now only partly theirs; they had, before the arrival of the Turks, a powerful kingdom, which covered most of the territory between the Gulf of Alexandretta and the Caucasus.

See also

• Caucasian race
• Historical race concepts
• Pamirid race