Description:
Ancient European type associated with the Basques. Found in its purest form in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region of Southwestern France, although many modern French Basques are West Alpinid. Also present in Northern Spain, where it is rather mixed with Mediterranid and thus less brachycephalic. Sometimes along the French Atlantic coast and in Wales. Linked to North Atlantid.Physical Traits:
Fair skin. Straight or wavy, often brown, sometimes red or blonde hair. Mixed eyes. Medium height, mesoskelic, mesomorph to ectomorph. Brachycephalic, chamae- orthocranic with a round occiput. Skull appears triangular as it is particularly wide near the temples. Nose (hyper)leptorrhine, large and long, face narrow, chin pointed.Literature:
Early recognised as a distinctive type by Collignon (1894), Montandon (1933), and Aranzadi (1889), who named it "West Pyrenean race", Cole (1965) as the Early Mediterranean type, Knussmann (1996) as an Alpinid subrace. Lundman (1967) named it Baskid. Studies indicate genetic distinctiveness (Hurles et al., 1999).
