Description:
Ethiopid subtype of the central Ethiopian highlands and their surroundings. Found in its purest form among Oromos. Also in other Cushitic speakers like Somalis, Borana, Konso, and Sidama, here often more mixed. Some individuals of Shinasha or Borana tribes may show an extraordinarily fair skin tone, while the more western tribes are darker, usually due to Nilotid admixture. Traces reach to South Kenya (e.g. Kikuyu, Kamba).Physical Traits:
Medium to dark reddish-brown skin, often tight-curly hair. (Rather) tall, brachyskelic, ectomorph to mesomorph. Mesocephalic, rarely brachycephalic, orthocranic. Smaller-headed than North Ethiopid. The straight or convex nose is lepto- mesorrhine and relatively high. Lips are full, the chin strong, ears are small, prognathism usually absent.Literature:
The term was defined by Eickstedt (1934, 1951), used by Baumann (1952) synonymously. Biasutti (1967) defined it as the Ethiopid subrace "Oromonica". Sometimes included in East Ethiopid, while "Central Ethiopid" was used for Saharan Ethiopids instead (Eickstedt, 1943). Others regarded it mixed (Lundman, 1967; Baker, 1981).
