Irano-Afghans

Irano-Afghans are Large Mediterraneans common in most of the Middle East, Iran and Afghanistan. The name of the type was coined for its geographical distribution, originally as ‘Indo-Afghan’, by Deniker. Morphologically they are closer to Corded types than to Atlanto–Mediterraneans.

Types of the Large Mediterranean family closer to the Cordeds

Irano-Afghans present a typical combination of strongly pronounced nasal convexity and long and narrow features. Their nasal shape together with their usually broader morphologies distinguish them from the similar Corded type.

Anthropological Morphologies Online Resources

As their name would suggest, these types’ highest concentration is in Iran and Afghanistan. Farther west and south Small Mediterranean, Alpine and Armenoid forms become commoner but individuals of these types or similar ones are present throughout the entire Middle Eastern region.

Eastern Mediterraneans morphologically closer to Irano-Afghans or Irano-Afghan like are presented here.

                                                                                                                                        Kurd                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                        Iran                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                        Kurd                                                                                                            

                                                            Iran

                                                            Pakistan                                                                                                                              Kurd

                                                               Azeri

                                                               Iran                                                                                                                                Afghanistan

                                                                   Iran                                                                                                                                     Kurd

                                                                 Iran                                                                                                                                    Kurd

By Carleton Coon:

 

“Irano-Afghan: The long-faced, high-headed, hook-nosed type, usually of tall stature, which forms the principal element in the population of Iran, Afghanistan, and the Turkoman country, and which is also present in Palestine, parts of Arabia, and North Africa. It is probably related to the old Corded type of the Neolithic and Bronze Age.”

 

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“In the highland zone of western Asia, aside from the Alpine rëemergences already studied, the most important racial type is a moderately tall to tall, slender, brunet Mediterranean type characterized especially by a great length of the face and nose. In Syria and Anatolia, as in Armenia and the Caucasus, this type occurs sporadically in the midst of Alpines and, more commonly, of Alpine-Mediterranean hybrids; in Iran and Afghanistan the dolichocephalic strain or strains are numerically predominant.”

 

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“(.…) the main diagnostic features of which are an extreme vault length, face height, and nose height. In many instances extreme nasal convexity and prominence, and in others an extremely high cranial vault are additional features.“

 

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By Earnst 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.”

 

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 “Iranian Plateau (“Indo-Afghan,” “Irano-Afghan”)

 

Differs from the Upper Palaeolithic [meaning Atlanto-Mediterranean] type only as follows:

a. Nose form: always high, broad or medium wide in root and bridge, usually convex with thin to medium, depressed tip and recurved alae

b. Beard and body hair: usually heavy

c. Stature and body build: usually medium height (167 cm.) and slight build.”