Caucasian race characteristics. Caucasian

Describing the morphological characteristics of the racial composition of the peoples of the globe, we will adhere to the classification according to the geographical principle of Ya.Ya. Roginsky and M. G. Levin (1963), as the most widely included in Russian anthropological literature.

According to this classification, modern humanity is divided into three large races: Equatorial (Australian-Negroid), Eurasian (European) and Asian-American (Mongoloid).

Each of them is characterized by a certain set of physical characteristics, called racial. In turn, large races are divided into smaller minor races or second-order races.

Each great race varies greatly in many characteristics. The homogeneity of the equatorial great race is especially sharply disrupted by the presence of the Bushman race in its composition; The unity of the Asian-American race is just as sharply disrupted by the uniqueness of the American race. Nevertheless, taking into account the undeniable connection of the areas of the Bushmen and blacks, Indians and Asian Mongoloids, as well as some features and specific similarities of blacks with Bushmen and Mongols with Indians, it is still possible to maintain the triple division adopted here.

Rice. 6.5. Equatorial large race

Equatorial or Australo-Negroid large race characterized, in general, by very dark (to chocolate brown) skin color, black, usually coarse, wavy or curly hair, and brown eyes. The beard and mustache grow poorly, just like the Mongoloids. The face is narrow and low, the cheekbones protrude slightly or moderately. A slightly protruding nose with a low or medium bridge and transverse nostrils, the width of the nose is very large, almost equal to its height. The eyes, like those of Europeans, are wide open, horizontal, and the fold of the upper eyelid is small. The jaw part often protrudes forward. Large mouth slit with thick lips protruding strongly outward. Representatives of this race have an elongated physique, narrow hands and feet. Growth variation - from very high to very small (Fig. 6.5.).

Before the era of European colonial expansion, the equatorial great race spread mainly south of the Tropic of Cancer in

Old World. Currently, the distribution area is Africa, America, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

Within the equatorial large race, in accordance with the classification of Roginsky and Levin, 6 small races are distinguished.

Rice. 6.6. Australian race

Australian race represented by the Australian Aborigines themselves. The Australian skull is very massive, dolichocranial, with large jaws. The neck is shortened, the whole body is very graceful, the body is very elongated, and this is emphasized by very high growth. In some groups in Central Australia, growth is reaching world maximums. The skin, hair and eyes are very dark. At the same time, in certain populations of Central Australia, light hair color independently arose, especially common in children and women. The hair is long and wavy. Characterized by abundant development of tertiary hair on the face and body. Large eyes are set deep under the powerful brow ridges. The nose is very wide, with a high bridge (Fig. 6.6.).

Vedoid (Ceylon-Zonda) race distributed in central India and other parts of Asia. The Vedas of Sri Lanka are the most famous, but many groups live in Indochina, Indonesia, and some Veddoid features can be traced far to the west (for example, among the Bedouins of Hadramaut in Yemen). Distinctive features of Veddoids are short stature, graceful physique, wavy black hair, wide flattened nose, thick lips, black, large but deep-set eyes. A characteristic feature is also the rather strong growth of the beard and mustache. Apparently, previously Veddoid populations were much more widespread and did not have such a fragmented range as they do now. Some of them, in ancient times, moved even further south and, moving from island to island, reached Australia. The close similarity between the Australian Aborigines and the Veddas has long been noted by anthropologists.

Melanesian race (including Negrito types). Most of the populations of the Melanesian race are distributed mainly in Melanesia. However, the race's range is actually much larger. Separate groups of similar appearance also live in Indonesia, Indochina, Australia and Micronesia. Many characteristics bring them closer to African Negroids: very dark skin, black hair and eyes, pronounced dolichocephaly and prognathism, large eye shape, thick lips, elongated proportions. However, a number of features of the Melanesians distinguish them from Africans: the hair is sometimes not curly, but wavy, often long, forming a high “cap”, the face is relatively narrow, the eyes are hidden deep under the strong brow ridges, the shape of the nose varies greatly, sometimes there is a strongly protruding nose with a convex back and drooping tip, although more often the nose is small, very wide, with a flattened bridge, the growth of a beard, mustache and body hair can be quite strong, the height is not high. It is not known for certain whether Melanesians have family ties with African blacks, but the similarity of individual individuals is sometimes so complete that it is impossible to tell by appearance whether a person is from New Guinea or from Equatorial Guinea.

Rice. 6.7. Negro race

Negro race represents the majority of Negroids inhabiting West Africa, the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo River basin, Angola, Zaire, the savannas of Mozambique and Tanzania, the arid spaces of Namibia and South Africa. These are tall people whose beard and mustache grow rather weakly, the skin of these people is very dark, usually chocolate-colored, the hair is very curly, the lips are very thick, the prognathism is strong, dolichocephaly, the face is wide, the interorbital space is large, the nose is wide with a concave flattened bridge. Forest groups have a slightly shorter stature and a stockier build (Fig. 6.7.).

Negrillian (Central African) race - a peculiar variant of the indigenous population of Africa, whose representatives are better known as pygmies. They live in the heart of the continent, in the tropical rain forests of the Congo Basin. The height is small, in some groups it is only 140 cm on average for the population. Pygmies are also distinguished from other Negroids by their strong growth of beard and mustache, very bulging eyes, small face, extremely wide nose with a flat bridge, and at the same time often a convex back. At the same time, they have slightly lighter skin and very mobile joints of the arms and legs.

Rice. 6.8. South African race

Bushman (South African) race. Living in the arid regions and deserts of Namibia and South Africa, a very distinctive group is the Bushmen, who are distinguished by their short stature, rather flat face with a small lower jaw, making the face look almost triangular. The hair is short, spirally curled, tangled on the head into small buns. The nose is narrow compared to other Negroids, the bridge of the nose is very flat. Special signs are increased and early wrinkling of the skin, a peculiar pattern of the auricle, steatopygia (deposition of fat in the buttock region) in women, pronounced lumbar lordosis, etc. Signs such as epicanthus and relatively light yellowish-brown skin color resemble the Mongoloid racial complex ( Fig. 6.8.).

Between the Equatorial and Eurasian great races are two intermediate minor races, which occupy a borderline position and are not included in their composition, possessing a unique set of features characteristic of each of the above-mentioned large races.

Rice. 6.9. East African race

Ethiopian (East African) race occupies a middle position between the Equatorial and Eurasian races in skin color and hair shape. Populations live in the mountains of the Horn of Africa and in the oases and sands of Southern Sahara. Representatives of the Ethiopian small race differ significantly from typical Negroids in long hair, sometimes wavy rather than curly, a very narrow face, a high narrow nose with a high bridge and a straight back, relatively thin lips by African standards, and almond-shaped eyes. The skin and hair of people of this race are usually lighter than that of the Negro race, although the skin color of certain groups is the blackest (Fig. 6.9.) on a global scale. In pigmentation, these populations are more similar to blacks, and in facial shape - to southern Europeans. To the west, in the oases and sands of Southern Sahara, many groups represent an example of a deliberate mixture of Caucasian and Negroid populations.

Rice. 6.10. Dravidian race

The faces of these people are very peculiar: in front they seem more like blacks (due to a wide nose, thick lips, some swelling of the cheeks), and in profile - like Europeans (with a sharp tip and straight back of the nose, a relatively narrow palpebral slit). Above average height; characterized by an elongated type of body proportions. These groups represent a smooth transition to the large Caucasian race, namely to its southern variant (the Indo-Mediterranean small race).

South Indian (Dravidian) race , includes populations with a mixed Caucasian-tropical complex of characteristics. These people have dark skin, thick lips, very black straight or wavy hair. The eyes of the people of the Dravidian race are even more expressive than those of the Indo-Mediterranean people, large and very black. A characteristic tropical feature is a relatively wide, not very protruding nose with a concave bridge. In general, the Dravidian variant is very similar to the Ethiopian race (differing mainly in a wider and lower face and the shape of the nose) and occupies an intermediate place between the Veddoid and Indo-Mediterranean minor races (Fig. 6.10.).

Eurasian or Caucasian big race characterized by light or dark skin color, straight or wavy, soft hair of various shades, abundant growth of beard and mustache, narrow, sharply protruding nose, high bridge of the nose, sagittal arrangement of the nostrils, small mouth slit, thin or medium-thick lips. The eyes are of different shades, wide open, their axes are horizontal, the fold of the upper eyelid, partially covering its outer surface, is absent or poorly developed. Light eyes and hair are typical for the northwestern variants of this race. The jaw part of the face almost does not protrude forward. The tertiary hairline is strongly or moderately expressed. The body length ranges from medium to high, the body proportions are characterized by mesomorphy, the hand and foot are wide (Fig. 6.11.).

Rice. 6.11. Caucasoid large race

Caucasians today populate not only Europe. They occupy all of North Africa - Algerians and Egyptians. They cover the west of Asia - Turks and Arabs. Russians live in Siberia and cover almost the entire Caucasus, part of Central Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and India. Over the past 400 years, Caucasians have become a major part of the population of North America and many South American countries. Caucasians are the largest race in terms of population (about 2/3 of the total population of the Earth). Within the Caucasoid large race, there are 5 small races.

Indo-Mediterranean race X Characterized by dark hair and eyes, dark skin, and wavy hair. In terms of eye, hair and skin coloring, people of this race are not much different from people of the Ethiopian race in the direction of lightening. Their face is also very narrow, high, almond-shaped eyes, straight, very narrow nose. The height of these people is usually not very tall, their physique is fragile and elongated. Populations live in a long strip of Mediterranean climate, stretching from the western shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the southern borders of Central Asia. This includes North Africa, the southern coast of Europe, Western and part of Central Asia, Northern India.

Rice. 6.12. Balkan-Caucasian race

Balkan-Caucasian race unites the population of the mountain belt and is distributed in a chain of high mountain ranges. In the west it begins with the Pyrenees and continues east through the Alps, Balkans, Caucasus, Elbrus, Kopet Dag, Hindu Kush, Pamir and Tien Shan to the Himalayas. The transition from the Indo-Mediterranean race to the Balkan-Caucasian race is very smooth and gradual. Characterized by dark hair, dark or mixed eyes. Mountain dwellers differ from southern Caucasians in their very fair skin, some lightening of hair and eyes (often towards reddish shades), significant massiveness, tall stature and stocky build. Also, they have a large and very wide face, a very large nose, often with a convex back, increased hair growth on the face and body, and brachycephaly is characteristic (Fig. 6.12.).

Rice. 6.13. Central European race

Central European race occupies the middle zone of Europe, sometimes called the “belt of brown-haired men.” They are distinguished by dark brown hair with brownish shades of varying intensity. The eyes are often of mixed shades, the size and shape of the nose vary greatly, but more often the nose is strongly protruding, with a straight or curved back, and the lips are thin. Within this small race, anthropologists have identified a huge number of types, subtypes and variants, since Europeans are better studied than the population of the rest of the world (Fig. 6.13.). Thus, in the Central European race, from south to north, height increases and the size of the palpebral fissure decreases, and from west to east, the width of the face increases and the growth of the beard and mustache decreases.

Based on this gradient, Western European and Eastern European central races are sometimes distinguished.

The lightening of hair and eyes gradually increases to the north and is maximally expressed among the peoples living around the Baltic Sea, who are united into two small races - the Atlanto-Baltic and the White Sea-Baltic.

Rice. 6.14. Atlanto-Baltic race

Atlanto-Baltic race characterized by fair skin, light hair and eyes, distinguished by a high narrow face, an “aristocratic” high protruding nose with a straight back, increased growth of the beard and mustache, and tall stature. In this complex the Atlanto-Baltic race resembles the depigmented Indo-Mediterranean race from which it apparently descends. Populations of the Atlanto-Baltic (or Atlantic) small race are distributed in the north-west (Fig. 6.14.).

White Sea-Baltic race - characterized by the lightest eyes and hair and the lightest skin among Caucasians, has a medium (rather than profuse) beard growth,

Rice. 6.15. White Sea-Baltic race

has a relatively short nose with a straight or concave dorsum and a significant percentage of raised bases, a short face and average height. The White Sea-Baltic populations are also distinguished from the Atlanto-Baltic race by their lower face, the frequent occurrence of snub noses and shorter stature (Fig. 6.15.). The race is common in northeastern Europe.

Between the Eurasian and Mongoloid large races are located two intermediate minor races- Ural and South Siberian, having features characteristic of both large races.

Ural race in many respects it occupies a middle position between the White Sea-Baltic and North Asian races. All the features of the Mongoloid type are softened in it, and the Caucasoid features are more pronounced. In addition, this race is very characterized by a concave bridge of the nose - a snub nose and a low face. Populations of the Ural race live in Western Siberia and the Urals.

South Siberian (Turanian) race also intermediate between the Caucasoid and Mongoloid great races. There is a significant percentage of mixed eyes and wavy hair. However, with the general vague expression of Mongolian features, very large sizes are observed in this race, both in facial height and cheekbone width, no less than in some variants of the North Asian race. In addition, a convex or straight bridge of the nose and medium-thick lips are characteristic. Distributed in Western and Southern Siberia.

Asian-American or Mongoloid large race distinguished by dark or yellowish skin tones, straight, mostly coarse hair. The color of hair and eyes is usually black or dark brown; beards and mustaches in men appear late and rarely reach great density. Tertiary hair on the body of men is practically absent. The face is wide and tall with large dimensions, flattened with slightly

Rice. 6.16. Mongoloid large race

a protruding nose of medium width with a low or medium-height bridge, with strongly prominent cheekbones, with a small mouth opening, lip thickness -

from small to medium. The eyes are often narrow, their axes are inclined, the fold of the upper eyelid is strongly developed, often reaching the eyelashes. Epicanthus is also characteristic (Fig. 6.16.). Mongoloids are of average height worldwide, with stocky proportions and relatively short legs. These features are characteristic of the Asian branch of this race.

The American branch, also belonging to the Mongoloids, is characterized by a tall, large face with a wide lower jaw, relatively weak flattening, a very protruding nose, and very dark skin. The height of Americanoids varies, but is often very tall, and the physique is usually very massive. Based on the totality of these non-Mongoloid traits, the American race, if we ignore its genesis, fully deserves to be identified as a special race that does not fit into the framework of the triple division.

Rice. 6.17. Far Eastern race

The range of the Asian-American race covers East Asia, Indonesia, Central Asia, Siberia, the Far North, and America. The Mongoloid large race includes 5 small races.

Far Eastern race distributed throughout China, Korea, the Russian Far East and Japan. It is distinguished by a high and narrow face, mesognathism, a high and narrow skull, a high frequency of epicanthus, and straight, coarse, blue-black hair (Fig. 6.17.).

South Asian (Malay or Indonesian) race unites the southernmost populations of Mongoloids, distributed in Indochina, Indonesia and Melanesia, Madagascar. The equatorial features of this race are manifested in short stature, dark skin, small face size, relatively small flatness, high and narrow skull shape, increased frequency of wavy hair, large width of the flattened nose, thick lips. It differs from the Far Eastern race in having a less flattened face and shorter stature.

North Asian race stands out among Asian-American races by predominantly having a lower percentage of tight hair, lighter skin color, less dark hair and eyes, very weak beard growth and thin lips (in some of its variants),

Rice. 6.18. North Asian race

large size and extreme flattening of a large, high and wide face. These groups are rather short in stature and stocky in build. Harsh northern conditions led to the development of significant subcutaneous fat in people of the North Asian race (Fig. 6.18.).

As part of the North Asian race, two characteristic variants are distinguished - Baikal and Central Asian, which differ significantly from each other.

The Baikal type is characterized by extremely large facial dimensions, strong cheekbones, a very high frequency of epicanthus, sometimes soft dark brown hair and mixed eye shades, weaker beard growth and a very flattened nose with a lower bridge. In certain groups of this race, the skin is the whitest in the world.

The Central Asian type is presented in various variants, some of which are similar to the Baikal type, others - to variants of the Arctic and Far Eastern races. Characterized by black, coarse hair, black eyes, strong beard and mustache growth, and a protruding nose.

North Asian Mongoloids are distributed over vast expanses of steppes, taiga and tundra of Siberia and Central Asia.

Arctic (Eskimo) race occupies the northeastern part of Siberia. Here, in the harsh Arctic conditions of Chukotka, populations of the Arctic small race live. They are distributed further east, to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, the tundra of Northern Canada and further to icy Greenland. These people are noticeably different from the Siberian Mongoloids in having a less flattened face, a larger protrusion of a narrow “eagle” nose with a high bridge, a wide, deployed lower jaw, a lower frequency of the epicanthus and thicker lips. Very characteristic features are dark skin, a significant percentage of wavy hair, a very massive stocky physique, very little development of subcutaneous fat and powerful muscles.

Rice. 6.19. American race

American race , which includes populations of Indians of North and South America, varies greatly in many characteristics and is closest to the Arctic small race, possessing some of its features in a more extreme form. Thus, she is characterized by a large face with noticeably less flattening, the nose protrudes very strongly, and the skin is very dark and bronze in color. The hair is usually straight and blue-black. The eyes are also black, wider than those of Asian Mongoloids, but narrower than those of Caucasians. Epicanthus is relatively rare in adults, although quite common in children. The mouth of the Indians is wide, the thickness of the lips is average. Americanoids are often very tall and have a very massive build (Fig. 6.19.).

The Polynesian and Kuril small races are intermediate races between the Mongoloid and Equatorial large races.

Polynesian race According to many morphological characteristics, it occupies a neutral position. The characteristic features of this race are the large size of the head and body, a tendency to be overweight, and a very high cheekbone face that protrudes forward in the horizontal plane. The eyes are large and black. The nose of the Polynesians is very wide, but does not look like it, since it is at the same time very high and clearly defined, with a straight back, the lips are somewhat thicker than those of Europeans. The skin is light brown, yellowish, the hair is black, wavy, with moderately developed tertiary hair. Very tall stature is typical of the Polynesian race. The complex of characteristics of the Polynesian race is expressed on the islands of Fiji, on most of the coral islands of Polynesia, scattered across the expanses of the Pacific Ocean.

Kuril (Ainu) race - natives of Hokkaido and the Kuril Islands, now almost completely assimilated by the Japanese. The anthropological type of the Ainu is unique; in its neutral position among the races of the globe, it resembles the Polynesian race, however, some features of the larger races are more clearly expressed in it. A very characteristic feature of this race is the maximum development of beard and mustache in the world. Some signs indicate southern roots: prognathism, wide nose, dark skin, rather thick lips. A number of features are obviously a consequence of late mixing with the Mongoloids - flattening of the face in the upper part, a high frequency of epicanthus. The hair combines great rigidity with quite significant waviness; It differs from the Polynesian race by its short stature. Large ears and a large mouth are unique physiognomic features. Despite its small area, the Kuril race quite strongly influenced the anthropological type of neighboring populations of the Mongoloid race and even, possibly, individual groups of American Indians.

Despite various differences in systematic characteristics, all human races are closely related to each other by transitional forms. The mixed nature of modern humanity forces in many cases to draw boundaries both between the areas of races and between their morphological types only very conditionally.

The population of our planet is so diverse that one can only be surprised. What kind of nationalities and nationalities can you meet! Everyone has their own faith, customs, traditions, and orders. Its own beautiful and extraordinary culture. However, all these differences are formed only by people themselves in the process of social historical development. What lies behind the differences that appear externally? After all, we are all very different:

dark-skinned;
yellow-skinned;
white;
with different eye colors;
different heights and so on.

Obviously, the reasons are purely biological, independent of people themselves and formed over thousands of years of evolution. This is how modern human races were formed, which explain the visual diversity of human morphology theoretically. Let's take a closer look at what this term is, what its essence and meaning are.

The concept of "race of people"

What is race? This is not a nation, not a people, not a culture. These concepts should not be confused. After all, representatives of different nationalities and cultures can freely belong to the same race. Therefore, the definition can be given as given by the science of biology.

Human races are a set of external morphological characteristics, that is, those that are the phenotype of a representative. They were formed under the influence of external conditions, the influence of a complex of biotic and abiotic factors, and were fixed in the genotype during evolutionary processes. Thus, the characteristics that underlie the division of people into races include:

height;
skin and eye color;
hair structure and shape;
hair growth of the skin;
structural features of the face and its parts.

All those signs of Homo sapiens as a biological species that lead to the formation of a person’s external appearance, but do not in any way affect his personal, spiritual and social qualities and manifestations, as well as the level of self-development and self-education.

People of different races have completely identical biological springboards for the development of certain abilities. Their general karyotype is the same:

women - 46 chromosomes, that is, 23 XX pairs;
men - 46 chromosomes, 22 pairs XX, 23 pairs - XY.

This means that all representatives of Homo sapiens are one and the same, among them there are no more or less developed, superior to others, or higher. From a scientific point of view, everyone is equal.

The species of human races, formed over approximately 80 thousand years, have adaptive significance. It has been proven that each of them was formed with the aim of providing a person with the opportunity for a normal existence in a given habitat and facilitating adaptation to climatic, relief and other conditions. There is a classification showing which races of Homo sapiens existed before, and which ones exist today.

Classification of races

She's not alone. The thing is that until the 20th century it was customary to distinguish 4 races of people. These were the following varieties:

Caucasian;
Australoid;
Negroid;
Mongoloid.

For each, detailed characteristic features were described by which any individual of the human species could be identified. However, later a classification became widespread that included only 3 human races. This became possible due to the unification of the Australoid and Negroid groups into one.

Therefore, the modern types of human races are as follows.

Large: Caucasoid (European), Mongoloid (Asian-American), Equatorial (Australian-Negroid).
Small: many different branches that formed from one of the large races.

Each of them is characterized by its own characteristics, signs, external manifestations in the appearance of people. All of them are considered by anthropologists, and the science itself that studies this issue is biology. Human races have interested people since ancient times. After all, completely contrasting external features often became the cause of racial strife and conflicts.

Genetic research in recent years allows us to again talk about the division of the equatorial group into two. Let's consider all 4 races of people who stood out earlier and became relevant again recently. Let us note the signs and features.

Australoid race

Typical representatives of this group include the indigenous inhabitants of Australia, Melanesia, Southeast Asia, and India. The name of this race is also Australo-Veddoid or Australo-Melanesian. All synonyms make it clear which small races are included in this group. They are as follows:

Australoids;
Veddoids;
Melanesians.

In general, the characteristics of each group presented do not vary too much among themselves. There are several main features that characterize all small races of people of the Australoid group.

Dolichocephaly is an elongated shape of the skull in relation to the proportions of the rest of the body.
Deep-set eyes, wide slits. The color of the iris is predominantly dark, sometimes almost black.
The nose is wide, with a pronounced flat bridge.
The hair on the body is very well developed.
The hair on the head is dark in color (sometimes among Australians there are natural blondes, which was the result of a natural genetic mutation of the species that once took hold). Their structure is rigid, they can be curly or slightly curly.
People are of average height, often above average.
The physique is thin and elongated.

Within the Australoid group, people of different races differ from each other, sometimes quite strongly. So, a native Australian may be tall, blond, of a dense build, with straight hair and light brown eyes. At the same time, a native of Melanesia will be a thin, short, dark-skinned representative with curly black hair and almost black eyes.

Therefore, the general characteristics described above for the entire race are only an averaged version of their combined analysis. Naturally, crossbreeding also occurs - the mixing of different groups as a result of natural crossing of species. That is why it is sometimes very difficult to identify a specific representative and attribute him to one or another small or large race.

Negroid race

The people who make up this group are the settlers of the following areas:

Eastern, Central and Southern Africa;
part of Brazil;
some peoples of the USA;
representatives of the West Indies.

In general, such races of people as Australoids and Negroids used to be united in the equatorial group. However, research in the 21st century has proven the inconsistency of this order. After all, the differences in the manifested characteristics between the designated races are too great. And some similar features are explained very simply. After all, the habitats of these individuals are very similar in terms of living conditions, therefore the adaptations in appearance are also similar.

So, the following signs are characteristic of representatives of the Negroid race.

Very dark, sometimes bluish-black, skin color, as it is especially rich in melanin content.
Wide eye shape. They are large, dark brown, almost black.
The hair is dark, curly, and coarse.
Height varies, often low.
The limbs are very long, especially the arms.
The nose is wide and flat, the lips are very thick and fleshy.
The jaw lacks a chin protrusion and protrudes forward.
The ears are large.
Facial hair is poorly developed, and there is no beard or mustache.

Negroids are easy to distinguish from others by their external appearance. Below are the different races of people. The photo reflects how clearly Negroids differ from Europeans and Mongoloids.

Mongoloid race

Representatives of this group are characterized by special features that allow them to adapt to rather difficult external conditions: desert sands and winds, blinding snow drifts, etc.

Mongoloids are the indigenous people of Asia and much of America. Their characteristic signs are as follows.

Narrow or oblique eye shape.
The presence of epicanthus - a specialized fold of skin aimed at covering the inner corner of the eye.
The color of the iris is from light to dark brown.
distinguished by brachycephaly (short head).
The superciliary ridges are thickened and strongly protruding.
Sharp, high cheekbones are well defined.
Facial hair is poorly developed.
The hair on the head is coarse, dark in color, and has a straight structure.
The nose is not wide, the bridge is located low.
Lips of different thicknesses, often narrow.
Skin color varies among different representatives from yellow to dark, and there are also light-skinned people.

It should be noted that another characteristic feature is short stature, both in men and women. It is the Mongoloid group that predominates in numbers when comparing the main races of people. They populated almost all climatographic zones of the Earth. Close to them in terms of quantitative characteristics are Caucasians, whom we will consider below.

Caucasian

First of all, let’s designate the predominant habitats of people from this group. This:

Europe.
North Africa.
Western Asia.

Thus, the representatives unite two main parts of the world - Europe and Asia. Since living conditions were also very different, the general characteristics are again an average option after analyzing all the indicators. Thus, the following appearance features can be distinguished.

Mesocephaly - medium-headedness in the structure of the skull.
Horizontal eye shape, lack of pronounced brow ridges.
A protruding narrow nose.
Lips of varying thickness, usually medium in size.
Soft curly or straight hair. There are blondes, brunettes, and brown-haired people.
Eye color ranges from light blue to brown.
Skin color also varies from pale, white to dark.
The hairline is very well developed, especially on the chest and face of men.
The jaws are orthognathic, that is, slightly pushed forward.

In general, a European is easy to distinguish from others. Appearance allows you to do this almost without error, even without using additional genetic data.

If you look at all the races of people, the photos of whose representatives are located below, the difference becomes obvious. However, sometimes the characteristics are mixed so deeply that identifying an individual becomes almost impossible. He is able to relate to two races at once. This is further aggravated by intraspecific mutation, which leads to the appearance of new characteristics.

For example, albinos Negroids are a special case of the appearance of blondes in the Negroid race. A genetic mutation that disrupts the integrity of racial characteristics in a given group.

Origin of the races of man

Where did such a variety of signs of people’s appearance come from? There are two main hypotheses that explain the origin of human races. This:

monocentrism;
polycentrism.

However, none of them has yet become an officially accepted theory. According to the monocentric point of view, initially, about 80 thousand years ago, all people lived in the same territory, and therefore their appearance was approximately the same. However, over time, growing numbers led to a wider spread of people. As a result, some groups found themselves in difficult climatographic conditions.

This led to the development and consolidation at the genetic level of some morphological adaptations that help in survival. For example, dark skin and curly hair provide thermoregulation and a cooling effect for the head and body in Negroids. And the narrow shape of the eyes protects them from sand and dust, as well as from being blinded by white snow among Mongoloids. The developed hair of Europeans is a unique way of thermal insulation in harsh winter conditions.

Another hypothesis is called polycentrism. She says that different types of human races descended from several ancestral groups that were unequally distributed around the globe. That is, there were initially several foci from which the development and consolidation of racial characteristics began. Again influenced by climatographic conditions.

That is, the process of evolution proceeded linearly, simultaneously affecting aspects of life on different continents. This is how the formation of modern types of people from several phylogenetic lines took place. However, it is not possible to say for certain about the validity of this or that hypothesis, since there is no evidence of a biological and genetic nature, or at the molecular level.

Modern classification

The races of people, according to current scientists, have the following classification. There are two trunks, and each of them has three large races and many small ones. It looks something like this.

1. Western trunk. Includes three races:

Caucasians;
capoids;
Negroids.

The main groups of Caucasians: Nordic, Alpine, Dinaric, Mediterranean, Falsky, East Baltic and others.

Small races of capoids: Bushmen and Khoisan. They inhabit South Africa. In terms of the fold above the eyelid, they are similar to the Mongoloids, but in other characteristics they differ sharply from them. The skin is not elastic, which is why all representatives are characterized by the appearance of early wrinkles.

Groups of Negroids: pygmies, nilots, blacks. All of them are settlers from different parts of Africa, so their appearance is similar. Very dark eyes, same skin and hair. Thick lips and lack of chin protuberance.

2. Eastern trunk. Includes the following large races:

Australoids;
Americanoids;
Mongoloids.

Mongoloids are divided into two groups - northern and southern. These are the indigenous inhabitants of the Gobi Desert, which left its mark on the appearance of these people.

Americanoids are the population of North and South America. They are very tall and often have an epicanthus, especially in children. However, the eyes are not as narrow as those of the Mongoloids. They combine the characteristics of several races.

Australoids consist of several groups:

Melanesians;
Veddoids;
Ainians;
Polynesians;
Australians.

Their characteristic features were discussed above.

Minor races

This concept is a rather highly specialized term that allows you to identify any person to any race. After all, each large one is divided into many small ones, and they are compiled on the basis of not only small external distinctive features, but also include data from genetic studies, clinical tests, and facts of molecular biology.

Therefore, small races are what make it possible to more accurately reflect the position of each specific individual in the system of the organic world, and specifically, within the species Homo sapiens sapiens. What specific groups exist was discussed above.

Racism

As we have found out, there are different races of people. Their signs can be very polar. This is what gave rise to the theory of racism. It says that one race is superior to another, since it consists of more highly organized and perfect beings. At one time, this led to the emergence of slaves and their white masters.

However, from a scientific point of view, this theory is completely absurd and untenable. The genetic predisposition to the development of certain skills and abilities is the same among all peoples. Proof that all races are biologically equal is the possibility of free interbreeding between them while maintaining the health and vitality of the offspring.

- (Eurasian race) one of the main large races of humanity. Characterized by fair skin, soft and wavy scalp hair, strong and medium hair growth on the face and body (in men), a narrow and sharply protruding nose, thin lips, orthognathism, etc.... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Eurasian race), one of the main large races of humanity. Characterized by fair skin, soft and wavy scalp hair, strong and medium hair growth on the face and body (in men), a narrow and sharply protruding nose, thin lips, orthognathism, etc.... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Caucasian- Representative of the Caucasian race. EUROPEAN RACE (Eurasian race), one of the main large races of humanity. Characterized by fair skin, soft and wavy scalp hair, strong and medium hair growth on the face and body (in men), narrow and sharp... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Caucasian- in different classifications it is called the Caucasian, or Eurasian race (Caucasoids) distributed in Europe, North Africa (up to the Sahara), the Middle East, Middle and Central Asia, Northern India. Characteristic features of the population: skin color,... ...

The Eurasian race, one of the great races of humanity. Distributed in Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, Northern India, as well as in areas of European colonization (America, Australia, South Africa). Characterized by light or dark... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Caucasian- One of the main or major races of humanity, characterized by light or dark skin, soft (straight or wavy) hair, a narrow, strongly protruding nose, thin lips, etc.; Eurasian race... Dictionary of many expressions

Eurasian (or Caucasian) race- synonymous with the Caucasian race. It is difficult to say how successful it is, since, on the one hand, the type is distributed much wider than Europe, and on the other, about half of the population of Eurasia is represented by other racial variants... Physical Anthropology. Illustrated explanatory dictionary.

This term has other meanings, see Race (meanings). Check information. It is necessary to check the accuracy of the facts and reliability of the information presented in this article. The talk page should... Wikipedia

Race is a system of human populations characterized by similarity in a set of certain hereditary biological characteristics. Traits that characterize different races often appear as a result of adaptation to different environmental conditions,... ... Wikipedia

Lesson Plan

1. What human races do you know?
2. What factors cause the evolutionary process?
3. What influences the formation of the gene pool of a population?

What are the human races?

Human predecessors are Australopithecines;
- the most ancient people - progressive Australopithecus, Archanthropus (Pithecanthropus, Sinanthropus, Heidelberg man, etc.);
- ancient people - paleoanthropes (Neanderthals);
- fossil people of modern anatomical type - neoanthropes (Cro-Magnons).

The historical development of man was carried out under the influence of the same factors of biological evolution as the formation of other species of living organisms. However, humans are characterized by such a unique phenomenon for living nature as the increasing influence on anthropogenesis of social factors (work activity, social lifestyle, speech and thinking).

For modern man, social-labor relations have become leading and determining.

As a result of social development, Homo sapiens acquired unconditional advantages among all living beings. But this does not mean that the emergence of the social sphere abolished the action of biological factors. The social sphere has only changed their manifestation. Homo sapiens as a species is an integral part of the biosphere and a product of its evolution.

These are historically established groupings (groups of populations) of people, characterized by similar morphological and physiological traits. Racial differences are the result of people's adaptation to certain conditions of existence, as well as the historical and socio-economic development of human society.

There are three large races: Caucasoid (Eurasian), Mongoloid (Asian-American) and Austral-Negroid (Equatorial).

Chapter 8

Basics of ecology

After studying this chapter, you will learn:

What does ecology study and why does every person need to know its basics;
- what is the importance of environmental factors: abiatic, biotic and anthropogenic;
- what role do environmental conditions and internal properties of a population group play in the processes of changes in its numbers over time;
- about different types of interactions between organisms;
- about the features of competitive relations and the factors that determine the outcome of competition;
- about the composition and basic properties of the ecosystem;
- about energy flows and the circulation of substances that ensure the functioning of systems, and about the role in these processes

Back in the middle of the 20th century. the word ecology was known only to specialists, but now it has become very popular; it is most often used when talking about the unfavorable state of the nature around us.

Sometimes this term is used in combination with words such as society, family, culture, health. Is ecology really such a broad science that it can cover most of the problems facing humanity?

Kamensky A. A., Kriksunov E. V., Pasechnik V. V. Biology 10th grade
Submitted by readers from the website

Today, more than 7 billion people live on our planet. Scientists predict that by 2050 this figure could increase to 9 billion. We are all alike, and each of us is unique. People vary in appearance, skin color, culture and character. Today we will talk about the most obvious difference in our population - skin color.

Ras looks like this:

That is, our entire population is divided into 3 species, and the inhabitants of the continents one way or another belong to these three races. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Caucasian population

Caucasoid. White people are a large group whose habitat originally included not only Europe, but also the Middle East and even Northern India.
Physical signs. Most Caucasians are people with the whitest skin tone (the tone of which, however, varies depending on where people live). Northern people are distinguished not only by light skin, but also by a light shade of eyes and hair, but the further south a person lives, the darker his eyes and hair. This transition is especially noticeable among Indians. Almost all Caucasians are tall or medium-sized, have large eyes and dense body hair.

About 40% of the total population of our planet are white people. Now Caucasians are scattered all over the earth, but they mainly live in Europe, the USA, India, and North Africa, where the majority of the population is Arabs, who also belong to the Caucasian race. It also includes the Egyptians.

Main types of Caucasians

White people are divided into the following subspecies: Indo-Mediterranean, Balkan-Caucasian and Central European. The latter is the most numerous of all.

He is distinguished by a relatively thin build and narrow facial features combined with short stature. There are downright pygmy representatives of this group.

The Balkan-Caucasian race is more massive and has large, broad facial features. The characteristic hump on the nose, some say, is associated with a large lung capacity and a developed chest. Their hair color is predominantly dark, as are their eyes.

The European race of people also includes a Central European subspecies - this is a cross between the groups described above. The facial features of this group vary widely.

If we consider the issue of classifying Caucasians more narrowly, they can be divided into three groups - northern, transitional and southern with many subgroups and external features. However, they are all relative, and if you visit the habitat of any of them, you will understand that the similarities between the people of this group are relative.

Blue eyes are a sign of the Caucasian race

Blue eyes in humans are the result of mutation 86 of the gene. This mutation first appeared in people living off the coast of the Black Sea about 10,000 years ago.

People with white skin and blue eyes are very common, especially in the northern corners of our planet, but other races are deprived of this beauty. Although recently you can see Negroids with blue or blue eyes. Scientists believe that in this case, a blue-eyed Caucasian must be present among the child’s ancestors.

Mongoloid race

The Mongoloid race was located in Asia, Indonesia, part of Siberia and even America. These are people with yellow skin and characteristic narrow dark eyes. In outdated terminology this race is called “yellow”. These are the Yakuts, Buryats, Asian Eskimos, Indians and many others. In addition to the narrow shape of the eyes, this race is distinguished by a wide, high-cheekboned face, black hair and an almost complete absence of hair on the body (beard, mustache).

External features are determined by the climatic conditions in which the race originally lived. Thus, the narrow slits of the eyes are designed to protect from the wind, and the extensive nasal cavity performed the important function of heating the air entering the lungs. Growth is mostly low.

Types of the Mongoloid race

In turn, the Mongoloid race is divided into:

Northern Mongoloid.
Asian continental.
American (or Indian).

The first group includes, for example, the Mongols and Buryats. These are typical representatives, however, with somewhat vague facial features and a lighter shade of skin, hair and eyes.

The Asian continental group living in Southeast Asia (Malays, Sundas, etc.) is distinguished by a narrower face and sparse facial hair. Height is significantly lower than other representatives of this race.

The American group discovers connections with both one and the other group. At the same time, there are some features “borrowed” from the Caucasian race. This group is characterized by having the darkest, brownish-yellowish skin tone, almost black eyes and hair. stands out strongly.

Negroids in the classification of races

The Negroid race is perhaps the most recognizable even to the naked eye. People with dark skin (sometimes it has a golden brown tint), thick hair and characteristic wide lips, with prominent mucous membranes and nose. The growth rate here varies widely - from the highest to the smallest indicators.

The main habitat is Southern, and although historical facts prove that initially representatives of this race lived in Northern, and not equatorial Africa. Now North Africa is mainly inhabited by the Caucasian race.

Currently, the Negroid race can be found in various parts of the world - America, the countries of the former USSR, France, Brazil, etc. Due to mixed marriages, the boundaries between racial differences are steadily blurring, which is especially noticeable among blacks, who show high birth rates.

Interesting fact: the first inhabitants of the Sahara belonged to the Negroid race.

The appearance of Negroids was formed against the backdrop of the climate of their historical homeland - dark skin protects from the sun, wide nostrils provide good heat transfer, and plump lips with protruding mucous membrane allow them to get rid of excess moisture. Negroids in their historical homeland are divided by skin tone, width of lips and nose, and these types are quite numerous. However, some are sure: there is only one type of Negroid race - Australoids.

Is there an Australoid race?

Yes, Austroloids exist, although they were often classified as blacks. Today it is believed that Australoids are a related race with Negroids, which makes up only 0.3% of the total population of the Earth. and the blacks are really similar - the same dark skin, thick curly hair, dark eyes and large teeth. They are distinguished by their tall stature. However, some still consider them a separate race, which may not be without reason.

Australoids are also divided into types - Australian, Vedoid, Ainu, Polynesian, Andaman types. They live on the mainland in tribes and are not much different from their ancestors in terms of education and living conditions. Another type disappeared in the 19th century, and the Ainu species is currently threatened with extinction. Scientists believe that, being the least numerous race, Australoids will disappear much faster than other types of races as a result of mixed marriages.

Conclusion

However, scientists claim that after thousands of years, the difference between races will no longer have any weight, because they will be completely erased from the face of the earth. As a result of numerous mixed marriages (such children are called sambo or mestizos, depending on what types of races the child combines), the border between historically established external characteristics is melting. Previously, races maintained their uniqueness through isolation, which is no longer the case. According to biological data, in marriages of Europeans and Mongoloids with blacks, the genes of the latter predominate.