Mountain Melanesid
Group Melanesid
- common
- occasional
- rare
Description
Melanesian mountain variety, relatively ancient with similarities to Paleo Melanesid. Found mainly among New Guinean highlanders like Dani, Moni, Ekagi, Mbowamb, Enga, Paniani, Yali, and many others. Occasionally across the New Guinean lowlands and the hills of the Bismarck Archipelago (e.g. Baining) and Solomon Islands.
Physical traits
Usually dark, sometimes light brown skin. Tight-curly brown-black, sometimes lighter hair. (Rather) short, mesomorph, very long arms and legs. Mesocephalic, sometimes brachycephalic, mildly hypsicranic, relatively large head. Platyrrhine, relatively low or mildly convex nose. Mouth large, thick lips, face robust and wide, often with heavy brow ridges and deep-set eyes. Chin receding, prognathy common. Body hair strong.
Literature
Its distinctiveness was recognised early by Hagen (1899) as "Bergtypus". Later studied by Le Roux (1948-1950) in higher detail. Thus, Biasutti (1967) classified it as a Mountain Papua subrace, some included in in Paleo Melanesid (Speiser, 1937; Weinert, 1965). Howells (1971) identified it as "group B1".
