Mundu Mangbeto
Group Congolid
- common
- occasional
- rare
Description
Intermediate type of the Northeastern Congo forest. Unique in connecting elements of the tallest (Nilo-Hamitic) and shortest (Bambutid) phenotypes in the world with Congolesid. Especially found in the North-East of DR Congo and South Sudan, also in the Central African Republic and Uganda. Common in Mangbetu, Mundu, Lese, Medje, more mixed in Zande and some Central Sudanic speakers.
Physical traits
Dark, sometimes medium reddish-brown skin, kinky hair. (Rather) short, often brachyskelic with a variable body type. Mesocephalic, orthocranic. Nose meso- platyrrhine, often thinner than in neighbouring types, occasionally button-shaped. Eyes sometimes slanting.
Literature
The group was separated out of the African forest populations by Biasutti (1967). Lundman (1967) mentions the Mangbetu as atypical, too. Eickstedt (1934) interpreted them as a Paleo Negrid with Nilotid elements, Baker (1981) included them in Palaenegrid 3.
