October 06, 2005

The White Sea-Baltic type

An interesting description of the White Sea-Baltic type, also known as the "East Baltic".

N.N. Cheboksarov, Origins of the Finno-Ugrian Language Group, in Studies in Siberian Ethnogenesis (ed. H. N. Michael), University of Toronto press, p. 213

"The second group of physical types usual among peoples of the Finno-Ugrian language family is the "White Sea-Baltic." It belongs to the general Europoid race but includes some traits that indicate a small admixture of early Mongoloid. The characteristic trait complex for this group includes: straight or slightly wavy hair, light brown or blond in color; fairly developed tertiary hair cover; light eyes; a relatively small face of an average profile in horizontal cross-section; quite clearly defined folds of the upper eyelid; nasal bridge of medium height; concave or straight nasal bridge. The different types of this group, both short-headed and long-headed are especially widely distributed among the Baltic-Finnish peoples: Estonians, Livonians, Veps, Karelians, Finns-Suomi, as well as among the Udorsk, Izhma, and the Vychegda Komi, and the Lukoyanov Mordvins-Erzi. To a great extent the White Sea-Baltic complex of traits is also present among the Letts, Lithuanians, Poles, White Russians, and northern Great Russians. Thus the White Sea-Baltic group fully justifies its name, as the types of which it is composed actually do gravitate to the shores of the White and Baltic Seas."

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