Northern and southern face types. Nordic appearance

The state of Sweden is located on the northern peninsula of Scandinavia. It is inhabited by Swedes, whose appearance delights many. And there is very real evidence for this statement. The appearance of Swedish men is considered the most attractive among representatives of other nationalities. Don't believe me? Meanwhile, in 2012, the international company Travelers Digest compiled a rating of countries where the most beautiful representatives strong half of humanity. The Swedes were among the first.

A man's appearance: description of national traits

Scandinavians belong to the Caucasian race. Therefore, the appearance of the Swedes differs little from that of the British, Germans, Slavs, and so on. They have a straight, straight nose and medium-sized ears, lips and eyes. Height is usually slightly above average. But quite often there are tall people, because it was from Scandinavia that the very Vikings about whom legends still circulate.

But it is worth pointing out the national characteristics that distinguish the Swedes. These people usually have fair skin. The appearance of the Swedes is also characterized by blond hair and blue or gray eyes, like most northerners.

Today it is difficult to talk about the purity of the nation. Even if the metric indicates “Swede,” there is no guarantee that the genotype fully corresponds to what is written. Perhaps, according to her passport, my mother was Swedish, and my father was a native of the USA. And my mother took on her nationality thanks to her dad, who was only 25% Swedish. Therefore, all the thoughts about what the Swedes look like in modern world- these are only conclusions drawn from subjective impressions.

Handsome... Perhaps he is Swedish?

Most women consider representatives of the stronger half of humanity, whose passports contain the entry “Swedish,” to be very attractive. Some even take it upon themselves to claim that a third of all men could gain worldwide fame by becoming models. Why are Swedes so attractive to women?

The appearance of a man of this nationality is quite average. Most of them are blond or fair-haired with greenish, blue or gray eyes. If we compare their average height with the parameters of representatives of other nationalities, it will have several higher value. And according to statistics, tall blondes have a higher rating in women's perception of male beauty.

But it’s not just their innate traits that attract Swedes. A man’s appearance directly depends on his grooming and physical fitness. So, Swedes Special attention are given to her. Almost everyone plays sports and has a toned, slender body. Of course, among them there are flabby and unkempt people. But this is rather an exception. This is why Swedish men are so attractive in the eyes of women.

Which was given above, almost always corresponds to fashion trends. Most of them have stylish hairstyles and wear branded clothes and shoes. Although one should not be surprised to see young people in ordinary clothes, but quite attractive. Neatness and neatness in appearance are an integral national trait.

Swedish Prince Carl Philip

This internationally recognized handsome man has no typical appearance. Swedes, as we have already mentioned, are usually represented as fair-haired handsome men. He is far from blond or even light brown. However, this did not stop him from being included by Forbes magazine in 2008 in the list of the twenty most eligible young grooms and brides with royal blood flowing in their veins.

Subtle aristocratic facial features, beautiful proud posture and a truly royal appearance - how can one doubt that he belongs to high society?

Markus Hoelner

Many Swedes have made a career in sports. So is Markus Helner. At the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games. he was a relay champion. In 2010, Marcus also won the skiathlon title. And at the 2014 Olympics he was awarded only a silver medal in this event.

It is clear that many women's hearts fell at the feet of the athlete. But one cannot say that this handsome man has a typical Swedish appearance. He has brown curly hair with red streaks and Brown eyes. Perhaps it is the reddishness that is the highlight in his appearance, which attracts so much attention to him. Or his athletic build, which is also important.

Henrik Lundqvist

The hockey goalie has such charm that the Swedes should be proud of him just because of this. Appearance - the photo perfectly conveys his charm and attracts the eyes of ladies of different ages - this athlete can be called the standard of male beauty.

It is not surprising that the goalkeeper “showed up” as an actor. His incredibly sexy video advertising Head & Shoulders shampoo is known throughout the world.

Dolph (Hans) Lundgren

Everyone in Sweden is rightfully proud of this representative of the strong half of humanity - both ladies and Swedish men. Lundgren's appearance (photo published below) is the most typical for this nationality. The tall blond is only five centimeters shy of two meters. One can only envy his build. Since childhood, Dolph has been involved in contact wrestling. The athlete achieved special achievements in karate and bodybuilding.

Beauty and intelligence, according to most, rarely belong to one person. This incredible case occurs when it comes to Lundgren. After completing his service in the Marine Corps with the rank of corporal, Dolph entered the Stockholm Royal Institute of Technology, from which he successfully graduated with a bachelor's degree.

A career in cinema was not long in coming. The global sex symbol is not only a famous actor, but also a producer, screenwriter and film director. He will turn 60 in November 2017. But this does not prevent him from remaining one of the most attractive men world, excite the imagination of ladies and appear to them in erotic dreams.

Peter Stormare

The famous actor's track record is quite long. After eleven years of service at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, he became a film star, starting his career in this field in 1982 with a small role in the film Fanny and Alexander. Then real glory awaited him. In 1996, Stormare played a criminal element in the Coen brothers' film Fargo.

An interesting fact of his film biography is his role as Russian cosmonaut Lev Andropov in the film “Armageddon”. This once again indicates that the national traits of the Swedes are practically no different from those of Russians and other representatives of the Caucasian race.

Alexander Skarsgård

First, Alexander's father, veteran cinematographer Stellan Skarsgård, earned fame. And not only in the acting field. His second remarkable feature is the subtle aristocratic beauty that he endowed with his offspring. Each of his sons is a real sex symbol thanks to his physique and height of two meters, blue eyes, beautiful blond hair, regular facial features and charm. Yes, that’s what they are - real “thoroughbred” Swedes! The photo can convey the appearance, but inner beauty, fortitude, confidence and calm?

An interesting fact is that Alexander’s first success came with the tiny role of an idiot model. It was the comedy “Zoolander,” where appearance and sex appeal, attractive appearance and a slender figure played a special role, that made the handsome Skarsgård popular.

Are all Swedes beautiful and slim?

If it seems to someone that only slender and lean people with regular facial features live in Sweden, then they should be sent to the famous One of the main characters of the fairy tale is Carlson. And his appearance is not at all a demonstration of those true national features of the male appearance mentioned above.

Carlson is short, quite plump, even pot-bellied. Having looked at the illustrations for the work drawn by the Swedish artist Ilun Wikland, we can conclude that the face of the man with the propeller was not distinguished by beauty in the sense in which contemporaries were accustomed to understanding it. Fleshy large nose, drooping chin, large head irregular shape- this is how the illustrator depicts the character.

Without in any way belittling the merits of most of the masculine, one can nevertheless draw certain conclusions. Not all Swedish men have natural beauty face and slim figure. And men in the country are also judged not only by external data. After all, almost all people in the world are impressed by the funny and amusing Carlson, who was so skillfully described by Astrid Lindgren and drawn by Ilun Wikland. Although no one except Carlson himself considered him a handsome man in full bloom.

The famous Swede, who can hardly be called a beauty

The same fairy tale destroys faith in the postulate that all representatives of the fairer sex born in Sweden are charming and slender. Miss Hildur Bock inherited, perhaps, only one national trait of the Swedes. She's tall. But her bulkiness negates the attractiveness of her figure. A double or even triple chin, small, deep-set eyes can hardly be considered traits that arouse admiration among others.

In the story there is a mention of the appearance of Hildur Bock's sister, Frieda. Tried to seduce old maid Apartment thief Fille humorously gives her a compliment about her “nose”, which is good in any weather. So this character is not particularly attractive.

Like all writers, Astrid has the right to fiction. But most often the authors themselves give descriptions in accordance with what they see around them. That is, the writer would not have invented ugly sisters and an absurd fat man if it would have been impossible to meet people in some way similar to them in the country.

But still...

Scandinavian beauty Elsa Hosk

Northern girls of the Caucasian race have always attracted attention with their tenderness and charm. The Swedes can be proud of many beauties. The appearance of the girl, whose description corresponds to the attached photograph, is typically Swedish: huge Blue eyes, chiseled nose, blond hair. Of course, they tint it a little, but only the hairs themselves. “Minimum cosmetics! Elegance and natural charm!” - this is how the Swedes formulate their attitude towards the female appearance.

The appearance of the girl - a top model - is truly beautiful. And the reason is not only gorgeous face. Her figure is perfect too! With a height of one hundred seventy-five and a half centimeters, she has a chest circumference of seventy-nine, a waist of fifty-six, and a hips of eighty-nine centimeters.

Ann Margaret - American star born in Sweden

This is another typical Swede, in whose appearance all the main national features can be traced. Ann Margaret was taken to the United States at the age of five, where she made her career as a singer, dancer and actress.

But despite the fact that she became a naturalized American, the Swedes can rightfully be proud of her. The appearance of the girl, whose photo can be seen above, helped her play the role of Cinderella in The Tenth Kingdom in 2000, and Della Monroe in Marilyn Monroe. Of course, in addition to beauty and attractiveness, huge role Her hard work, talent and self-belief play a role. But if she had not been so charming and graceful by nature, it is unlikely that she would have been able to achieve such success.

Maud Adams

Having played the role in films twice, the beautiful blonde gained real fame. Although talent plays the main role in her achievements, of course. But, according to the Swedes, not the least important thing is appearance. Pictures from the films "The Man with the Golden Gun" and "Octopussy", between the filming of which a lot of time passed, prove that years do not always age - sometimes they turn beautiful girl into a gorgeous extravagant lady. The appearance of a Swedish woman even in mature age He is distinguished by his well-groomed appearance, refined taste in clothes and makeup, and sporty figure.

Martha Thoren

The luxurious, light-eyed, brown-haired woman, a native of Stockholm, was also an actress. Despite the fact that her life was so short, she managed to leave her bright mark on the world. Thirty wonderful films in which you can enjoy the magnificent performance of the brilliant Swedish beauty - this is the legacy that Marta Thoren has given people.

Helena Mattson

Another charming actress whose appearance is hard not to admire. The blue-eyed blonde began her career in the modeling business. She then entered drama school, for which she had to move to London.

Helena's career as an artist can hardly be called very successful. Some of her roles, if not failures, did not win universal recognition. Critics were not always kind and generous to the diva’s work. But not a single bad word can be said about Mattson’s beauty.

Greta Garbo

One of the greatest cinematic stars of the first half of the twentieth century - Greta Lovisa Gustafsson (she became Garbo later) - most people remember from her wonderful films. In 1954 she was awarded an Oscar. Greta received this award for her outstanding contribution to the development of cinematic art.

The beauty's fate was not the best in the best possible way. At the age of thirteen, the girl lost her father and was forced to work part-time, first in a hair salon, then in a department store. But the proverb about beauty and happiness in relation to a charming woman failed. Although not happy, Greta, even in such a modest position, shone with beauty. And she was noticed. First she posed for advertising in front of a camera, then in front of a movie camera. And then she was invited to film the film.

Swedish Princess Madeline

This representative of the royal dynasty is famous not only for her pedigree. Many people consider her the standard of female beauty and attractiveness.

Madeleine Theresa Amelia Josephine truly captivates with her regular facial features, soft skin, and lovely blond hair, which creates such an amazing contrast with her expressive brown eyes.

Anita Ekberg

The stunning blonde, who played in the sensational films of Federico Fellini at the time, is remembered by her fans to this day. It was “Bocaccio 70” and “La Dolce Vita” that became important milestones in the creative life of the actress.

Although there were also dizzying ups in Anita’s life. True, they were connected not so much with her creative career as with beauty. In 1951, she won the beauty contest of her country. And so she had the honor of representing Sweden at international competition"Miss Universe 1951".

Camilla Sparv

This universally recognized beauty is known throughout the world for her role in the film McKenna's Gold.

Perhaps the fact that this film took fourth place among foreign films at the box office in the Soviet Union is due to the blonde beauty with a magnificent figure.

Briefly about the main thing

Of course, beauty given to a person from nature is a great gift. But the ability to use it correctly, take care of it, and make it serve for the benefit of humanity is an even more valuable gift that everyone cultivates within themselves.

To be ugly in youth is bitter. But being ugly in adulthood is a shame. Because beauty is not always just regular facial features, tall stature and long legs. If a person does not take care of himself, does not exercise, does not follow a diet, abuses alcohol, nicotine or even drugs, mature years he can easily lose everything that nature gave him in his youth. And vice versa, using the right image life, taste, and the ability to follow fashion trends without excessive fanaticism can correct or hide some appearance flaws.

Speaking about the Swedes, experts emphasize this particular feature of theirs. Even quite mature people, for the most part, go in for sports, have no problems with being overweight, and dress discreetly, but fashionably and tastefully.

Much in nature is built on contrasts, and just as winter and summer are equally beautiful, it is also difficult to judge the beauty of women with different types of appearance. Representatives of the East have their own charm, but “cold” girls with a Scandinavian appearance are not without a twist. Both are beautiful in their own way and have character traits, which loudly declare the origin of their owner.

Today we will talk about women with a Scandinavian type of appearance and try to figure out why residents of the northern part of Europe are usually called “snow queens”.

Scandinavian type of appearance - specific features

Blue eyes and blond hair are a true gift of nature. Many representatives of the fair half dream of such data. But in order to get what they want, they have to spend hours in beauty salons and spend fabulous sums on cosmetical tools. At the same time, the end result does not always justify the effort and money spent. Whether it’s the case of women with a Scandinavian type of appearance, nature generously rewarded them. "The Snow Queen" will be given out:

  • blue, gray or green eyes;
  • light hair: white, yellowish, less often golden with a reddish tint;
  • not prominent cheekbones;
  • narrow nose and poorly defined lip line;
  • very thin skin with a soft pink tint.

Girls of Scandinavian appearance are usually tall and slender, so the problem is not relevant for them. It is also worth noting that " snow queens They don’t like the scorching sun. Under the influence sun rays their skin quickly turns red and burns.

Girls of Scandinavian appearance can emphasize their natural charm and beauty by wearing clothes in rich blue, dark blue and black shades. A riot of colors in makeup is also not welcome; it is enough to place one emphasis on the lips or eyes - and a flawless makeup is ready.

To have a clearer idea of ​​what the representatives look like Nordic race, take a look at the photo of Michelle Pfeiffer or Cameron Diaz. Their appearance is a vivid example of a typical Scandinavian appearance, with all the characteristic features.

It should immediately be noted that the doctrine of the division of people into races was popularized by anthropologists at the beginning of the twentieth century. Discussions on this topic today are largely viewed as not scientific, but ideological, and therefore lacking scientific usefulness.

Encouraging the claim to superiority of a certain race, the so-called “Nordic,” also implied a corresponding assessment of people of other races. The ideology called "Nordic Theory" or "Nordicism" was common in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Western Europe and North America, and had a significant influence on Nazi ideology. Especially strong attention it was viewed in the 1920s, when the term "Nordic race" was used interchangeably with the term "Aryan race".

This ideology, which positioned the Nordic race as a master race within a larger, Caucasian race, was subject to much criticism by the 1930s in Great Britain, the USA and other progressive countries.

The Reich Minister of Food in Nazi Germany and Heinrich Himmler's ideological mentor, Richard Walter Oskar Darré, developed the concept of the German peasantry, which was defined as a "Nordic race", unrelated to Aryan, Indo-European or Germanic. The term "Aryans" (Aryans) was used to refer to the tribes from the Iranian plains.

Thus, according to these ideological views, life in all its many and varied forms and manifestations is the product of a process of divergent evolution, according to which Europeans are divided into three “breeds” or racial categories - Northern, Alpine and Mediterranean.

The Nordic race, common in Northern Europe, representing one of these three categories (small races or anthropological types) included in the composition, is distinct from the others and shows, within the limits of its diversity, many characteristics unique to itself. Its members live primarily (but not exclusively) in Northern Europe, among German-speaking populations, and are characterized by dolichocephaly (long head shape), fair skin, high cheekbones, straight or slightly wavy blond hair, which may turn light brown or dark brown. They have light eyes: blue, gray, greenish. The stereotypical Nordic did not quite fit the description of "pure Aryans", who in large numbers had dark hair, despite the fact that Nazi propaganda posters depicted "Aryans" as blond.

Proponents of the "Nordic Theory" argued that the "Nordics" in the history of human civilization occupied a dominant position in ancient times, even among the Mediterranean race, hinting that some had blond hair.

The Nordic race, in turn, is divided into two subgroups - central and peripheral (Atlantic, neo-Danubian subtypes). The central group refers to three anthropological types: Borreby, Brunn, Scandinavian. The first two are characterized by archaic features that go back to the Upper Paleolithic types: tall height, massive build, large head, wide face. These are the descendants of the first peoples who settled in northwestern Europe.

The Scandinavian group exists in two types: Hallstatt and the Celtic type of the British Isles and the Netherlands. It appeared in northwestern Europe during times along with the Celtic and Germanic cultures. In many areas, such as Denmark and northern Germany, the various types of Nordic races are inextricably linked, as is common among Northern Europeans living in the United States.

It often happens that different subracial classifications exist within a fairly narrow circle. A relatively homogeneous population, the Hallstatt of the Scandinavian type, can be found in southeastern Norway and central Sweden, an area that the famous American anthropologist Carleton Stevens Kuhn called "the home of the classical Scandinavian race." In his work "The Races of Europe" (1939) he says that the modern Scandinavian race is a mixture of two archaic Mediterranean anthropological cultures and the Danubian type). However, based on DNA research, this relationship was found to be incorrect. They showed much more close connection between the Scandinavian and Upper Paleolithic types - more than with any of the Mediterranean types.

Initially, the very concept of “Nordic race” (northern) was introduced by the French anthropologist Joseph Deniker, who created a classification of races in 1900. Its use was intended to describe an "ethnic community" (ethnos).

In the 21st century, there was unanimous agreement between anthropologists and biologists that there are no “pure” races, and never have been. The advent of population genetics further undermined theories about the categorization of Europeans into clearly defined racial groups.

But in any case, amidst the prevailing uncertainties about racial categories, the fact remains that northerners are characterized by certain physical signs, as well as a special pattern of social behavior, which can be called “Nordic character”. These are independence, perseverance, initiative, willpower, hard work, and a keen sense of justice.

Figure

People of the Nordic race are tall and slender. Average height adult men are 1.75-1.76 m, often reaching 1.90 m. And this is not due to the excessive length of the legs, as, for example, among blacks from the upper Nile. In terms of the proportion of the length of the legs to the entire length of the body, this race occupies just a middle position between the short-legged Mongoloids and some tall tropical tribes. The height of the seat is approximately 52-53% of the height of the body.

Growth in people of the Nordic race lasts the longest; it can be significant even in the period between 20 and 25 years. In southern Italy it ends earlier than in northern Italy; in Baden it ends less during this period than in Sweden. A relationship has been established between the achievement of sexual maturity and the completion of growth. Since people of the Nordic race have a longer growth period, puberty comes later.

Men of the Nordic race, in addition to being tall, are distinguished by wide shoulders and narrow hips. The slenderness of male hips is emphasized by a feature very characteristic of the Nordic race, the so-called. the antique pelvic fold, a muscular thickening running from the spinal ridge through the thigh forward and down. Ancient Greek sculptors liked to emphasize this racial feature. A special thickening of the upper part of the kneecap is also present in Europe, mainly among the Nordic race.

Nordic women are also distinguished by their racial slenderness, despite their feminine body shapes. Here the effect of the so-called false thinness: Nordic women in clothing appear thin despite their developed female forms.

Slimness is manifested in the shape of all parts of the body: neck, arms, legs, hips. The ratio of arm length to body length is the same as in the case of leg length: the arms of people of the Nordic race are not as short as those of Mongoloids and not as long as those of Negroids. The arm span of people of the Nordic race is equal to 94-97% of body length. Knoop established these figures in a study of the Nordic population of Lower Saxony; according to his data, the longer the head, the more this figure approaches 94.

The artist of people of the Nordic race is struck by the freedom inherent in every part of the body, every muscle, as if they obey their own special laws of formation while maintaining a harmonious whole.

Scull

The shape of the skull is as slender as the body. People of the Nordic race have a long skull and narrow face. The average cranial index is about 74 (on the head of a living person this corresponds to the figure 75-75.5). The width of the Nordic head is related to its length as 3:4. Many researchers bring the longitudinal-transverse index for living representatives of the Nordic race to 77.9, Deniker even to 79. (While Kollman takes the cranial index of the Nordic race as the average value as 71.5, Eugen Fischer - 76-79.) I believe , that heads or skulls with an index up to 79 can be considered Nordic if they have a convex back of the head, characteristic of the Nordic race. It is likely that the width of the head and skull of the Nordic race varies over a larger range than that limited by an index of less than 75. In any case, the dolichocephaly of the Nordic race is closer to mesocephaly than the pronounced dolichocephaly of the Negroes or Eskimos.

Width Nordic person refers to the length as 10:9, but the ratio 10:10 is also common. We can say that the facial index of the Nordic race is above 90. Long heads - combined with narrow faces, make the head shape such that it can be enclosed in a rectangle. This shape is striking among Nordic people with short hair or bald, especially when turning the head. If the round head does not change shape when turning - the ball looks the same from all sides - then when turning the Nordic head, two long side planes are especially striking. If we divide the side view of the head into two sections, one in front and the other behind the ears, we see that the Nordic head develops in length mainly behind the ears. The back of the head, as already mentioned, is convex. If a long-headed person is placed against a wall, the back of his head will touch it, but with a round-headed person there will be a gap between the back of his head and the wall.

The Nordic skull is distinguished by a relatively low height of the area behind the ears, so we can talk about flat shape of this skull (in children, however, this sign is not expressed). The Nordic (and Dinaric) races are characterized by a strongly protruding occipital protuberance. A purely Nordic feature is the process of the temporal bone. If the area behind the ears in other European races is relatively flat, in the Nordic race a noticeable elevation can be felt there.

The features of a Nordic face in profile are clearly pronounced. The forehead is sloping back, the eyes are deep-set, the nose is more or less prominent. The jaws and teeth are located almost vertically. The chin protrudes especially sharply. The presence of three protruding parts gives the impression of aggressiveness. When an artist wants to express in the facial features the qualities of a leader, courage, willpower, he always draws a more or less Nordic (or Nordic-Dinaric or Nordic-Falian) head.

From the front, attention is drawn to a narrow forehead, slightly arched eyebrows, a narrow bridge of the nose, and a narrow, angular chin. The head is narrowed at the temples, as if it were squeezed on both sides in a vice.

The shapes of individual bones of the skull and soft parts of the face also contribute to this general impression. The forehead running back is combined with noticeable brow ridges and glabella (thickening above the bridge of the nose). These signs are less pronounced in women and young people. The eye sockets have the shape of an oblong ellipse or quadrangle.

A very important facial feature is the cheekbones. Among the Nordic race they are not very noticeable, because they are turned to the side and located almost vertically.

Individual races differ in the shape of their nose. The Nordic race has a narrow nose, starting from the bridge of the nose, so that there is often no visible border between it and the forehead (“Greek nose”). In profile it is sometimes straight, sometimes curved outward. There are also concave noses and noses that curve slightly outward in the lower third (a common form in Sweden). If the Nordic nose is curved, it usually describes a smooth arc. It is more of a hooked or hawk-like nose than an aquiline (curved at the top) like that of the Dinaric race. The ratio of the length (height) of the nose compared to other parts of the face in the Nordic (and Dinaric) races is greatest, in the Western race it is smallest, and in the Eastern and Eastern Baltic races it is smallest. The nostrils are located at an acute angle. The Nordic nose develops from a child's snub nose by age 25. Women of all races have wider noses. The Nordic race also has a nose shape that looks straight in profile, but slightly wavy. The strongly protruding nose of people of the Nordic race, such as that of the Norwegian polar explorer Amundsen, is usually and especially narrow.

The narrowness of the Nordic face is due to the greater curvature of the cornea of ​​the eyes, the narrowness of the jaws and the close arrangement of the teeth, with the fangs located at an angle. A purely Nordic feature - large and long upper front incisors.

Soft parts of the face. These parts do not blur the impression of a narrow face. The skin of the face has a uniform thickness, the eyelids are not thick, the slit between them is horizontal, and at the outer corners of the eyes is slightly slanted down. The skin on the cheekbones is thin, round cheeks do not make round face. The border of the lips is not clearly defined. The lips themselves are usually narrow, but do not appear compressed, upper lip often protrudes less than the lower one. Nordic Englishmen often have a very high vertical upper lip. The groove under the nose is clearly defined and narrow. The ears are relatively small, although the size of the ears varies greatly among all races and the ears of all people grow into old age.

Leather

Skin color in all races is caused by the deposition of pigment. The Nordic and Falian races are least susceptible to this. The Nordic skin color is pinkish-white, the skin color of the Eastern Baltic race is light with a gray-yellow tint.

Only the Nordic race can be called “white” in the proper sense of the word, and even then this will not be entirely correct - only a corpse has completely white skin. Even the whitest skin always has a yellowish tint. Blood shining through the skin turns it pinkish-white. Where the veins are visible, “blue blood” is visible. But such fair skin, even in northwestern Europe, is less common than people think. Moreover, the skin color of a dressed European is not sufficient evidence of his racial properties. Many Europeans, when tanned, become like Egyptians or Indians. Only the skin of the Nordic race is resistant to sunlight: it turns very red, as if burned, but after a few days the redness disappears.

The skin thickness of individual European races was not measured. The skin of the Nordic race is especially delicate and appears to be thin. According to Roman writers, the skin of the Germans was more sensitive to wounds. The delicacy of Nordic leather is also evidenced by its transparency. The expression "blue blood" indicated the racial origin of the nobility. Blush on the cheeks, “blood and milk” - these and similar expressions speak of the Nordic origin of the European ideal of beauty. Even the nipples of men and women of the Nordic race are pink, while those of other European races are brown. Only the Nordic race has truly red lips.

Since in the tropics skin pigmentation is a means of protecting it, the Nordic race is not adapted to life in the tropics. The influence of tropical climate on different European races was shown by the American Woodruff in his book “Medical Ethnology” (1915). He noted the very harmful effect of strong solar radiation on the nervous system of fair-skinned Europeans.

Whether the appearance of freckles is associated with Nordic blood is unknown. Freckles often appear on red-haired people, but in them, unlike the Nordic race, oily skin. But I often observed freckles in people of the Nordic race. Darker areas of skin, unlike other races, are not found in the pure Nordic race.

Hair

In comparison with other races of the Earth, the Nordic (as well as Western and, above all, Dinaric) races should be considered more hairy. People of the Nordic race have good hair growth on their heads, men have a beard, but their body hair is weaker.

The color and shape of the hair on the head are signs that distinguish races. In Germany, a phenomenon that has not yet been satisfactorily explained is the darkening of hair in adults aged about 30 years. So only by the hair color of adults can one judge their race.

I have often observed the hair growing on the forehead among Jews. Often it is also among the Dinaric race. This phenomenon does not occur among the Nordic race.

The hair color of the Nordic race is light, with variations from blond hair to yellowish and golden, usually with a more or less obvious reddish tint. Ash hair, more common in eastern Germany and northeastern Europe, is more likely a sign of the East Baltic race. Blonde hair color influenced the European ideal of beauty. According to the description of the Romans, Germanic children had the same hair color as gray-haired old men.

It used to be argued whether red hair could be considered a Nordic trait. They are often combined with very white and delicate skin. Redheads were seen as a relic of a special race. Their special smell, comparable to that of a goat, was often noted. But they cannot be considered a special race; red hair is especially common in the area of ​​the Nordic race. In eastern Germany and eastern Europe there are generally fewer redheads than in northwestern Europe, i.e. This phenomenon is not typical for the East Baltic race.

Red hair is now considered a phenomenon similar to albinism, since red-haired people, like albinos, are found in all races. Therefore, they talk about erythrism or rutilism and do not consider red hair as a racial characteristic. There are relatively many redheads among the Scots and Jewish half-breeds.

The hair of the Nordic race is less oily than that of other European races. They are smooth or wavy, thin, often “like silk.” Children of the Nordic race have curly hair more often than adults. The features of Nordic hair are well shown in the images of women in many of Rubens's paintings. Nordic hair can be recognized by the ease with which it flutters in the wind. Thin Nordic hair is less durable and breaks off more easily.

The result of crossbreeding can be coarse, often curly (for example, among Jews) blond hair or dark hair with a Nordic structure. The texture of your hair says more about your racial origin than its color. Blonde hair The Eastern Baltic race is thick and tough.

The beard hair of men of the Nordic race is also light, often more reddish. Indra was depicted with a red beard, like the god of thunder of the ancient Germans, and Emperor Barbarossa is a favorite image of German folklore. The beard hair is curly, like on ancient Greek statues. The shape of the beard has not been studied.

When crossing, even when dark hair on the head, a light or red beard is often preserved - this was noticed by Aristotle.

Eye color

We are talking about the color of the iris; the pupil of all races is black. The conjunctiva of the Nordic race is completely colorless and appears white. In darker European races it is more cloudy or yellowish. The iris of the Nordic race is very light, blue or gray. Babies are usually born with dark blue or dark gray eyes.

There is an opinion that gray eyes are “not Nordic”, that this is a sign of crossing or a sign of the East Baltic race. I do not believe that the Nordic race is characterized only by blue eyes, although among them there are indeed more blue eyes, and among the East Baltic race there are more gray eyes. Gray eyes can be considered a sign of crossing the Nordic race with dark European races, since, according to Virchow, the number of gray eyes increases in Central Europe not only to the east, but also to the south. Gray eyes are often combined with brown hair than with light ones. When crossing, it happens that eye color is inherited from the dark race, and eye brightness from the light race. This is how you get light brown and green eyes.

Nordic people often change eye color depending on the lighting and mood. When the light falls from the front, the eyes appear blue, and when the light comes from the side, they appear gray. Their color is somewhere between blue and gray. But, since gray is the dominant color, blue eyes can be considered “more Nordic.”

Dark blue eyes, like those of Jews or Jewish half-breeds, or opaque matte blue eyes are always the eyes of hybrids. They are often found when crossing with the eastern race. Nordic eyes have a luminous color. Paintings often show the refraction of light by a dark ring surrounding the iris.

These properties of Nordic eyes are associated with the special impression they make. Dark eyes They look around, the Nordics look closely. When excited, the look of Nordic eyes becomes “terrible.” This view was attributed to the Germans by Caesar and Tacitus. The contrast of the dark pupil with a light frame, along with the corresponding facial expressions, makes the German’s gaze not only “terrible”, but also “sharp”, as Caesar himself wrote about. This is due to the fact that the pupil dilates when excited. It is to the bright Nordic eyes that excited states (joy, the ecstasy of struggle) give a special shine; they begin to emit light. In the fight against the Germans, Roman soldiers had to get used to their gaze so as not to be afraid of it. Caesar writes about the Gauls that they could not withstand the wild gaze of the Germans. Hagen (The Nibelungenlied) had the same terrible look. This property of the peoples of the Nordic race was attributed to the heroes, which is expressed in the Edda. Only Nordic eyes can cast a terrible look, the eyes of other races in a state of excitement can look sinister, threatening, even poisonous, but only Nordic eyes can express courageous anger. Their usual expression is determination, but the range of feelings they express is large, from gentleness to the strong will of the master.

Gobineau aptly calls the general impression of the features of a Nordic face “somewhat dry.” Especially in middle-aged men, this coldness, rigidity and efficiency are striking. Nordic features faces.

The Nordic race is a Scandinavian type, belongs to the Scandinavian type, has another name for the Atlanto-Baltic anthropological type.

This race, if we turn to the anthropological tree, is part of the second-order race of the Caucasian race. Also, the Nordic phenotype is a variant of the Baltic race.

Now we will understand with you what Nordic appearance is and what the Nordic appearance of a man and a woman is.

This article talks about representatives of the small race of Nordids. Here you will see different varieties of this racial type, note for yourself the distinctive features of Nordic appearance and be able to compare them with the features of your appearance or the appearance of your environment.

At the beginning of the last century, a French racologist I. Deniker the term “Nordic race” was used, which characterized it as a race that included tall people with blond, sometimes curly hair, eyes light color, with a pink tint to the skin and a dolichocephalic skull.

Note: Dolichocephaly is an elongated and narrow head shape.

Origin of the Nordic type

According to information K. Kuna The Nordic race is originally derived from a circle of Mediterranean racial forms. However, over time, it was affected by the depigmental process that occurred under the influence of a group of paleo-Europeans. Thus, this race is the result of a mixture of paleo-European and Mediterranean types.

What is Nordic appearance?

General description of Nordic appearance

The appearance of the Nordid type is characterized by its light pigmentation, tallness, and thin physique, which refers to ecto- or mesomorphy. Distinctive features Nordic appearance includes a range of hair colors, ranging from blond to red and dark brown, brown hair.

Regarding, owners of the Nordic type of appearance have an iris of gray, gray-blue, blue, blue flowers. Characteristics of facial height are:

  • Leptoprosopia - high value of facial height;
  • Mesoprosopia - a face of average height.

The jaw is classified as narrow, and the values ​​of the cephalic index mainly relate to dolichocephaly or mesocephaly (medium elongation). Nordids have thin lips and the nose (characteristic of leptoria), the front part of the nose (nasal dorsum) is elongated and high, in relief it is straight, or has small concave or, conversely, slightly convex contours. Speaking of the brow ridges, they are quite pronounced.

Detailed physical characteristics of the Nordic type traits

Hans Günther's classification - Nordic theory examined

Body architecture

People of the Nordic race have high and slim figure. Their average height ranges from 1.75 to 1.78 m, and very often can reach more than 1.85-1.90. Speaking about body proportions, their tall height is not achieved due to the length of their legs (as, for example, among representatives of the Negroid race). Correlating the length of the legs to the length of the body, the Nordic type is in the middle between the Mongoloid short-leggedness and the long-leggedness of the tropical races.

Men of Nordic appearance have broad shoulders And narrow hips. Their slender body architecture is emphasized by the contours of the ancient fold of the pelvis (which was constantly emphasized in the works of sculptors of ancient Greece).

In turn, women of Nordic appearance are also characterized by their slimness, although they also have beautiful female forms chest, waist and hips.

Duration of growth may reach its greatest rise between 20 and 25 years.

Craniometry - Nordic skull dimensions

As already mentioned, people of the Nordic race have narrow skull shapes and have a narrow face. The ratio of the width and length of the head is 3:4. The average value of the cranial index is 74 centimeters (in a living person - 75-77).

The ratio of the facial width of people of the Nordic race to the height is in the values ​​- 10:9 - 10:10. Thus, having comprehensively collected all the values, you can notice that the shape of the head of this race is a rectangle, which is quite clearly visible among Nordids with short hair.

In comparison with races that have a spherical shape - their round shape the head does not change its contours when turning, the head of the Nordids has two planes on the sides, having long sizes. Also, the head of the Nordic race is characterized by a convex shape of the occiput (due to the presence of a process of the occipital bone) - if a Nord stands against a wall, the occipital part will certainly come into contact with the wall, while for those with a round head a gap will form.

Speaking about the profiles of Nordids, the forehead is tilted slightly back, the eyes are deep set, the teeth and jaws are vertically positioned, and the chin is sharply projected.

Nordic skin color

A characteristic feature of the Nordid type is “white skin” - the color of the skin has a lightish gray tint, with a slightly yellow tint. The pinkish tint of the skin is due to the fact that blood capillaries pass close to its surface.

Nordic hair


The color variation of Nordids ranges from blond to golden. Speaking of hair thickness, hair growth occurs mainly on the head of women, and in the beard area of ​​men. Their structure is compared to silk, they are smooth and wavy.

Types of Nordoid minor race

In turn, Nordids have different type varieties, which have their own distinctive features. Nordids include:

  • Hallstadt Nordid;
  • Eastern Nordid;
  • Celtic Nordic;
  • Trønder;
  • Anglo-Saxon type;
  • Subnordid.

Hallstadt Nordid

In another way, the Galdstatt Nordids are called Osterdal, Teutonordids, Scano-Nordids, Skadids, Gothic, Norwegian.

In origin, this racial type is a classic Nordic type, associated with the remains of Hallstatt from the Iron Age, which were excavated in the region of Central Europe. The territorial dispersal of the population of this species occurred as a result of migrations of Germanic settlements in ancient times.

Its distribution reaches Norway, southern Sweden, Denmark, northern Germany, and the Netherlands.


People of the Hallstadt Nordic type are tall, have a leptosomal structure, but have a developed muscular system. The legs are longer than the body and have average bone width.

Hair color, according to the classics: blond, ash + light brown, with golden or dark shade. The structure of the hair is wavy. There is a strong development of hair. Thin lips, straight back of the nose, narrow cheekbones, long jaw, moderate slope of the forehead, blue eyes. Narrow face.

Eastern Nordid (Irano-Nordid)

This small race has an origin associated with the result of depigmentation of the eastern Cromanoid races.

This type is common in the Baltic states, Russia, Transcaucasia and South-West Asia.

Speaking of external distinctive features- people of this race have the same parameters, with the exception of straight hair structure, average hair development, narrow bridge of the nose, strong convex shape back of the head

Celtic Nordid (Celtic Nordid)

This race is a mixture of protomorphic Hallstadt tribes of the Nordic type with non-Nordic types. Distribution is found among the British Isles and the Atlantic coasts of the European part.

Distinctive features - hair color - ash blond - dark chestnut, have a straight structure. The color of the iris is a combination of light mixed shades. The lips are thin and medium-sized, with a soft inversion. The bridge of the nose has straight or convex contours. Narrow jaws, convex nape.

Trønder

This racial subtype has another name: North German mesocephalic.

The race owes its origin to the Cromanoid types in a mixture of the Corded Ware culture. Distributed in Eastern Sweden, Southern Norway, the Baltic countries and Russia.

They have a slender body architecture, medium-wide bones. Hair has a color spectrum from light brown with a hint of gold to dark chestnut. The hair structure is straight or wavy. Blue eyes, thin lips, slightly sloping forehead, strong height.

Anglo-Saxon type

They come from a mixture of Hallstadt Nordid and Cro-Magnon type of Northern European origin. Distributed in southeastern England and the Netherlands.

Medium-sized bones, straight hair, thin lips, straight eyebrows, moderately sloping forehead, high. The nose and cheekbones are narrow. Horizontal section of the eyes.

Sub Nordic

A combination of the protomorphic Hallstadt population of Nordids and Nordids-Alpinids. Distribution occurs in Austria, Switzerland, France.

Representatives of this race have light mixed colored irises, medium cheekbones, a straight bridge of the nose, and straight hair. The back of the head is slightly convex. Hair color ranges from ash blonde to dark chestnut.