Contrary to neighbouring Couserans, not much is known about the ancient history of the Ariège valley. In the 3rd century, the area was included into the great city of the Volcae Tectosages whose capital was Tolosa (modern Toulouse). The town of Saverdun (Celtic placename in -dunum) is one "military" evidence of this past ans some Celto-Latin formations in -acum are vestiges of Roman villae : Justiniac, Bonnac, ... The population was fixed in the Middle-Ages through ex nihilo creations : Villeneuve-du-Paréage, La Bastide-de-Lordat and Pamiers (from Apamea in Syria in memory of the crusades).
- Echantillon représentatif / Sample :
Taille réelle / Full Scale- Analyse anthropologique sommaire / Brief anthropological analysis :
- Type 1 : Complexion plutôt foncée (cheveux bruns, pigmentation foncée mais yeux parfois gris/vert), leptomorphique, face plutôt large, nez convexe, yeux rapprochés, sourcils épais, mâchoire large
~ Atlanto-Méditerranéen dinaromorphique
Rather dark complexion (dark hair, dark pigmentation, yet sometimes grey/green eyes), lightly leptomorphic, rather large face, convex nose, close-set eyes, thick eyebrows, large jaw
~ Dinaromorphic Atlanto-Mediterranid
Il s'agit du type est-pyrénéen par excellence. Certains individus s'approchent sensiblement de types catalans. Un sous-type particulier masculin doit être mis en avant caractérisé par une plus grande robutesse et des yeux clairs (le joueur de rugby Fabien Pelous de Saverdun en est-il représentatif ?).
This is the main East-Pyrenean type. Some individuals noticeably approach Catalan types. A peculiar male subtype must be highlighted because of a stronger robustness and light eyes (is rugby player Fabien Pelous from Saverdun representative of this type ?).
- Type 2 : Complexion intermédiaire, brachymorphique, face large, tête ronde, nez large et robuste, yeux plutôt distancés, large mâchoire
~ Alpino-Méditerranéen
Intermediate complexion, brachymorphic, large face, round head, large and robust nose, rather distanced eyes, large jaw
~ Alpino-Mediterranean
Ce type physique, dit "ibéro-insulaire" par les anthropologistes français du XIXème siècle, constitue un type sud-languedocien bien identifié représentatif plus largement d'une variabilité "ibéro-pyrénéenne" qui comprend également la Catalogne voisine. La variante accusant des traits plutôt "bouffis" (yeux distancés, lèvres pleines, nez large et empâté chez les hommes, ...) et des tendances à la "rufosité" est très archétypique.
This physical type - known as Ibero-insular by XIXth century French anthropologists - is a well identified South-Languedocian type quite representative from what could be called an "Ibero-Pyrenean" variability which includes neighbouring Catalonia. The following variant - characterized by rather puffy physical features (distanced eyes, full lips, broad and puffy nose on males, ...) and tendencies to rufosity - is quite archetypal.
Tous ces types ont au fond été déjà identifiés dans le Lauragais, à l'exception du type dit "languedocien" plutôt caractéristique d'une variation de la plaine.
All these types were already identified in Lauragais except the "Languedocian" type which is part of non-mountainous variation.
- Morphotypes finaux / Final morphotypes :
I really don't know what to say of this sample. The only word I can think of is "transitional" because they look not from here nor from there, always from a West European perspective.
ReplyDeleteThe second type has a lot of Iberian affinities but also Nordic ones, specially the blonde ruffous variant that approaches the Borreby type.
The first type has some Basque affinities but it's also different (maybe more specifically "Gascon"?)
I don't dare to make a BI because there are a lot of faces that approach but not quite the Basque ones I'm familiar with. Maybe 2-4?