Local Variety
The most brachycephalic Maghrebi type, shows close morphological similarities to Alpines and in a lower degree to Armenids and Berberids. Probably not directly related to other Alpines, but the result of a similar adaption. Common in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Tunisia. A subvariety exists on the island of Djerba. Extends in lower frequencies across Libya, Egypt, and Morocco.
Light brown skin, straight or wavy brown to black hair, usually dark, sometimes mixed eyes. Medium height, mesoskelic, endomorph. Rather brachycephalic, orthocranic with a leptorrhine, straight or convex nose. Features more angular than in other Alpinids, deep set eyes.
The name "African Alpines" was coined by Briggs (1955). Vallois (1971) and Eickstedt (1934), who reported them especially in Berber populations, called them Alpinid. Gerhardt (1957) used the name "Brachymorph Cromagnids" and Biasutti (1967) "Brachymorphs". Bertholon and Chantre's (1913) Gerba type can be included.
