[freedom44]

What's interesting is that Germans and Iranians come from the same tribe - the Aryans.

In fact, the name Iran means "Land of the Aryans". In parts of Iran there's lots of light hair and eyes, but the majority have light to olive skin tone with dark hair and eyes. Although the facial structure is more european than middle eastern.

Nevertheless, the difference in appearance is fairly wide between the two. I guess generations of war, and devastation in the Persian Empire didn't exactly help.

[SunkenCiv]

It's easy to take for granted the differences that can accumulate through isolation and differences in living conditions. Two small groups; one keeps at a some traditional way, maybe nomadic or semi-nomadic, while the other winds up figuring out settled agriculture and has much larger family sizes. In a few generations...