How white were the Israelites? Facial reconstruction may be surprising

Haaretz ^ | November 15, 2008 | Ofri Ilani

[SunkenCiv]

The research, conducted with scientists from the Russian Foundation of Fundamental Investigation, was published in the German journal Anthropoligischer Anzeiger. Ben Yair used the skull of a male from the Hellenistic Period and a female from the Roman Period that had been discovered in the Dead Sea region.

The researchers reconstructed gaps in the skulls and inserted false teeth. They measured the skulls and reconstructed the soft tissue based on earlier research. Using cutting-edge technology, they created two statues they say are quite accurate representations of early Hebrew man and woman.

Not surprisingly, the appearance of the man is very similar to that of today's Middle Eastern man. The researchers concluded that he belonged to the Mediterranean branch of the Caucasoid group, scientific terminology for what is known as "white."

However, the woman's appearance was quite surprising. She has a large mouth with a protruding upper lip and a full lower lip. The nose is also prominent with a low bridge. These and other findings led the researchers to determine that while the reconstructed woman was also Caucasoid, she had "equatorial (African)" characteristics.

The article notes her "high and prominent upper lip, and 'plump' lower lip." The researchers added: "The chin is prominent, high and narrow, protruding outward."

Ben David highlights the similarities between the two reconstructions and reconstructions of later Jewish populations in Europe. He also compared the early Jews he reconstructed to the average characteristics of modern Jewish populations in Israel, and reached the conclusion that there is a great similarity between the populations.

[SunkenCiv]

I blame you for this. ;')

[SunkenCiv]

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[DonaldC]

I wonder if they have addressed the British accents yet...hehehe

[MeanWestTexan]

The chosen people were an amalgamation of many “races” as we call them.

[svcw]

Wow. similar to todays middle easter man - how amazing. s/

[SunkenCiv]

;’D

[WayneS]

How white were the Israelites?

Who the he11 claimed they were white?

[skeeter]

This is the way the international left sees them. It informs their opinion on the situation in the middle east, IMO.

[martin_fierro]

However, the woman's appearance was quite surprising. She has a large mouth with a protruding upper lip and a full lower lip. The nose is also prominent with a low bridge.

I kid, I kid! I kid because I love!

[PapaBear3625]

These and other findings led the researchers to determine that while the reconstructed woman was also Caucasoid, she had "equatorial (African)" characteristics.

Drawing conclusions from a single sample is a worthless exercise, particularly regarding a sample from the Roman period where people of various races and ethnicities traveled widely throughout the Empire.

[BGHater]

[WayneS]

Ahhhh.

The Large Mouthed Ass.

Makes for good fishing, from what I’ve heard.

[bert]

Having jumped to a conclusion, the writer overlooked the most likely possibility. The female was a slave

[Verginius Rufus]

It would be interesting to see if Palestinian Christians differ from Palestinian Muslims. The former are probably largely descended from the pre-Islamic population (with perhaps some Crusader DNA mixed in), whereas the Muslims may include more outsiders (Arabs, Turks, descendants of slaves brought in during Muslim times). Since the Christians living there just before the Arab conquest in the 7th century may have been partly descended from Jews (whether they had converted freely or under pressure), the modern Palestinian Christians’ DNA may be closer to that of modern Jews than to the Palestinian Muslims’ DNA. Of course the Muslims are partly descended from Christian Arabs.

[Verginius Rufus]

Joseph’s wife was an Egyptian (Genesis 41:45)—that’s where the African ancestry comes from.

[hecht]

What does “white “ mean?

Is it pale nordic skin color?

Or do you mean a member of the Caucasoid race? That race includes both light skinned people from northern europe and dark skinned people like Ber Bers, Dravidian's and Somalis.

There are also light skinned Africans such as pygmies and Khoisan's. Skin pigment isn't everything.

[ZULU]

“..and a female from the Roman Period “

In a large sense, “Roman” was a cultural term and not an ethnic one. By the time of the Roman Empire, there was substantial movement of people across and through the entire wide extent of the Empire and from beyond its borders.

To make any conclusions from a single anaylsis of one indiviudal from this time period anywhere within the Empire is absurd.

Early Egyptian depictions of Kushites, Minoans, Egyptians, Libyians and Asian Semites clearly denote distinct ethnic and racial types with little or no overlap.

[Parley Baer]

Now we know why most Jews continue to vote dimocRAT and have a death wish.

[Centurion2000]

Skin pigment isn't everything.

Apparently it is to Obama.