Worldwide somatic comparisons among contemporary human groups of adult females

Abstract

Abstract This paper aggregates and compares findings on 300 groups of women studied in different parts of the world. Variables considered are stature, sitting height, head width and length, face width and height, shoulder and hip widths, and limb girths. Most of the groups were measured between 1950 and 1965. Mean stature approximates 137 cm to 139 cm on Bambuti women of Africa, Asai women of New Guinea, and Sierra de Parija women of South America. Means are near 143 cm for Pahira and Telefolmin women; 148 cm for Bundi, Quechua, and Vietnamese women; 154 cm for Ethiopian and Japanese women; and 159 cm for Coniagui, Italian, Jamaica Negroid, Polish, and Russian women. Groups taller than 162 cm include Amerind women of the Blackfeet tribe; European women of German, Norwegian, Swedish, and Swiss descent; and United States women of northwest European ancestry. The body stem component of stature is relatively short in Australian aborigines and women of several Negroid and Amerind tribes; relatively long in Japanese and Quechua women; and intermediate in women of India, Taiwan aborigines, and United States Caucasoid women. In mean head width, Apache women exceed Pahira women by 2.4 cm, or 18%. In head length, Easter Island natives average 2.0 cm, or 12% longer than Paiwan women of Taiwan. Means for biiliocristal diameter are below or near 24 cm on Bujeba, Hutu, Quechua, Shirisna, Tutsi, and Yecuana women, and above 28 cm on Basque, French, Hungarian, Sicilian, and United States Caucasoid women. For biacromial diameter, means are near 30 cm on Sinhalese women, and near 36 cm on several groups of European women.

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