Anthropological Evidence

Chapter 2
Scythic Origin of the Rajput Race
by
Mulchand Chauhan

Skin Colour

The Rajputs belong to the dolicocephalic (long-headed) Caucasoid races. The preceding Indo-Aryans consisted of two stocks: an older, mainly brachycephalic branch of `Outer Aryans', and inner dolicocephalic branch of `Inner Aryans' which in turn displaced the Outer Aryans. The broad-headed Aryans, or Early Aryans, are the first to have entered India, and are those who have had the most direct confrontation with the preceding Sudroid (Dravidoid-Kolarian-Untouchable) populations. The broad-headed Aryans comprise the Utkalic, Bhojpuric, Mithilic and Marathic races which form a band surrounding the inner band of Aryans. The inner band of long-headed or Later Aryans consists of Brahminoids, Brajics, Kayasthas and Koshalics who represent a subsequent wave of Aryanisation, namely Brahmanisation which occurred as a further superposition upon the preceding Early Aryans..

The Rajputs and related Scythic races are tall and fair, resembling closely their Scythic forbears :

" the Agniculas [ Rajputs ] are of good stature, and fair, with prominent features like those of the Parthian Kings."

[ Tod.II.357 ]

This characteristic alone, whilst not excluding any possible Inner Aryan origin, does exclude any proposed Outer Aryan descent.

Nasal Index

The Nasal Index of Rajputs clearly shows that they are leptorrhine (thin-nosed) Caucasoids, distinguishable from the mainly mesorrhine Caucasoid Early Indo-Aryans : 
 
        Race           Nasal Index           Nasal Type          

 Indo-Aryan (Arya)
     Brahman (Bengal)     70.3               sub-leptorrhine
     Brahman (Bihar)      73.2               sub-leptorrhine
     Brahman (Bhojpur)    74.6               sub-leptorrhine
     Rajput               71.6               sub-leptorrhine
     Kayasth (Bengal)     70.3               sub-leptorrhine
     Jat                  68.8               leptorrhine 
     Vaisya (Bania)       79.6               sub-leptorrhine
     Gujjar               66.9               leptorrhine
     Sikhs                68.8               leptorrhine [ Ris 28-9 ]


  Sudroid (Indian Negroids, comprising Dalits and Dravidians)
     Paniyans (Malabar)   95.1               platyrrhine
     Santal               88.8               platyrrhine
     Munda                89.9               platyrrhine
     Kol                  82.2               sub-platyrrhine
     Kadia                89.8               platyrrhine
     Vellala              73.1               sub-platyrrhine
     Tamil Brahman        76.7               sub-platyrrhine
     Asur (Lohardaga)     95.9               platyrrhine
     Bhil                 84.1               sub-platyrrhine
     Pariah               80.0               sub-platyrrhine
     Irula                80.9               sub-platyrrhine
     Kadia                89.8               platyrrhine
     Musahar              88.7               platyrrhine
     Chamar               86.0               platyrrhine
     Dom                  83.0               sub-platyrrhine

                             -- [ Ris App. III p.395 ff ]

The above data, taken from one of the greatest anthropologists to have ever set foot in India, Sir. Risley, show that the Scythians have leptorrhine nasal indices, whilst Indo-Aryans fall into two categories : one mainly sub-leptorrhine and leptorrhine, comprising the Brahmins, Kayasthas and other Later Aryans, and the mesorrhine Outer Aryans comprising the Bhojpuric, Mithilic, Gaudic and Utkalic peoples. This physical feature is closely related to the brachycephalism (broad-headedness) displayed by most Early or Outer Indo-Aryans.

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