Oberbayern : Bavaria (Germany)

The Bavarians emerged in a region north of the Alps, originally inhabited by the Gauls, which had been part of the Roman provinces of Raetia and Noricum. The Bavarians spoke Old High German but, unlike other Germanic groups, did not migrate from elsewhere. Rather, they seem to have coalesced out of other groups left behind by Roman withdrawal late in the 5th century AD. These peoples may have included the Celtic Boii.

The duchy of Upper Bavaria was created for the first time with the First Bavarian partition in 1255 under duke Louis II but there was no exact identity with the current territory.

Sample :

• Brief anthropological analysis :

- Type 1 : Intermediate complexion (light eyes, ...), brachymorphic, more or less little and broad nose, square-faced, broad forehead, wide-set eyes, rather long eyelids, large jaw

~ Alpinoid/Subnordid





This type seems to be quite widespread in the whole Alps, more particularly in the German-speaking sides. It is generally associated with Bavaria. The current Pope - Benedict XVI born in Marktl - is a well-known example.

Punctually, some individuals do appear to be slighty darker.

Some leptomorphic individuals - leaning towards Nordic metrics - are noted for a rather flat nose : it seems to be a rather South German-looking phenotype.


- Type 2 : Light complexion (light hair, light eyes, ...), more or less leptomorphic, a rather large face on some individuals, a high-rooted and convex nose, high cheekbones, close-set eyes, large jaw

~ Nordo-Dinaric

This phenotype was already identified in Alpine Austria (see Vorarlberg) albeit more brachymorphic on average. Darker individuals are quite specific to Bavaria and Austria.




Final morphotypes :

http://anthroeurope.blogspot.ru/2010/03/oberbayern-bavaria-germany.html