The Romans called the area Vallis Poenina (Upper Rhône Valley). The Walser settled the upper part of the Wallis about 1000 years ago, while the lower part remained Romance-speaking. Wallis was colonized by modern Humans after the last glacial period when the Rhône glacier disappeared. Most scientists believe that those populations were replaced during the Neolithic by newcomers as Mesolithic techniques abruptly disappeared replaced by complete Neolithic ones without any form of transitional era. Those newcomers are believed to have originated from the southern Alps. See here for more information about Wallis' history.
Sample :
Brief anthropological analysis :
- Type 1 : Light complexion (aqua-blue eyes, dark blonde hair, ...), brachymorphic, little and concave nose, square-faced, broad forehead, wide-set eyes, large jaw
~ Alpinoid/Subnordid
Even though Alpinoid types are the main types in the Alps, secondary features are quite important : broad noses, aqua-blue eyes, ... rather link those individuals with Piedmontese Alpinoid types than with neighbouring Germanic ones from Upper Wallis.
- Type 2 : Light complexion (from blonde to chestnut hair, light eyes, ...), more or less leptomorphic, straight nose, high cheekbones, close-set eyes
~ Nordoid
Many individuals indeed approach Nordo-Mediterranean metrics. Still, very "Germanic-looking" individuals (narrow "horsy" face, ...) are more of an oddity here, which is a sharp contrast with Upper Wallis.
Conversely, one can find dinaromorphic (Norid ?) individuals with a very arched nose, which is quite consistent of what we know of Arpitanian lands (see for instance for "Arpitanian" France :Dauphiné, Lyonnais).
Final morphotypes :
http://anthroeurope.blogspot.ru/search/label/Switzerland%20%3A%20Romandy
Sample :
Brief anthropological analysis :
- Type 1 : Light complexion (aqua-blue eyes, dark blonde hair, ...), brachymorphic, little and concave nose, square-faced, broad forehead, wide-set eyes, large jaw
~ Alpinoid/Subnordid
Even though Alpinoid types are the main types in the Alps, secondary features are quite important : broad noses, aqua-blue eyes, ... rather link those individuals with Piedmontese Alpinoid types than with neighbouring Germanic ones from Upper Wallis.
- Type 2 : Light complexion (from blonde to chestnut hair, light eyes, ...), more or less leptomorphic, straight nose, high cheekbones, close-set eyes
~ Nordoid
Many individuals indeed approach Nordo-Mediterranean metrics. Still, very "Germanic-looking" individuals (narrow "horsy" face, ...) are more of an oddity here, which is a sharp contrast with Upper Wallis.
Conversely, one can find dinaromorphic (Norid ?) individuals with a very arched nose, which is quite consistent of what we know of Arpitanian lands (see for instance for "Arpitanian" France :Dauphiné, Lyonnais).
Final morphotypes :
http://anthroeurope.blogspot.ru/search/label/Switzerland%20%3A%20Romandy
