In ancient times, the area of what is today Ticino was settled by the Lepontii, a Celtic tribe. Later, probably around the rule of Augustus, it became part of the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Western Empire, was ruled by the Ostrogoths, the Lombards and the Franks. Around 1100 it was the centre of struggle between the free communes of Milan and Como: in the 14th century it was definitively acquired by the Visconti, Dukes of Milan. In the fifteenth century the Swiss Confederates conquered the valleys south of the Alps in three separate conquests.
Even though Italian is the official language of Ticino, West Lombard dialects are the vernacular language of the area.
Sample :
Brief anthropological analysis :
- Type 1 : Intermediate complexion, leptomorphic, narrow face, long and straight high-rooted nose that can get convex, close set eyes, large jaw, pointy chin
~ Dinaromorphic Nordo-Mediterranean
That is a well identified pan-Italian type. Yet most individuals rather fall in a lighter - Nordoid - category as far as hair/eye color is concerned. Those individuals are North Italian-looking (aqua blue eyes, ...) and can show puffy features. Such phenotypes are quite rare in other parts of Switzerland and the contrast with neighbouring Upper Wallis is somehow rather important.
- Type 2 : Intermediate complexion, brachymorphic, stocky face, little low-rooted nose that can get snub-tipped, wide set eyes
~ Alpinoid/Subnordid
Once more, a very classical type abundantly found throughout the Italian peninsula to which Ticino is an extremity. This type is not as prevailing as in western Alpine valleys though, at least amongst men.
Final morphotypes :
http://anthroeurope.blogspot.ru/search/label/Switzerland%20%3A%20Italian%20Switzerland
Even though Italian is the official language of Ticino, West Lombard dialects are the vernacular language of the area.
Sample :
Brief anthropological analysis :
- Type 1 : Intermediate complexion, leptomorphic, narrow face, long and straight high-rooted nose that can get convex, close set eyes, large jaw, pointy chin
~ Dinaromorphic Nordo-Mediterranean
That is a well identified pan-Italian type. Yet most individuals rather fall in a lighter - Nordoid - category as far as hair/eye color is concerned. Those individuals are North Italian-looking (aqua blue eyes, ...) and can show puffy features. Such phenotypes are quite rare in other parts of Switzerland and the contrast with neighbouring Upper Wallis is somehow rather important.
- Type 2 : Intermediate complexion, brachymorphic, stocky face, little low-rooted nose that can get snub-tipped, wide set eyes
~ Alpinoid/Subnordid
Once more, a very classical type abundantly found throughout the Italian peninsula to which Ticino is an extremity. This type is not as prevailing as in western Alpine valleys though, at least amongst men.
Final morphotypes :
http://anthroeurope.blogspot.ru/search/label/Switzerland%20%3A%20Italian%20Switzerland
