Romanians and Hungarians from Transylvania

**aherne** · 09-14-2020, 05:31 AM

Following a tradition in previous posts, I've been in a one-week trek throughout Transylvania (Sibiu/Alba Iulia/Maramures/Targu Mures/Sighisoara) and wanted to share my anthropological observations:

- Romanians/Hungarians from Old Transylvania: they are almost indistinguishable and very similar to people of Wallachia (Alpine/Dinaric/Med mixes dominate). The only difference is that some Hungarians show Magyar (Lapponoid) phenotypes and that both groups, in general, are a little lighter than people South of Carpathians.
- Romanians/Ruthenians from Maramures: again they are almost indistinguishable. Among Romanians Alpine and Dinaric make up a majority (there is little Med) but there is also an "Indo-European" element too that doesn't seem Slavic in origin (Aryan features don't come in association with Baltid). Among Ukrainians that Aryan element is found at somewhat higher frequencies and there is also more Baltid. To be honest, considering their northern position, I was shocked to find Slavic influence not much different from other sides of Romania. As one moves west to east, blondes become ever more common: they are very common in Borsa (maybe as much as 10% of adults and 50% of children are blonde there) but uncommon in Sapanta.

These observations reiterate the idea that differences in Transylvania are area instead of ethnicity-based. As one moves North (regardless of language spoken), "Indo-European" element increases in intensity: children with platinum blonde hair become more common as well as blonde adults (both really unusual South of Carpathians).