Why are Afghans so dark for their location/latitude?

**Avicenna** · 10-24-2021, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Erronkari

Exactly.
Most Pashtuns are naturally skin tone IV and V when are tanned.. and conditions in Afghanistan are very dry and sunny mostly, so they are naturally tanned almost always except three or for months in the year..

No they are naturally von luschan #9. Some are below that some are above that . But natural unexposed areas are #9

"The Afghans and Pathans, like the Persians, are usually brunet, and at the same time show a persistent minority of blondism, which in this case reflects Nordic admixture. They are heavy-bearded, and possess heavy body hair. Their facial features show a maximum of bony relief, and, on the whole, their facial skeletons seem much heavier and much more strongly marked than those of the more delicate Arabian Mediterraneans. They possess, in common with the Arabian Mediterranean group, a sharpness in definition of feature which stands in contrast to the coarser lineaments of the average Mesopotamian countenance.

In respect to the Dardic group, we have a certain amount of published and unpublished information which will be useful here.25

The Kafirs of the Kati tribe, who live in the easternmost section of Kafiristan, are taller and larger-headed than the Pathans, but still essentially dolichocephalic and leptorrhine.26 They seem also to possess a high ratio of blondism. Like the Pathans, their commonest skin color is a medium brunet white, von Luschan #9, but in hair and eye color they seem to be lighter than the Pushtu-speaking peoples. Thirty-four per cent have mixed or light eyes, as opposed to 20 per cent of Pushtus. Their hair color, according to Stein, is blond or light brown in 28 per cent of the group.27"

"The Tajiks of both countries are pale skinned hirsute europiform pamirians with 10% light hair(blonde) and 15% light eyes (blue)"

**Donhueas** · 10-24-2021, 09:53 PM

In the news you see many with faces related to Europeans, many proto nordids, and they look quite dark, although there are many with light eyes

**Avicenna** · 10-24-2021, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by Donhueas

In the news you see many with faces related to Europeans, many proto nordids, and they look quite dark, although there are many with light eyes

Dark for western euro standards? Yes ofcourse. Definitely not dark for their location or surrounding neighbours .

**~~Borealis~~** · 12-09-2021, 09:47 PM

People get darker not just as you go south but also as you go east. Not as sharp of a gradient but it still exists. Throw in some ASI too and it's not surprise that Kabul is darker than Damascus, despite the mountains.

**happycow** · 12-09-2021, 09:53 PM

We have a sizeable afghan community in my city. The apartment complex my sister used to live in had a bunch of afghans and they were fairly dark.

**~~Borealis~~** · 12-09-2021, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by happycow

We have a sizeable afghan community in my city. The apartment complex my sister used to live in had a bunch of afghans and they were fairly dark.

I used to be under the impression that they were a very light group in the past but it's very clear that they are not. They have a pretty large range and you still get some psuedo Caucasian and psuedo Balkanoid phenotypes there but the average is somewhat darker than Iranians. Their facial features are also more exotic than Iranians.

**Avicenna** · 12-09-2021, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by happycow

We have a sizeable afghan community in my city. The apartment complex my sister used to live in had a bunch of afghans and they were fairly dark.

Im curious to see what they looked like . For instance afghans are not one exact ethnicity and homogenous like Syrians or Lebanese . Its a bit like Mexico .

This video is about afghans in Turkey, if you skip towards the 1 hour mark and onwards you can see afghans as a group . There are a few Uzbeks among them mind you .

The guy is pashtun and the girl is Tajik

Watch from 15:00 onwards , Kabul

Afghans in America

Afghans in London

**Avicenna** · 12-09-2021, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by Borealis

I used to be under the impression that they were a very light group in the past but it's very clear that they are not. They have a pretty large range and you still get some psuedo Caucasian and psuedo Balkanoid phenotypes there but the average is somewhat darker than Iranians. Their facial features are also more exotic than Iranians.

Well you are severely mistaken . I don't think anyone was under the impression that afghans were very light ( atleast not by euro standards). Being afghan isn't one ethnicity with similar looks . Alot of diaspora afghans include Uzbeks hazaras and they can produce very dark types fhat cannot be found in west Asia .

Here is a typical village from afghanistan without any hazara or Uzbek Influence .

I don't think they are darker than Iranians .

An afghan among mazandaranis ( northern Iran ) . He looks like he fits in like a glove .

**happycow** · 12-09-2021, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by Avicenna

Im curious to see what they looked like . For instance afghans are not one exact ethnicity and homogenous like Syrians or Lebanese . Its a bit like Mexico .

This video is about afghans in Turkey, if you skip towards the 1 hour mark and onwards you can see afghans as a group . There are a few Uzbeks among them mind you .

The guy is pashtun and the girl is Tajik

Watch from 15:00 onwards , Kabul

Afghans in America

Afghans in London

They are certainly a diverse bunch and there does not seem to be one particular look amongst them. The ones I saw could easily pass in the levant. Also the mosque I went to as a kid had many afghan attendants. The women and children dressed in their traditional garb, while the adult men just wore jeans and t shirts. Anyway, many in the videos you posted do not look middle eastern. Very unique look. You have the darker types, lighter types, robust features among the men etc.

I'm not sure why my city is a hot spot for afghan migrants, but apparently we are supposed to be getting more of them.

**Avicenna** · 12-09-2021, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by happycow

They are certainly a diverse bunch and there does not seem to be one particular look amongst them. The ones I saw could easily pass in the levant. Also the mosque I went to as a kid had many afghan attendants. The women and children dressed in their traditional garb, while the adult men just wore jeans and t shirts. Anyway, many in the videos you posted do not look middle eastern. Very unique look. You have the darker types, lighter types, robust features among the men etc.

I'm not sure why my city is a hot spot for afghan migrants, but apparently we are supposed to be getting more of them.

Which city if you don't mind me asking ? Keep in mind Pakistanis also have similar ish garments and the pashtuns from those areas have the exact same ones . They tend to be generally darker especially ones from urban areas who are most likely mixed .

Yeah that's true although technically if we narrow it down to just tajiks and pashtuns then the diversity decreases . You still get the dark light types but that's applicable almost anywhere, e.g Syria .

Yeah I think the ones from Kabul , they don't look middle Eastern . Morelike a blend between Iranian , Caucausus , turkey and central Asia . The afghans in America videos I think could easily be mistaken as levantines . I think most afghans in America especially the ones that came in the 80s ana early 90s were from urban cities like Kabul .