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5. COMPOSITE PORTRAITS OF SOUTHERN SINAI BEDOUINS

COMPOSITE PORTRAITS OF SOUTHERN SINAI BEDOUINS

Chumakova Anna (1), Maurer Andrey (1), Kobyliansky Eugene (2)

1) Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; 2) Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Chumakova Anna, e-mail: achumakova@mail.ru.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to create series of composite portraits (CP) of southern Sinai Bedouins based on photographs of the Israeli expedition of 1979–82 and using new digital technologies. For that purpose, 89 photographs of adult Bedouins in two norms––full face and profile, and those of 116 children aged 7–15 were processed with the “Face on Face” software (Savinetsky-Syroezhkin). Anthropometric and descriptive traits of the head and face were analyzed. CP were collected to specify the information about different aspects of anthropological variability in Bedouin tribes. Three adult and five children’s portraits reflect age-specific characteristics; the profile portrait provides information on the vertical facial profile and nasal morphology. Integral visual images representing various tribes and subtribes as well as the general portrait of the adult part of the whole population were generated. Our analysis of metric and nonmetric facial variation in Bedouin subtribes revealed a number of significant differences (in transverse dimensions and height of the face, eye and hair pigmentation, and hair form). Various Bedouin tribes, then, differ in important features of appearance. Results of visual analysis of composite portraits are comparable with biometric data. In some cases the CP method is more informative. For example, CP of the homogeneous Muzeina tribe and the tribal group “others” are consistent with metric information; CP of Gebelia subtribes of patchy origin visualize and complete the numeric information. The profile portrait adds information on a number of features: height and overall profile of nasal bridge, morphology of supraorbital and chin areas.

Keywords

ethnic anthropology, composite portraits, South Sinai Bedouins, facial morphology

Цит.: Chumakova Anna, Maurer Andrey, Kobyliansky Eugene COMPOSITE PORTRAITS OF SOUTHERN SINAI BEDOUINS // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2014; 3/2014; с. 67-68