Mongoloids have probably originated in Central Asia and moved to different directions .The Mongoloids are divided into four main subdivisions on the basis of their geographical distribution. These are (1) The Classical or Central Mongoloid, (2) The Arctic or Northern Mongoloid or Eskimoids, (3) The Southern or Indo-Malayan Mongoloids and (4) The American Indians.
The Mongoloid physical features are: Yellowish brown tinge skin colour consisting of straight and black hair, scanty body and facial hair, brachycephalic head with concave or straight nose having low nasal root and bridge, broad and flat face with prominent cheek bones, narrow slit-like opening of eyes with epicanthic fold and variable stature.
1 Classical Mongoloid or Central Mongoloid
These are distributed mainly in Siberia and Amur River district and sporadically in Northern China, Mongolia and Tibet. The representative groups are Buriat, Koryak, Goldi, Gilyak, etc.; this racial element is present in Tibetans and some other Northern Chinese.
The physical features are: Yellow or yellowish brown skin colour, straight, coarse and black hair spreading sparsely on body and face, usually brachycephalic head but mesocephalic and dolichocephalic are also found with a projected occiput region, straight or concave nasal profile consisting of low nasal root without any depression, low nasal bridge with medium breadth and moderately spread nasal wings. The sketch of the face is very broad with square jaws and round foreheadof medium height. The cheekbones are strongly developed and projected laterally as well as forwardly. Eyes are medium dark brown, obliquely set with slit-like opening with typical epicanthic fold. Stature is variable and well built body.
2 The Arctic or Eskimoid
These are found in Northern Asia, the Arctic coast of North America, Greenland, Labra and Western Alaska, the representative populations are the Eskimos, Chukchis, Kamtchadales, Yakuts, Samoyedes, etc.
The physical features are: Yellow to brownish skin colour, hair is straight, coarse and black colour on head with scanty hair on face and body. Head varies from brachycephalic to mesocephalic as observed from Eastern Aleuti Eskimo. Kuskokwin Eskimo are brachycephalic; Greenland Eskimo and Arctic Eskimo are mesocephalic. Their nose is narrow but prominent consisting of large and broad face with flat prominent cheek bones, black and straight eyes, sometimes epicanthic fold is present. Stature is mostly short. Western Eskimos are taller than Alaskan Eskimos. The body proportion is peculiar with small hands and feet, large trunks and relatively short legs.
3 Indonesian-Malay Mongoloid
Indonesian-Malay Mongoloid reflects admixture of Caucasoid and Negroid elements. They are distributed throughout the South Asia and are referred Indonesian-Malay Mongoloid racial type further divided into two groups-Malay type and Indonesian type.
- a) Malay type Malays are distributed in Southern China, Indo-China, Burma, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, Japan, etc. The Japanese mostly belong to this Malayan type of racial sub-group. The physical features are: Light to dark yellow brown skin colour purport to be straight and black hair with occasional reddish tinge, brachycephalic head, mesorrhine or platyrrhine nose with slightly depressed nasal root and low nasal bridge, short and broad face with prominent cheek bones, medium to dark brown eyes, sometimes black, internal epicanthic fold present and short stature with average of 158 cm.
- b) Indonesian type or Nesiot : These are found in Southern China, Indo-China, Burma, Thailand, etc. The physical features are: Light red to medium brown skin colour, straight or wavy black hair, sometimes with a reddish tinge, mesocephalic head form with mesorrhine narrow, high and long nose. Face renders narrower, longer and more oval than the Malay type. Eye colour is black with occasional reddish tint with a less frequent internal epicanthic fold. Lips profess to be thick with stature slightly shorter than the Malay type averaging 155 cm. The body is slender in form.
4 The American Indian or Amerindian
They are Mongoloids, despite the presence of racial elements from Caucasoid, Australoid and Negroid people. The American Indians are distributed in different areas of North, Middle and South America.
The characteristic features are: yellow to red brown skin colour that present straight or slightly wavy, coarse and black hair, sparse distribution of hair on body and face, dolicho-mesocephalic or brachycephalic head, predominantly mesorrhine long nose and high nasal bridge with convex profile and medium thick lips. Broad face is embodied with typical Mongoloid cheek bones, sloping forehead and prominent chin. Eye-brow ridges and glabella are strongly elevated showing shovel-shaped incisors with medium prognathism. Dark brown to black eye colour with frequent internal epicanthic fold present in women and children whereas external epicanthic fold is a common phenomenon both in males and females. Lips are thin with varied stature.
- a) Palaeo – Amerind : These have also been designated as Lagoa Santa type of Brazil, Ecuador: Orinaco. Basically it is an archaic South American race. A few of their living representatives are Botocudo, Buru, etc., some are found in the Eastern United States, Canada and America. The physical features are: Dolichocephalic head with long and narrow face exhibiting more reddish brown than yellowish brown skin colour. Their hair is almost black and wavy.
- b) Northern Amerind: North American Indians and the people of the Northern and Eastern Woodlands belong to this group. The physical features are: Yellowish brown skin colour with straight and black hair, dolichocephalic or mesocephalic head with straight or convex profile, mesorrhine nose, oval shaped face with medium to dark brown eyes and an external fold. The stature ranges from 161 to 175 cm.
- c) Neo-Amerind: These are distributed in South America, Central America and North American plateau. The physical features are: Yellow-brown skin colour is depicted consisting of straight and black hair. Neo-Amerind symbolizes brachycephalic head having mesorrhine nose with straight or concave profile. They have broad and short face with black eyes and an external fold. Short to tall stature and the height varies from 155 to 178 cm.
- d) Tehucleche: They live in Patagonia and probably the Onas of Tierra del Fuego constitute a branch of Tehucleche. The physical characters are: Brownish skin colour, straight and black hair, brachycephalic head, mesorrhine nose with straight profile. They possess square and broad face, black eyes with external fold and have tall stature which varies from 173 to 183 cm.
- e) North-West Coast Amerind: They live in the West coast of North America. There are two sub-types, Northern type and Southern type: The Northern type is taller. Skin and hairis lighter in colour than any other Northern Amerinds. Stature is medium with long arms and short body. Northern type has concave or straight nose and a broad face with moderate height. In southern type nose is convex and high face.