54 NATIONALITY AND RACE 



The third or Alpine Race is Asiatic in origin. It 

 is strongly round-headed, with an average cranial 

 index over 90 and usually a rounded face, of sturdy 

 build, varying locally in height, but usually taller 

 than its Mediterranean neighbours on the south, and 

 shorter than the Nordic types. The colouration is 

 intermediate between that of the blond Nordics and 

 brunet Mediterraneans, and the hair is seldom curly. 



Now let us trace the distribution of the three 

 races in the chief European countries. 



Great Britain and Ireland. — I have already said 

 that the basal population of Britain was of Mediter- 

 ranean origin. Before historic times, these men 

 of the long-barrow type were followed by a race 

 from Europe, known as the round-barrow type. 

 The cephalic index was fully ten points above 

 that of their predecessors, and the stature was 

 notably greater. They introduced a superior cul- 

 ture, pottery, implements of bronze and the habit 

 of incineration and burial in urns. This race forms 

 the Alpine or Asiatic strain in the British population, 

 the source of the culture we know as Celtic, and 

 quite possibly of the Celtic language. The invasion, 

 however, was neither prolonged nor severe. It 

 practically did not reach Ireland, just as snakes and 

 other animals which have reached England from the 

 Continent have failed to cross to Ireland, so that the 

 curious position occurs that Ireland, which we asso- 

 ciate specially with Celtic language and Celtic culture, 

 is distinguished from the rest of the British Isles, 

 and indeed from a large part of the Continent of 

 Europe by having practically no true Celtic element 

 amongst its inhabitants. 



