The Jews: a Study of Race and Environment

Abstract

IN order to elucidate the problem whether the Jews constitute a race or simply a nation, Mr. Fishberg discusses at considerable length certain physical characters, with the following results. Stature is not homogeneous among the Jews in every country, and its limits of variation are almost as large as are observed in European races generally; further, where the indigenous population is tall the Jews are also tall, and the reverse. It is also evident that the shortness of their stature can be attributed only to a slight extent to the influence of environment or to occupation. Jewish skulls are extremely rare in museums; indeed, there do not appear to be any data whatever for the ancient Hebrews; the cranial index of five skulls of the second century, found in Rome, varies from 75.1 to 83.4; of twelve skulls found in Basel in a cemetery dating from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries two were dolichocephalic, while the remainder were brachycephalic, the total average being 84.6. The same variability occurs in other finds, but the skulls of most of the Sephardim—or Spanish and Portuguese Jews—are dolichocephalic.

The Jews: a Study of Race and Environment.

By M. Fishberg. Pp. xix + 598. (London and Felling-on-Tyne: Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd., 1911.) Price 6s.