Native Americans and facial hair - Historum

cptJACK · December 4th, 2006, 09:54 AM

What was it about the native American culture that did not allow them to grow facial hair? I don't think I've ever seen a photo of a native with facial hair. But if you look further back in history in Europe and Asia... a lot of them had facial hair.

Nick · December 4th, 2006, 10:37 AM

They're similar to the Chinese and Japanese, few were able to grow beards although some had thin moustaches.

Commander · December 5th, 2006, 11:40 AM

I wonder what happened in human evolution that weeded out the need to grow facial hair? Does this mean that Native Americans and certain Asians are more 'advanced' than other homo sapiens that still grow lots of hair (more apelike?)

Nick · December 5th, 2006, 11:54 AM

Perhaps the Homo Sapiens in Europe bred with the last remaining Neanderthals (extinct in Asia and the rest of the world).

Nibblungs · February 13th, 2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

Perhaps the Homo Sapiens in Europe bred with the last remaining Neanderthals (extinct in Asia and the rest of the world).

That is profound, I read somewhere that Homo Sapiens battled Neanderthals for upwards of 30,000 years, that's plenty of time for inbreeding.

**PADDYBOY** · February 13th, 2007, 11:57 PM

What about Peking Man? Anyway, whos to say Homo-sapien wasn't hairier than Neandrethal?

Nibblungs · February 14th, 2007, 08:09 PM

Peking_Man

This is a great story, I'm surprised Hollywood hasn't made a movie about it.
Maybe Davidson Black could have answerd the facial hair question for us.

**PADDYBOY** · February 15th, 2007, 03:41 AM

Perhaps facial hair is designed to give the kneck and throat a false outline?
Any animmal, human or othrwise, would miss-judge a bite directed at the throat or kneck ? I think a male lions main serves a similar function?
It's interesting that bald men usually retain hair that covers the kneck?
Just a thought??

heikstheo · February 18th, 2007, 05:23 PM

Perhaps facial hair is designed as insulatuion for peoples whose ancestors originated in caves near the glaciers in the middle of the Ice Age while those races whose ancestors originated in tropical rainforests had less need for facial insulation.

**PADDYBOY** · February 19th, 2007, 01:36 AM

That's a very good explanation, but I'm left wondering why men have facial hair and women don't? Perhaps cannibalism would offer some sort of answer here. Women with new born babies would feel very vulnerable if other members of the tribe where cabable of snatching the new-born to satisfy a lust for meat. This would induce these mothers to cosset males with warrior features such as full facial furnishings?