Proto-Type Gypsies. Barefoot, Nomadic Aryan Tribe, Riding the Horse and Playing the Balalaika. Eugene Pittard did the biggest anthropometric survey on balkan gypsies ever done....He was fascinated by them and placed them high in human aesthetics "The typical Gypsy Population was slightly taller than the European Average with legs comparatively long in relation to the torso; their heads tended strongly towards dolicephalic (i.e long headed, relatively long and narrow) skulls, with black hair smallish ears, wide eyes with heavily pigmented irises and long, narrow, straight noses. Pittard awarded them a highly honourable place in human aesthetics. Very fine men and very beautiful women are often found among them. Their swarthy complexion, jet black hair, straight well-formed nose, white teeth, dark brown wide open eyes, the general suppleness of their deportment and the harmony of their movements place them high above many European people as regards physical beauty." A good description of the Gypsies of Bosnia is given by Tissot who says: Their complexion is as brown as old leather. They have keen black eyes and oval faces and their long curly hair falls in masses of their long shoulders, their figures are athletic and muscular. They lead an vagabond and wandering life, braving carelessly the inclenerncy of the seasons under their tents of ragged cloth and too often excersising the calling of brigands and thieves. I must tell you that Bosnian Gypsy Woman are of a rare beauty and know how to make the most of their charms. As dancing woman and ballet-girls they enter the harems distracting the hearts of the beys and pashas and they are often met in public places dancing in picturescque costums on a piece of carpet. The Tziganes were for long the only people who worked the rich mines of Bosnia but they contended themselfes with dragging a fleece of wool in the bed of the torrents and picking out the spangles of gold which in some streams are found in abundance. http ://www.youtube. com/watch?v=U-WxkwmlIUQ&feature=player_embedded http: //www.youtube. com/watch?v=gkdkyHOWehA&feature=player_embedded[/url] Seven Yellow Gypsies 2011 04.16 Jon admits that this is “Another of the big ballads that I’ve only just got around to learning. I’m not sure about the verse where she sounds like she’s regretting it – sort of takes some of the power away. On the other hand it maybe makes her a more rounded character?” Another in the Child collection, this one is #200. I do find it interesting that the various recorded versions transcribed at Mainly Norfolk of this all seem to have notes alluding to this being based in fact, before dismissing that as entirely unlikely. As far as I can see this may stem from a myth propagated by Child himself that names a Lady Cassilis as having been abducted in the early C17th, but this is almost certainly dubious to say the least. The song has many alternative titles and variants, including The Gypsy Laddie, The Raggle Taggle Gypsies and Black Jack Davy amongst them. Have a look at Wiki here for the wealth of title variants and recordings. The song is also very common and widespread, which probably says more about its popularity as a fantasy amongst the travelling and Gypsy communities than anything else. I can’t help but feel that the rejection of wealthy trappings for the basic life will have sat well with the alternative lifestyle ethos of the 60s, which may explain its popularity today. While we’re at it, I was also curious as to why the Gypsies are yellow. Any thoughts? Response: The English term ‘gypsy’ originates from the Greek word for Egyptian, so the term’ yellow gypsies’ most likely refers to skin-tone being golden, light-brown or sun-tanned, either through nature &/or living and working outdoors. It would also be in contrast to the fairness of the lady’s white skin. Fair skin was an indicator of higher birth/wealth, as in not having to do any manual, dirty or outdoor work, which would lead to more common tanning! One of the curiosities in this song is why a lady fair should want to go off with the raggle-taggle gypsies-o! The fantasy ROMAnce of the travelling life… or in 60’s speak – turn on, tune in and drop out… http ://www.afolksongaday. com/2011/04...ellow-gypsies/ Gypsies are Indo-Aryan people closely related with the northindian warrior castes (rajputs, jats). they are of medittaranean stock according to coon. The europid indian races are of medittaranean stock. Dr. A.E. Mourant,'The ABO Blood Groups',Blackwell Scientific Publications,Oxford,1954. " Roma(of Europe) : O – 31.0, A –26.2 , B –33.9, AB-8.9 Indian warrior castes Sikh soldiers: O-32.36,A-22.28,B-34.63,AB-10.73 Hindus(soldiers) in Rajasthan: O-33.33,A-21.26,B-35.14,Ab-9.91 Rajputs(near Quetta): O-28.81,A-27.97,B-33.05,AB-10.71 (Malone 1928-29) Jats(Punjab): O -33.21,A-25.25,B-33.30,AB-11.11 " A.E. Mourant,”Warrior castes of Rajasthan,Delhi and the Punjab as also the Roma are good representatives of the Indian Mediterranean race and are macroskels.It means that they have legs,a bit longer than the trunk.All of them have straight and thin noses,oval,well-bred faces.The Rajputs are dolycephals as are the majority of the European Roma.Rajput average stature is about 1 inch. higher than the Roma.This difference is almost certainly explained by the fact that Rajputs have better life than the persecuted gypsies of Europe.” The ABO blood groups (Open Library) An international collaboration led by Dr Manir Ali of the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, first identified the 'Jatt' mutation in one of four Pakistani families. Further study amongst Roma populations in Europe showed that the same mutation accounted for nearly half of all cases of PCG in that community. Dr Ali's research also confirms the widely accepted view that the Roma originated from the Jatt clan of Northern India and Pakistan and not from Eastern Europe as previously believed. New Glaucoma Research Solves Anthropological And Medical Puzzle My uncle with his Gypsy Band at Musical Comptetion. http ://www.youtube. com/watch?v=1AvD41c5R-Q&f
I didnt get the blood group part there. Could you please throw some light on how the blood groups connect the Indian origin of Roma? And was the mutation only ground to establish the connection between the Indian warrior tribe with the European gypsies? How old do you think the migration might have been for this new breed to develop?
