Physical anthropology and somatic origins of the Hottentots

SYNOPSIS The history of studies on the physical anthropology of the Hottentots falls into three phases: (I) 1872–1923: recognition of the Hottentots as physically distinct (Fritsch to Broom); (II) 1923–37: recognition of the Boskop type as a component of the Old Yellow South Africans (Drennan, Dart, Galloway); (III) 1937–51: discovery of the Kakamas physical type and recognition of its contribution to the Hottentots (Dreyer, Meiring, Wells). It is demonstrated that the Hottentots are not a physically homogeneous group. A variety of racial elements can be recognized among those practising the Hottentot culture; of these, it seems that the Kakamas type actually brought the Hottentot culture to Southern Africa from East Africa, North‐Eastern Africa or Asia Minor. On their arrival in Southern Africa, these Kakamas people hybridized with the Bush‐Boskop already present, as well as with Gerontomorphic and Europsid strains which had reached the sub‐continent hybrids earlier. The resulting hybrids, still practisi...