Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1979, Qupperneq 49

Anthropological and Genetic Studies
of the Faroese
Diana Suter, Robin G. Harvey1, Mogens Hauge,
Peter Hinderson2, and Jørgen Cohn3
Abstract
An anthropological and genetic survey of the Faroe Islanders
was conducted with the aims of defining their characteristics
and comparing them with other populations of the North At-
lantic region. Variation between subsamples of the population
assigned to different regional groups of the islands was also
considered. This report presents the preliminary results of a
number of investigations. An anthropometric survey involving
17 different measurements on each of 155 young adult males
indicates that the Faroese are a tall, mesocephalic population,
resembling Icelanders in a number of features. The results pro-
vide no evidence of notable differences of physique between
subsamples from the different geographical regions of the is-
lands. In contrast the dermatoglyphic study of 297 sets of
finger prints indicates considerable regional differences in both
males and females in pattern type frequencies and mean total
ridge count. Pattern type frequencies are characterized by
high arch and loop and low whorl frequencies, similar to but
1 Sub Department of Anthropology, British Museum (Natural History),
Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD.
2 Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Odense, 5000 Odense C.
3 Department of Paediatrics, University Clinic, 2100 Copenhagen 0.
5 — Fróðskaparrit