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Comparison of British & German skull shapes, WW1
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Comparison of British & German skull shapes, WW1
Long-head versus short-head: Opposite types of humanity which are fighting for opposite ideals. A diagram to demonstrate the inherent differences in skull shapes between the British and German people, contrasting the dolichocephalic, long-headed, Briton, with the brachycephalic, or short-headed, Teuton. The diagram illustrated an article in The Graphic by Dr Arthur Keith, which claimed that the physiognomy of the two races was inherently different, a theory expounded during the First World War. Date: 1915
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Media ID 14143107
© Mary Evans Picture Library
Anthropology Arthur Briton Characteristic Characteristics Comparison Diagram Difference Differences Headed Heads Humanity Keith Opposite Physiognomy Physiology Races Shapes Skull Skulls Teuton
EDITORS COMMENTS
This striking comparison of British and German skull shapes, as depicted in an illustration from The Graphic magazine in 1915, highlights the inherent differences between the two races during the First World War. The diagram, created by renowned anthropologist Dr. Arthur Keith, contrasts the dolichocephalic, or long-headed, Briton with the brachycephalic, or short-headed, Teuton. At the time, such theories about the physiognomy of different races were widely expounded, with many believing that skull shape was a key indicator of inherent characteristics. The long, narrow skull of the Briton, as shown on the left, was considered a sign of intellectual superiority and a more evolved state of humanity. In contrast, the short, broad skull of the Teuton, depicted on the right, was seen as a symbol of brutishness and primitivism. These beliefs were deeply ingrained in the popular consciousness of the time, and fueled the idea that the two races were fundamentally opposed to each other, both ideologically and biologically. It is important to note that these theories have since been debunked by modern science, which has shown that there is no significant difference in skull shape between different racial groups. However, this image serves as a powerful reminder of the beliefs and attitudes that shaped the discourse of the time, and the ways in which the rhetoric of difference was used to fuel the conflict between Britain and Germany during the First World War.
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