Thomas Callan Hodson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Callan Hodson was the first William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology
at the University of Cambridge
, where he was a Fellow
of St Catharine's College
, notable for his writings on Indian anthropology
and for coining the term sociolinguistics
.
and Chamar
s were classified as "Racial Element A". In total, he distinguished seven "racial elements", from A to G.
Hodson used the classical "brachycephalic" and "dolichocephalic" terminology in force in racial discourses of the day. This was a typology constructed from the so-called "cephalic index
" (the ratio of the maximum width of the head to its maximum length) and to classify human populations according to this purported scientific measure
. Invented by the anatomist Anders Retzius
(1796–1860), the cephalic index classification was disputed by Franz Boas
's anthropological works, and Boas's criticisms are widely accepted today. Hodson also typically associates racial categories with supposed stages of economic and linguistic development, implying a hierarchy of racially defined cultures, a view characteristic of scientific racism
.
Hodson believed that the earliest occupants of India were probably of the "Negrito
race", followed by the "proto-Australoid
s". Later, an early stock probably of the Mediterranean race
, came to India and mingled with the proto-Australoids. He believed that these people spoke an agglutinative language
from which the present Austro-Asiatic languages
are derived. They had a rudimentary knowledge of agriculture, building stone monuments, and primitive navigation. This migration was followed by an immigration of more civilised Mediterraneans from the Persian Gulf
(ultimately from eastern Europe). These people had the knowledge of the metals, but not of iron
. They were followed by later waves of immigrants who developed the Indus valley civilization
. All these immigrants were of the dolichocephalic type, but the Indus valley people had a mixed brachycephalic element coming from the Anatolian plateau
, in the form of the Armenoid
branch of the Alpine race
. These people probably spoke the Dravidian languages
. Later, a brachycephalic race speaking perhaps an Indo-European language of the "Pisacha or Dardic
family", migrated to India from the Iranian plateau and the Pamirs. During about 1500 B.C., the Indo-Aryans
migrated into Northern India.
William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology
The William Wyse Professorship of Social Anthropology is a professorship in social anthropology at the University of Cambridge. It was founded on 18 June 1932 and endowed partly with the support of Trinity College from money bequeathed to them by William Wyse, formerly Fellow and Honorary Fellow of...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he was a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of St Catharine's College
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
, notable for his writings on Indian anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
and for coining the term sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics is the descriptive study of the effect of any and all aspects of society, including cultural norms, expectations, and context, on the way language is used, and the effects of language use on society...
.
1931 Census of India
In Analysis of the 1931 Census of India (Government of India Press, 1937) Hodson analysed the physical types in India, in great detail, adopting the models dominant in his day. This analysis was independent of the castes, and Brahmins and Dalits were classified in the same "racial groups". For example, Telugu BrahminsTelugu Brahmins
Telugu Brahmin is a sub-caste of the greater Brahmin community whose native language is Telugu. They hail from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.However...
and Chamar
Chamar
Chamar |tanner]]"; from the Sanskrit Charmakara) is a prominent occupational caste in India, Pakistan and Nepal. Chamar is a Dalit sub-caste mainly found in the northern states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and in Nepal at least north to the Himalayas...
s were classified as "Racial Element A". In total, he distinguished seven "racial elements", from A to G.
Hodson used the classical "brachycephalic" and "dolichocephalic" terminology in force in racial discourses of the day. This was a typology constructed from the so-called "cephalic index
Cephalic index
Cephalic index is the ratio of the maximum width of the head multiplied by 100 divided by its maximum length ....
" (the ratio of the maximum width of the head to its maximum length) and to classify human populations according to this purported scientific measure
Measure
- Legal :* Measure of the Church of England is a law passed by the General Synod and the UK Parliament equivalent of an Act* Measure of the National Assembly for Wales, a law specific to Wales passed by the Welsh Assembly between 2007 and 2011...
. Invented by the anatomist Anders Retzius
Anders Retzius
Anders Retzius , was a Swedish professor of anatomy and a supervisor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm....
(1796–1860), the cephalic index classification was disputed by Franz Boas
Franz Boas
Franz Boas was a German-American anthropologist and a pioneer of modern anthropology who has been called the "Father of American Anthropology" and "the Father of Modern Anthropology." Like many such pioneers, he trained in other disciplines; he received his doctorate in physics, and did...
's anthropological works, and Boas's criticisms are widely accepted today. Hodson also typically associates racial categories with supposed stages of economic and linguistic development, implying a hierarchy of racially defined cultures, a view characteristic of scientific racism
Scientific racism
Scientific racism is the use of scientific techniques and hypotheses to sanction the belief in racial superiority or racism.This is not the same as using scientific findings and the scientific method to investigate differences among the humans and argue that there are races...
.
Hodson believed that the earliest occupants of India were probably of the "Negrito
Negrito
The Negrito are a class of several ethnic groups who inhabit isolated parts of Southeast Asia.Their current populations include 12 Andamanese peoples of the Andaman Islands, six Semang peoples of Malaysia, the Mani of Thailand, and the Aeta, Agta, Ati, and 30 other peoples of the Philippines....
race", followed by the "proto-Australoid
Australoid
The Australoid race is a broad racial classification. The concept originated with a typological method of racial classification. They were described as having dark skin with wavy hair, in the case of Veddoids from South Asia and Aboriginal Australians, or hair ranging from straight to kinky in the...
s". Later, an early stock probably of the Mediterranean race
Mediterranean race
The Mediterranean race was one of the three sub-categories into which the Caucasian race and the people of Europe were divided by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, following the publication of William Z. Ripley's book The Races of Europe...
, came to India and mingled with the proto-Australoids. He believed that these people spoke an agglutinative language
Agglutinative language
An agglutinative language is a language that uses agglutination extensively: most words are formed by joining morphemes together. This term was introduced by Wilhelm von Humboldt in 1836 to classify languages from a morphological point of view...
from which the present Austro-Asiatic languages
Austro-Asiatic languages
The Austro-Asiatic languages, in recent classifications synonymous with Mon–Khmer, are a large language family of Southeast Asia, also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. The name Austro-Asiatic comes from the Latin words for "south" and "Asia", hence "South Asia"...
are derived. They had a rudimentary knowledge of agriculture, building stone monuments, and primitive navigation. This migration was followed by an immigration of more civilised Mediterraneans from the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
(ultimately from eastern Europe). These people had the knowledge of the metals, but not of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. They were followed by later waves of immigrants who developed the Indus valley civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
. All these immigrants were of the dolichocephalic type, but the Indus valley people had a mixed brachycephalic element coming from the Anatolian plateau
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, in the form of the Armenoid
Armenoid
The Armenoid or Assyroid race in physical anthropology is a subtype of the Caucasian race.-Origin, distribution and physiognomy:Carleton S...
branch of the Alpine race
Alpine race
The Alpine race is an historical racial classification or sub-race of humans, considered a branch of the Caucasian race. The term is not commonly used today, but was popular in the early 20th century.-History:...
. These people probably spoke the Dravidian languages
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
. Later, a brachycephalic race speaking perhaps an Indo-European language of the "Pisacha or Dardic
Dardic languages
The Dardic languages are a sub-group of the Indo-Aryan languages spoken in northern Pakistan, eastern Afghanistan, and the Indian region of Jammu and Kashmir...
family", migrated to India from the Iranian plateau and the Pamirs. During about 1500 B.C., the Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryan is an ethno-linguistic term referring to the wide collection of peoples united as native speakers of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian family of Indo-European languages...
migrated into Northern India.
Publications
- Thado Grammar, Eastern Bengal and Assam Secretariat Printing Office, 1905
- The Meitheis D. Nutt, 1908, reprinted by the Obscure Press 2006 ISBN 1846644372
- The Naga Tribes of Manipur, Macmillian 1911
- The primitive culture of India lectures delivered in 1922 at the School of Oriental Studies (University of London)
- India Delhi, Manager of Publications, 1937 ISBN 8185059039
- India Census Ethnography 1901-1931, 1937 ISBN 8185059039