Palm Patterns and Pigmentation in a Cherokee Indian Population

Abstract

SummaryHand prints, estimates of degrees of skin pigmentation and percentages of Cherokee ancestry of 700 Indian pupils attending the Cherokee, North Carolina school were analyzed. The pupils are of mixed Cherokee-White origin. The average proportion of Cherokee ancestry is approximately 60%, the percentages being significantly higher in upper than in lower grades.The frequencies of palmar patterns are similar to those recorded for other North American tribes. Frequencies of patterns in each of three palmar areas show significant associations with degrees of pigmentation, the highest association occurring between light pigmentation and accessory triradii in distal interdigital areas.