Post by JoannaL on Dec 19, 2021 12:26:01 GMT -5
What the Shape of Your Foot Says about Your Ancestry
Finding out about your ancestry can be equal parts interesting, illuminating and unexpected. With the rise of genealogical DNA tests like Ancestry and 23andMe, people are more cognizant than ever about their genetic makeup and origins. Per Business Insider, a whopping 26 million people world-wide took at-home DNA tests in 2019, when in 2015 just 1.5 million people did so. As explained by Globe News Wire, DNA testing isn't stopping anytime soon, with a projected 12.25 percent annual growth rate. People continue to be fascinated by their genetic makeup, especially when thinking about genealogy.
Today more than ever before, genetic makeup doesn't necessarily coincide with birthplace. While most people of ancient history could trace back their ancestors to the same place they called home, few can do the same in 2021. Even if you were born in Philadelphia or Little Rock, you might trace your forefathers to Ireland, other parts of Europe or the Mediterranean. While this is all well and good, and definitely makes for an interesting day checking out your results (not to mention fun conversation at the dinner table), what’s anyone to do once their DNA test is complete? If you’re still interested in examining your ancestry, consider your foot shape. Unexpected? Maybe. But the results are actually surprisingly accurate.
The Egyptian foot shape is one of the most common in the world. As explained by Atlas Bio Med, Egyptian toes form a perfect ladder from big toe to little toe, decreasing in length with each step and resembling a 45° angle. This makes it the “classic” foot people think of when they first picture a foot, and it is often portrayed in traditional paintings and sculptures. Yes, if you have the Egyptian toe shape you share a trait with Le Penseur’s The Thinker or Michelangelo’s David. What does it mean when it comes to your genetics?
As expected, having an Egyptian toe shape might mean you can trace your ancestry back to ancient Egypt. More specifically, this could mean you come from the Egyptian population that found in the ancient world around the Nile River, Northern Africa and Arabia. According to Ancestral Findings, this shape is regarded as one of the most aesthetically pleasing and seen in all sorts of art throughout history, especially that of ancient Egypt. Furthermore, studies show that people with Egyptian feet are less likely to deal with ingrown toenails, and such feet are superb when it comes to balance.
The Greek foot shape. Next up is the Greek foot, the second-most common toe shape. According to Atlas Bio Med, the “flame foot” is characterized by a second toe that’s longer than all other toes on the foot, including the big toe. Moreover, the third, fourth and fifth toes all angle downwards, just like the Egyptian foot. This shape has been similarly idealized throughout history, appearing in classic works of art, especially that of the Greeks. The Greek foot shape is often seen in ancient statues originating from that country, such as the Venus de Milo and Discobolus of Myron. This would suggest the Greek foot shape was actuallyquite common throughout the region at the time.
Additionally, according to Podexpert, a study showed that around 46 percent of Greeks have this toe shape, while it can be seen on only 5 percent of the remainder of the population. This supports the idea that foot genealogy isn't a pseudoscience, as some claim, even though it will never paint an exact picture of your DNA. Moreover, apart from pointing to the land of Hercules and Athena, this shape indicates you carry a recessive trait for a longer second toe on your X chromosome. Even more, podiatrists call the phenomenon Morton’s Toe, which some studies have shown may improve athletic ability, but can also cause an increase in foot pain.
The Roman foot shape is a more classic toe style that’s often revered in traditional ancient Roman artwork. You have this shape if your first three toes (including your big toe) are equal in length, but your fourth and pinky toes are shorter and around the same length. You can find this toe shape in famous Roman sculptures such as Augustus from Prima Porta and the Marble Statue of a Wounded Amazon. This would lead many to believe ancient Romans generally had this toe shape.
As Atlas Bio Med reports, around 25 percent of people in the world have this toe shape, which makes sense considering the Roman Empire conquered around 21 percent of the world’s population in its heyday in the early second century. Additionally, these wider and more robust feet were ideally suited to warriors and could help explain Roman military prowess. Like many a Roman emperor, if you have this toe shape, you might traverse places far and wide in search of adventure, be especially athletic and best of all, do not suffer from foot pain like those with Greek feet. Genetically, those with Roman feet might be able to trace their origins to Europe and Northern Africa.
The German foot shape is one of the rarest of toe styles and reminds many people of the much more common Egyptian foot. For Germanic toes, while the big toe is the largest, the other four toes are much smaller and exactly the same size. Instead of following an angular progression like Egyptian or Greek feet, the other four toes are precisely leveled with each other. Also, this shape is usually stockier and bulkier, reminding many of Celtic feet without the longer second toe. This is actually quite logical because Celtic and Germanic peoples have a similar geographic orientation.
The Celtic Foot. The Celtic toe shape is similar to Greek feet because it also features a second toe that is longer than the rest, but there are several differences. The big toe is short but very round and wide, the third toe is the same height as the big toe, and the fourth and fifth toes are shorter and equal in length. A complex toe shape, this foot style is thought to represent a powerful, strong personality. But what does it say about your genetics?
This foot shape is believed to come from Western Europe, specifically Britain and Ireland, where this shape is most common. This also makes sense regionally, because the Celtic foot is a perfect blend of Greek feet, with their long second toes, and the slightly stockier, bulkier Germanic toes. This shape is so intricate that it might indicate there isn’t just one Celtic group and that it is in fact made up of several different genetic subgroups. This dovetails with a recent theory that people from places areas such as Scotland, Wales and Ireland all have very different genetic origins.
This foot shape is believed to come from Western Europe, specifically Britain and Ireland, where this shape is most common. This also makes sense regionally, because the Celtic foot is a perfect blend of Greek feet, with their long second toes, and the slightly stockier, bulkier Germanic toes. This shape is so intricate that it might indicate there isn’t just one Celtic group and that it is in fact made up of several different genetic subgroups. This dovetails with a recent theory that people from places areas such as Scotland, Wales and Ireland all have very different genetic origins.
While Egyptian, Greek, and Roman feet are considered the hallmark shapes often found in classical art, German feet are similar to the Celtic shape in that they are often ignored artistically. According to Ancestral Findings, back in the ancient world, the Germans weren’t a single group of people – they actually included several different peoples, as did the Celts and the Egyptians. Saxony, Prussia and Bavaria were all different countries and it was actually the Romans who decided to label them all “Germans.” For this reason, tracing this foot shape to the Germans is a bit more complex, but may still point to that area of the world.
Sources: Camila Barbeito, The List, December 14, 2021; and Atlas Bio Med.
