Why are the Valyrians so fair-skinned?

[Rooseman]

Because the Targ are also the incestuous, half-crazy dynasty that were overthrown because their last king responded to the crown prince (according to most of the characters) kidnapping and raping the daughter of a pale northern lord by burning said lord and choking his heir in a horribly barbaric way and making them one of the darker skinned families in the story (to reflect more their Roman/ Egyptian historic counterparts) would also have some unfortunate implications?

Well put.

If they were dark skinned, then people would probably focus on their many negative traits and call that racism.

[Darkbringer]

Also, this is a European medieval based fantasy, so its OK for most of the central characters to have a European complexion. Other series like Wizard of Earthsea have brown skinned magic users, while the blond Kargads were violent ignorant barbarians. no one complained at that, nor should they complain at this.

[Travy1991]

In my mind, Westeros has characteristics in common primarily with Britain but also other parts of Europe (Ireland, Scandinavia, Russia, The Baltic States, France, Spain, Central and Eastern Europe and even The Americas in terms of Beyond The Wall and that vast expanse of frozen waste in the very north representing Canada as well as the Children of the Forest bearing some tiny similarities with the indigenous people of the Americas). The Children of the Forest are described as a brown-skinned diminutive race while the First Men and the Andals seem to have a North/Western European look. The Rhoynar then share elements in common with the olive-skinned people of the Mediterranean and parts of North Africa and Persia.

As far as Essos is concerned though, I think it is a hodge-podge of specific Southern European city states and exotic Asian and African cultures which our Westerosi characters do not have any strong knowledge of. I think the "Valyria as Atlantis" analogy is spot on. GRRM has said as much. But whereas Westeros' nine provinces (and Beyond the Wall) seem to be analogous to certain countries, I think the Free Cities share much in common with specific Southern European cities rather than countries. And Pentos seems like Athens to me while Braavos feels like Venice or Amsterdam. What lies east of the Free Cities seems to be more of a barbarian or less civilised country (and that has some unfortunate implications) but seeing as all the POV characters we've met have been Westerosi or from the Free Cities (barring Melisandre who seems to come from the completely mythical and largely unknown Asshai), that's also based around the character's ignorance or lack of priorities when it comes to those cultures.

As for Southern European, there are many people with olive skin, dark eyes and brown eyes but there are also quite a number pale, light eyed and light haired people too so it doesn't seem too unusual to have Valyria that way. The TV show seems to portray Essos as a hodge-podge of all different cultures and ethnicities (as opposed to the mostly white Westeros) so I'd imagine there's mass immigration from all parts of the world into Essos (because it's comprised of free cities and a number of other regions) as opposed to Westeros with its stricter political system.

[AzureOwl]

Why are the Valyrians so fair-skinned?

Probably for the same reason why my Sicilian father can’t go fishing without three layers of sunscreen and a hat.

Just because a people have lived in one place for a long time it doesn’t mean that they have always lived there.

[Rill Redthorn]

I would guess it's because they carry a variety of albinism -- a genetic change that causes the body to produce little or no pigment. An error in amino acid processing results in poor or absent production of the main melanin pigment. WIth all the inbreeding, the change would just be propagated throughout their line.

It's a little confusing because albinism has a pretty large spectrum of presentations, everything from people with bone-white skin and red eyes with zero pigment (like Bloodraven) to the more common straw-blonde with light blue eyes type who have a little pigment but not very much, to a few who can have brown (or red) hair and light brown or hazel eyes but still carry the defective gene and can develop eye problems due to it.

But the appearance of eyes as "violet" is something that shows up pretty often with albinism; it has to do with the blue irises interacting with the pink light reflected off the back of the pigment-less retina (your retina usually has pigment which is used to help you see.) "Silver" hair would also seem to be albinism-related.

[AzureOwl]

Also worth remembering is that not all the Valyrians were as extremely white as the Targaryens. The general population looked more like the Lysene: blond hair, blue eyes and pale skin, but without bordering in albinism.

[HouseHarrison]

Valyria was roughly analogues to Rome, main reason. Ghiscar and its former territories is an anagram of Anatolia/North Africa/Carthage/Persia.

[Lord Reaver]

BUT if I were to defend it, I'd point out that a people preternaturally resistant to heat and light wouldn't develop higher melanin levels to cope with a tropical climate, not needing it at all.

Melanin doesn't do anything for heat, it protects against the damaging effect of UV rays, that is all.

As to the OP, well, why are many south africans white ? Heck, why are most americans white rather than reddish-brown ?

The answer of course is that evolution works on a longer time-scale than history does.

[Fostofina]

The Valyrian Peninsula was located in a warm, sunny Mediterranean climate, yet the Valyrians were distinguished by their pale skin and hair. Meanwhile, the Rhoynar, who originate in a region to the north of the Valyrian Peninsula, are olive/brown-skinned. This does not make a lot of sense, and could be seen as unconsciously racist (mighty sorcerers and conquerors must be white). What are your thoughts?

Perhaps he made them an in colors that actually belong to albinos while having them living in hot areas and manipulate fire without dying to show that there is indeed something mystical and magical about them and about their land.

Another assumption would be that their eyes are violet like the heart of a flame (being 'the blood of the dragon' and all that stuff) and their hair the color of silver since Valyria is associated with steel and silver anyway.

I think he wanted to paint Valyria as a mystical fire land where everything is shiny and dangerous, at least that's how I imagine it. :cool4: If that's true then I guess he just wanted their coloring to reflect that like every other house does with their respective land.

[Jiub]

I kinda figured the volcanic ash created a nuclear winter type effect.

Valyrian features are pretty symptomatic of ablinism, the violet eyes, pale skin, white hair. A distinction is still clearly marked by the intensity of Bloodraven's skin tone though.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Karen, you can't ask people why they are fair skinned, you know?

Anyway, many people here in the coast of Lima are descendent from Europeans. While many peruvians have a dark skin tone, those with European blood keep their skin pale all year, as much they get red with the sun. Me, I have like three different skin tones all over my body, yellowish, olive and plain brown.

OTOH; I remember a local football player who was transferred to Newcastle for several years and when he returned everybody told him "omg, you're whiter!".

[PrinceHenryris]

I he a Dream. Crazy dream.

[Ziriath]

But, Dany is not an albino. In the AGoT chapter with the wine seller, she was described as tanned by the sun (If I remember correctly. If she got burnt in AFFC or ADWD, I do not know as I haven't read these books yet). We do not know about Viserys, he was not described as sunburnt, but he may have covered himself properly. For a comparison, Jorah has much darker colouring than her, and got uncovered skin red....

[Rill Redthorn]

But, Dany is not an albino. In the AGoT chapter with the wine seller, she was described as tanned by the sun (If I remember correctly. If she got burnt in AFFC or ADWD, I do not know as I haven't read these books yet). We do not know about Viserys, he was not described as sunburnt, but he may have covered himself properly. For a comparison, Jorah has much darker colouring than her, and got uncovered skin red....

There are several subtypes of albinism. You're thinking of the Bloodraven type -- no pigment at all, bone white with red eyes. There's a second type that is low melanin production, not zero melanin production. Apparently that used to be called "albinoid" ("similar to an albino") but then someone decided that was an awkward term or something and it stopped being used.

If you are albinoid, you might be able to tan a bit, though I doubt you'd get very brown.

[Gimli son of Gloin]

I he a Dream. Crazy dream.

hah, wut?

[MercyTheBlindUglyLittleCat]

I think it's just a mix of selective breeding and their magic using culture. They quickly developed an aesthetic fetish for silver blond hair and the violet eyes, along with pale skin. They probably thought it was special, in a God-like way, precisely because most of the people on their lands, and later, the lands they conquered, were darker skinned, with dark hair. So they forced the traits into fashion of the nobility, and made it possible to look down on those who were not in the fashion.

[ckal]

It's possible they spent most of their time inside the buildings of Valyria or fully clothed when outside. Also, many people with pale skin really do not tan well if at all.

IIRC GRRM stated he initially thought about making the Targaryens black. He wanted to give them a distinguishable look, but ended up with fair skin, the silver gold hair, and purple eyes.

[Chatty Duelist]

Because GRRM said so.

[Rinso]

Yeah, for the same reason why all Lannisters dating thousand years back are golden-haired and green-eyed - GRRM has said that in this world genetics work differently and not neccessarily straight-up scientifically.

[PrinceHenryris]

hah, wut?

Led Zeppelin reference gone horribly wrong.