Seljuks. A warlike Turkish people who were settled on the Jaxartes in the eleventh century and afterwards founded a considerable empire in Western Asia. See [TURKS].
Seminoles. See [MUSKHOGEAN].
Semites. An important family of Caucasic Man, who probably originated in North Africa, from a similar stock to that of the Hamites. They are characterised by fine regular features, large aquiline noses, black eyes and hair, white skins, long skulls and square jaws. They are very intellectual, though less practical than the Aryan type; poets, prophets, and dreamers, rather than men of action. They have given the world its two greatest religions—Christianity and Islam. Their chief divisions are [Assyrians], [Aramæans], [Canaanites], [Arabs] and [Himyarites] (q.v.). In the modern world they are best known from the ubiquitous [Jews] (q.v.).
Seneca Indians. See [IROQUOIAN].
Serbs. See [SERVIANS].
Serers. Sudanese Negroes inhabiting Senegambia in the Cape Verde district. They are the tallest of Negro races, with herculean frames, and are akin to the [Wolofs] (q.v.)
Servians, or Serbs. A race of Southern Slavonic stock, now inhabiting Servia. They were at first identical with the [Croats] (q.v.), and seem to have originated in the Carpathian district, whence they migrated into the Balkan peninsula in the seventh century. The Serbs then separated from the Croats, and in the twelfth century founded a powerful Servian kingdom, which was conquered by the Turks in the fifteenth. The Servians recovered their independence in 1830, under Milosh Obrenovitch. The Servians are a well-built race, proud and martial in temperament, quick-tempered and prone to deeds of violence, as their recent revolution witnessed.
Shangallas. A mixed negroid race of the Abyssinian slopes. Sudanese Negroes with a Hamitic infusion.
Shans. Natives of the independent Shan States, lying to the north of Siam. They are identical with the Laos, and closely related to the [Siamese] (q.v.). They belong to the Indo-Chinese stock of the Southern Mongolic family, and are probably descended from an aboriginal race of China, which appeared on the Upper Irawadi about 2,000 years ago. They are a peaceful, pleasure-loving people, mainly agricultural, but not unwarlike. They have a sallow skin and Mongoloid features.
Sharras, or Eastern Mongols. A branch of the Mongol stock of the Northern Mongolic family. They are a nomad, tent-dwelling, pastoral race, who roam over the great steppes of Central Asia. They include the Khalkas, north of the Gobi Desert, the Tanguts of Northern Tibet, the Chakars, Barins, Durbans, Uruts, Naimans, and Ordos south of the Gobi. They are descended from the older [Mongols] (q.v.), whom they resemble in physical type.