>>17950710
>Who are they? It's not as if such characteristics were present in Syria at any point in history; quite the opposite, which makes me wonder about the identity of these merchants.
those features were probably present in small percentages, just like in modern Levantines some of whom are white-passing though the vast majority are olive-skinned, dark-haired.

think of how jews have been stereotyped as all having red hair despite the vast majority being dark-haired. It doesn't take much for a stereotype to form.