Conclusions d°Sely resembles that of the Eighteenth Dynasty from Shekh A li; but those from Hou
drawn from are more homogeneous, in strong contrast to the corresponding series of males.
BfsE iB f The most consistent series are those of the Sixth to Twelfth Dynasties and of the
Early Predynastic period (the difference in the mean at those two dates, however, should
be remarked). The Late Predynastic is very little less consistent than these. It'is to be
noted that m the Sixth to Twelfth Dynasties and in the Late Predynastic the females closely
resemble the males, but the Early Predynastic females are very different from the males.
The First Dynasty, while it has the least probable error of any of the female series,
shows a large misfit; moreover, though its figure is low the probable error exceeds that
recorded for so consistent a series as the Eighteenth Dynasty male from Abydos. The
Ptolemaic and the Roman, which resemble one another in general character, are hardly
to be regarded as consistent, and the Roman females vary much more than the males.
Nasal Index. In the first place it should be noticed that with regard to this feature
the female series exhibit in general more variability than the males. The most inconsistent
senes of all is the Roman, almost matched, however, by the Ptolemaic, which contrasts
strikingly With that of the Ptolemaic males. Of the two Eighteenth Dynasty series that
u n r AIi’ thoUgh h has a rather smaller probable error, is otherwise less consistent
than that from Abydos. Both are more variable than the contemporary males.
The most consistent series is the Early Predynastic, which by way of exception shows
less variability than the corresponding table of males. Next to it may be placed the Late
Predynastic and the First Dynasty. Fourth in order of consistency would come the series
of the oixth to Twelfth Dynasties with a curve which is not unsymmetrical but is disturbed
in some places, and with a probable error which would be somewhat high for a pure series.
Almost the same amount of probable error appears in the two Twelfth to Fifteenth
Dynasty sites, the Hou specimens exhibiting a very great misfit, though they are more
consistent than the males of the same date.
Some interesting points are brought out by this examination of the Probability Curves
of the females. Thus in the first place it is to be noted that they do not merely repeat
die conditions which obtained in the males. On the contrary, some periods which were very
inconsistent in the males are quite consistent in the females and vice versa, while some-
times again the males and females of a given date exhibit a perfect analogy to one another.
With regard to the several features considered by themselves, in cranial capacity the
females are m general less variable than the males, but in the nasal index the females are
much the more variable. In respect of facial projection, on the other hand, while the
emaies do not show so great a tendency to wide variation, they do not give evidence of
the high degree of consistency which is occasionally found in the males.
The most inconsistent of all the female series are the Roman, with a great variability
and irregularity of distribution in three features (viz. vertical, facial, and nasal indices), and
the Eighteenth Dynasty from Shekh Ali, which is also very variable in three features
(mz. cephalic and vertical indices and ortho-prognathism). It is curious, however, that each
ot these shows a high degree of consistency in other features. The Early Predynastic
females exhibit great irregularity and variability in two important features (viz. the cephalic .
and facial indices), but not in the rest. Among the least variable series throughout are the
the Lat^Pre^nasric nS'Stent j | ^ maleS’ ^ Eighteenth DynastY from Abydos and
* , far r i , haVe confined our mention to such properties of the curves as the misfit
and the probable error; but it must not be forgotten that M, the arithmetical mean, is
also of great importance. It is this which shows the prevalent type, and the variations of Limited
M in the different periods furnish evidence of the modifications and changes of the type. drawnUfrom
These, however, are most profitably studied in another connexion, for the variations of the the Curves,
median in the different periods are recorded in the diagrams of Plates x-xv (cf. pp. 55, 56), em eS’
and the median of a series (i.e. that grade of index above and below which there are an
equal number of specimens) always corresponds closely to the arithmetical mean. It will
be sufficient in this place to call attention to the fact that the arithmetical mean exhibits
very considerable differences in the types of the several periods, and that sometimes,
though by no means always, these differences follow a regular chronological progress.
In the Appendix (pp. 132, 133) is given a table in which these results obtained from
the Curves of Probability are shown by the side of those obtained by our independent
analysis of the component groups.