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DESCRIPTIONS OP OUANIA.
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flatness is coniined to a narrow strip, and does not extend to the occiput. At an early period
of the writer's researches, in 1848, he referred to this skull as of shortened oval form, the
forehead less naxrow and receding than usual in the British series, and the middle head high and
well developed *. In the following year, it was described by the late Professor Betzius; and we
here condense the description of that distinguished anatomist and craniological ethnographer t :—
" The form of the outline is a broad oval; the length exceeds the breadth by about a sixth. The
upper surface rounded; the forehead slightly arched, low, and broad; the temples arched and
fuU. The parietal tubers strongly developed; the sides of the skull almost perpendicular. The
occiput, seen from behind, nearly square, and, as in the PLans, rounded ; it is not so abrupt and
shcfrt as in most brachycephaHc skuUs : the superior semicircular lines and the occipital
lu-otuherance strongly developed. The mastoid processes large; the auditory passages much
behind the middle of the long axis. The superciliary arches and part of the glabella project
strongly from the frontal region. The nasal bones directed upwards. The orbital cavities large.
The malar eminences small; the zygomatic arches but little prominent. The teeth have a
slight projection forwards, and are much worn away horizontally. The jaws tolerably large
and well proportioned, and the hollow of the cheeks much depressed." On this description, the
writer would only observe that the forehead, though a little flat and receding in the centre, can
scarcely be called low: it is much higher than in most ancient British skulls, and absolutely
high in the coronal region—in the line of which suture, which is almost obliterated, a slightly
prominent ridge is to be observed. The forward projection of the teeth, too, is by no means
slight in the upper jaw; the intermaxfllaries being considerably produced, giving, with the
oblique implantation of the large incisors and canines, a marked appearance of prognathism.
The breadth of the face exceeds the length by one inch—a disproportion greater than what is
usual.
MEASUREMENTS.
Horizontal circumference
Longitudinal diameter
Prontal Region.—Length .
Breadth
Height
Parietal Region.'—Length
Breadth
Height
22'0 inches.
7-5 „
5-3 „
5-3 „
5-3 „
5-5 „
6-1 „
5-2 „
Occipital Region.—Length . . 5-0 inches.
Breadth . . 5-7 „
Height . . 4-5 „
Intermastoid arch 16-0 ,,
Internal capacity 84^ ounces.
Pace.—Length 4-7 inches.
Breadth 5-7 „
Weight of the skull with lower jaw 28 ounces.
Professor Retzius enters into an elaborate argument to show that this, like other brachycephalic
skulls from ancient tombs in Britain and Prance, must be referred to an aboriginal pre-
Celtic population of " Turanian " race. The Celtic skull was believed by Retzius to be narrow and
rather long. This is altogether at variance with the results obtained by the authors of the
" Crania Britannica," whose researches show that the usual form of the ancient British male skull
is, or more or less approaches to, the brachyeephalic. We suspect that the view of Professor
Retzius was founded too much on the examination of female heads and crania.
Arch. Jouru. vol. i. p. 129.
52.
(J. T.)
t Öfversigt af Kong. Sic., 1849, p. 121 ; Müller's Archiv," IS^ig, p. 554,