Right tibia: Length (?), extremities wanting. A moderate physiological curvature forward, middle third.
| Diameter antero-posterior at middle, right | cm | 3.25 |
| Diameter lateral at middle | cm | 1.95 |
| Index at middle | 60 |
The bone is distinctly platycnaemic, as the femora are platymeric and the humeri platybrachic, a harmony of characters which is often met with in the continental Indian.
ADDITIONAL PARTS
These include four ribs, the atlas and two lumbar vertebræ. The first rib approaches the semicircular in type and is rather large, indicating a spacious chest. Otherwise there is nothing special.
A comparison of the long bones of this interesting skeleton with those of the later Indians from the same and near-by localities as well as with those of the western Eskimo (see table, p. [160]) shows a number of striking conditions. The length of the bones of the skeleton is far above the mean of both those of Indians and the Eskimo, indicating a stature of at least 10 centimeters (4 inches) higher. In none of their characteristics are the bones near to those of the Eskimo, making it doubly certain that the subject was not of that affiliation. Compared with those of the later Indians of the same territory, the bones show in one line remarkable differences, in another remarkable likenesses. The differences concern all the relative proportions of the shafts—the bones of the old skeleton give without exception indices that are markedly lower; they are distinctly more platybrachic, platymeric, and platycnaemic. But the more basic humero-femoral and radio-humeral indices are practically the same; showing fundamental identity. The humero-femoral index is especially important in this case. It is exceptionally high in the Yukon Indians, due to a relatively long humerus, and the same condition is seen in the old skeleton. It seems safe, therefore, to conclude that the owner of the old skeleton was not only an Indian but an Indian of the same physical stock from which were derived the later Indians of the Yukon; but he was evidently of an earlier and different tribe or of a purer derivation than those who followed. To more fully establish and then trace this type, both as to its derivation and extension, will be tasks of future importance.
| Paired bones | Yukon Indians | Miscellaneous North American Indians | Western Eskimos | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Older skeleton at Bonasila | From Russian times | |||
| Humerus: | (2) | (10) | [40](378) | [41](76) |
| Mean length | 35.55 | 31.17 | 31.8 | 30.88 |
| At middle— | ||||
| Diameter, major | 2.45 | 2.38 | 2.22 | 2.42 |
| Diameter, minor | 1.68 | 1.67 | 1.63 | 1.82 |
| Index | 66.4 | 70 | 73.1 | 75.2 |
| Radius: | (1) | (10) | (378) | (76) |
| Mean length | n. 27 | 23.61 | 24.7 | 22.85 |
| Radio-humeral index | n. 75.5 | 75.7 | 77.7 | 74 |
| Femur: | (2) | (14) | [40](902) | (84) |
| Mean length (bycondylar) | 48.2 | 41.92 | 42.7 | 42.70 |
| Humero-femoral index | 74.3 | 74.5 | n. 72.5 | n. -72 |
| At middle— | ||||
| Diameter, antero-posterior, maximum | 3.12 | 2.96 | 2.95 | 3.03 |
| Diameter, lateral | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| Index | 82.4 | 87.1 | 87.3 | 89.5 |
| At upper flattening— | ||||
| Diameter, maximum | 3.60 | 3.25 | 3.27 | 3.37 |
| Diameter, minimum | 2.18 | 2.30 | 2.42 | 2.48 |
| Index | 60.4 | 70.7 | 74 | 73.5 |
| Tibia: | (1) | (14) | (324) | (84) |
| Mean length | 34.19 | 36.9 | 33.61 | |
| Tibio-femoral index | 81.5 | 84.4 | 78.7 | |
| At middle— | ||||
| Diameter, antero-posterior, maximum | 3.25 | 3.04 | 3.28 | 3.10 |
| Diameter, lateral | 1.95 | 2. | 2.16 | 2.12 |
| Index | 60 | 66 | 65.8 | 68.5 |
FOOTNOTES:
[39] See also data in writer's "Physical Anthropology of the Lenape," etc., Bull. 62, Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1916; and his "Anthropology of Florida," Fla. Hist. Soc. Pub. No. 1, Deland, Fla., 1922.
[40] These numbers apply to length only; under the other items the numbers are in some cases smaller, in some larger. The differences are due to defects in some of the old bones.