The North Americans of Antiquity / Their origin, migrations, and type of civilization considered

by John T. Short

(A) DOLICHOCEPHALIC CRANIA, SCALE OF CLASSIFICATION LESS THAN 80 TO 100. (Continued)
Cephalic Index, proportion of the Parietal to the Longitudinal Diam. (the latter assumed as 100).
	No. of Plate in Morton’s Work.
		Cap. of Posterior Chamber.*
			Cap. of Coronal Region.
				Facial Angle.
					REMARKS.
66.	II	47.	....	....	Peruvian Child from Atacama (ancient).
72.6	IV	50.	16.2	73°	Ancient Peruvian Cemetery near Arica.
67	V	45.7	12.7	61°	Ancient Peruvian.
75.2	XVIII	48.	14.2	76°	Female Skull from Acapacingo, Mexico. Supposed Ancient Tiahuica.
78.9	XXIII	37.?	19.?	78°	Seminole Warrior from Florida.
73.6	XXV	47.	12.2	77°	Cherokee Warrior.
79.4	XXVII	....	....	75°	Uchee.
78.	XXVIII	51.	14.7	84°	Chippeway (Algonquin-Lenapé).
75.3	XXX	56.5	13.5	75°	Miami Chief (Algonquin-Lenapé).
73.	XXXIV	62.5	19.	80°	Potowatamie (Algonquin-Lenapé).
72.4	XXXIII	45.		80°	Naumkeag from Massachusetts.
78.5	XXXII	45.5	16.2	76°	Female Lenapé or Delaware.
65.4	XXXV	58.5	11.5	78°	Cayuga Chief 150 years old (Iroquois).
72.	XXXVI	56.5	18.4	74°	Oneida (Iroquois).
73.6	XXXVII	41.5	9.5	78°	Huron Chief.
76.	XL	44.?	18.2	78°	Black Foot.
79.4	LI	....	....	76°	Supposed Mound-builder, Circleville Mound.
74.6	LII	....	....	79°	Supposed Mound-builder from a Mississippi River Mound.
79.7	LXI	....	....	80°	From Ancient Tomb, Ottumba, Mexico.
75.7	LXIV	....	....	70°	Charib of Venezuela.
79.	LXV	....	....	....	Charib of St. Vincent.
78.2	LXVI	52.	19.	76°	Arucanian Chief, Chili.
74.7	....	49.2	15.3	76°	Mean.
* In cubic inches, the remaining measurements in lineal inches.

(B) BRACHYCEPHALIC CRANIA, SCALE OF CLASSIFICATION, 80 AND UPWARDS TO 100.
Cephalic Index, proportion of the Parietal to the Longitudinal Diam. (the latter assumed as 100).
	No. of Plate in Morton’s Work.
		Longitudinal Diameter.
			Parietal Diameter.
				Vertical Diameter.
					Frontal Diameter.
						Extreme Length of Head and Face.
							Inter-Mastoid Arch.
								Inter-Mastoid Line.
									Occipito-Frontal Arch.
										Horizontal Periphery.
											Interior Capacity.*
												Cap. of Anterior Chamber.*
66.	II	6.9	4.6	4.3	3.7	7.5	....	....	....	....	64.	17.
80.	III	6.5	5.2	5.1	4.3	8.3	14.5	4.	13.8	18.5	72.5	26.
83.	VI	6.5	5.4	5.2	4.4	....	14.6	4.	14.4	19.5	67.5	28.5
100.	VII	5.4	5.4	4.6	4.	....	....	....	....	....	61.	....
98.	VIII & IX	6.8	5.7	5.1	4.4	....	14.5	4.1	12.7	18.4	71.7	28.7
98.3	XI	6.1	6.	5.5	4.7	....	16.	4.5	14.1	19.5	83.	33.5
89.5	XI A	6.7	6.	5.6	4.5	....	16.2	4.5	14.5	20.2	89.	34.
92.	XI B	6.3	5.8	5.3	4.5	....	15.	4.	13.2	19.	76.5	30.
98.3	XI C	6.	5.9	5.	4.4	....	15.5	4.	13.2	19.	77.	28.
81.6	XI D	6.5	5.5	5.6	4.6	....	14.8	4.5	13.6	19.5	68.5	33
80.	XVI	7.1	5.7	5.2	4.4	....	15.9	4.	14.	20.5	83.	39.
80.	XVII	6.8	5.5	6.	4.6	....	15.6	4.4	14.6	19.9	89.5	33.5
80.	XVII A	6.6	5.3	5.2	4.3	....	14.6	4.1	13.6	19.	74.	28.
89.	XVIII	6.4	5.7	5.4	4.5	....	14.6	4.5	13.5	20.2	77.	30.
80.	XIX	6.9	6.6	5.9	4.2	....	15.5	4.3	14.	20.	85.	39.2
80.	XXII	7.3	5.9	5.8	4.6	....	15.9	4.4	15.3	20.7	93.	35.5
84.3	XXIV	7.	5.9	5.8	4.5	....	14.7	4.6	14.2	20.5	91.5	44.
81.4	XXVI	7.	5.7	5.3	4.6	....	15.3	4.5	14.4	20.8	94.7	42.5
82.3	XXIX	6.8	5.6	5.5	4.2	....	14.7	4.1	14.1	19.9	86.5	36.5
81.3	XXXI	7.	5.9	5.5	4.7	....	15.3	4.7	14.2	20.9	91.5	40.
81.8	XXXVIII	6.6	5.4	4.9	4.4	....	13.7	4.3	13.	19.1	70.5	31.
85.	XXXIX	6.7	5.7	5.4	4.2	....	14.7	4.4	13.5	19.8	85.	36.
90.	XLI	6.5	5.9	5.3	4.6	....	15.1	4.1	13.4	19.5	83.	37.5
80.5	XLII	6.7	5.4	5.3	4.4	....	14.	4.2	14.	19.4	74.	33.
88.	XLIII	6.7	5.9	4.6	4.7	8.3	14.2	4.	12.9	20.	69.	32.5
96.	XLIV	6.2	6.	5.3	4.6	....	14.4	4.2	13.4	19.	70.	30.
91.3	XLV	6.9	6.3	4.8	4.9	8.5	15.7	4.	14.	21.	92.	34.
89.2	XLVI	6.7	6.	4.5	5.	8.3	14.9	4.2	13.	19.8	78.	26.
92.6	XLVII	6.8	6.3	4.9	5.2	8.8	14.8	4.3	13.	20.4	87.	35.5
87.8	XLVIII	6.6	5.8	5.	4.8	7.9	14.2	4.2	13.	19.5	79.	36.5
87.	XLIX	7.	6.1	4.1	4.9	8.8	13.9	4.	12.7	20.2	75.	28.
99.9	LIII	6.6?	6.	5.	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....
111.8	LIV	5.9	6.6	5.1	4.4	....	15.6	4.4	12.4	19.6	80.	....
84.5	LV	6.6	5.6	5.6	4.1	....	15.2	4.4	14.	19.5	87.5	....
87.	LVI	6.2	5.4	4.9	4.3	....	14.6	3.8	13.3	18.5	74.5	30.
81.1	LVII	6.9	5.6	5.1	4.4	....	15.3	4.3	14.	19.7	79.	29.5
86.1	LVIII	6.5	5.6	5.	4.5	....	14.7	3.8	13.2	19.2	76.5	34.
84.	LIX	6.3	5.3	5.4	4.4	....	14.3	4.2	13.5	19.2	74.	....
89.3	LX	6.6	5.3	5.4	4.4	....	14.	4.	14.	19.3	76.	....
80.6	LXII	6.7	5.4	5.5	4.3	....	14.5	4.1	14.	19.3	81.	35.2
80.6	LXVIII	6.7	5.4	4.9	4.7	....	14.2	4.9	13.4	19.5	77.	32.
87.	....	6.8	5.7	5.1	4.5	....	14.6	4.2	13.9	19.5	79.5	37.1
Forty Skulls.* In cubic inches, the remaining measurements in lineal inches.

(B) BRACHYCEPHALIC CRANIA, SCALE OF CLASSIFICATION, 80 AND UPWARDS TO 100. (Continued)
Cephalic Index, proportion of the Parietal to the Longitudinal Diam. (the latter assumed as 100).
	No. of Plate in Morton’s Work.
		Cap. of Posterior Chamber.*
			Cap. of Coronal Region.
				Facial Angle.
					REMARKS.
66.	II	47.	....	....	Peruvian Child from Atacama (ancient).
80.	III	46.5	14.7	68°	Ancient Peruvian from Lake Titicaca.
83.	VI	39.	10.2	76°	Chimuyan, Peru.
100.	VII	....	....	....	Inca Peruvian Child.
98.	VIII & IX	43.	11.4	75°	Inca Peruvian Female from Temple of Sun, near Lima.
98.3	XI	49.5	15.7	81°	Inca Peruvian from Temple of the Sun.
89.5	XI A	55.5	20.5	80°	Inca Peruvian from Temple of the Sun.
92.	XI B	46.5	12.2	80°	Inca Peruvian from Temple of the Sun.
98.3	XI C	49.	11.3	80°	Inca Peruvian from Temple of the Sun.
81.6	XI D	35.5	....	75°	Inca Peruvian from Temple of the Sun.
80.	XVI	44.	17.5	72°	Ancient Mexican from Cerro de Quesilas.
80.	XVII	56.	19.5	80°	Ancient Mexican from Tacuba.
80.	XVII A	46.	11.5	77°	Mexican Indian from Pamas tribe.
89.	XVIII	47.	....	78°	From an Ancient Tomb near Mexico.
80.	XIX	45.7	13.2	71°	Chetimaches from Cemetery in St. Mary’s parish, Louisiana.
80.	XXII	57.5	25.	72°	Seminole Warrior.
84.3	XXIV	47.5	18.1	81°	Seminole.
81.4	XXVI	52.2	15.6	72°	Skull of the Chief of the Creek Indians.
82.3	XXIX	50.	15.5	79°	Menominee Female (Algonquin-Lenapé).
81.3	XXXI	51.5	12.7	82°	Ottogamie (Algonquin-Lenapé).
81.8	XXXVIII	39.5	10.6	75°	Pawnee Female from the Platte River.
85.	XXXIX	49.	16.6	77°	Dakota Warrior.
90.	XLI	45.5	14.1	77°	Osage.
80.5	XLII	41.	14.	76°	Chinouk (natural form).
88.	XLIII	36.5	9.9	72°	Chinouk (artificially flattened).
96.	XLIV	40.	....	70°	Klalstonl of Oregon, (artificially flattened).
91.3	XLV	58.	19.3	73°	Killemook Chief. Oregon (artificially flattened).
89.2	XLVI	59.	8.7	70°	Clalsap, Columbia River (artificially flattened).
92.6	XLVII	51.5	11.2	68°	Kalapooyah, on Oregon River (artificial).
87.8	XLVIII	42.6	....	70°	Clickitat from Columbia River (artificially flat.)
87.	XLIX	47.	6.2	66°	Cowalitek, Columbia River (artificially flattened).
99.9	LIII	....	....	78°	Grave Creek Mound.
111.8	LIV	....	....	72°	From an Alabama River Mound. Supposed Natchez (flattened).
84.5	LV	....	....	80°	Skull from a Mound in Tennessee.
87.	LVI	44.5	14.5	71°	Skull from a Mound at Santa Peru.
81.1	LVII	49.5	14.1	72°	Skull from a Tumulus in the Valley of Rimac, Peru.
86.1	LVIII	42.5	13.7	74°	Mound Skull, Valley of Rimac, Peru.
84.	LIX	....	....	76°	From an Ancient Tomb at Ottumba, Mexico.
89.3	LX	....	....	77°	From Ancient Tomb, Ottumba, Mexico.
80.6	LXII	45.7	18.	76°	Skull from a Cave at Golconda, Illinois.
80.6	LXVIII	45.	11.9	72°	Arucanian Chief from Chili.
87.	....	45.	14.2	75°31⁠´	Mean.
Forty Skulls.* In cubic inches, the remaining measurements in lineal inches.

It will be observed that the widest range is found between the proportions of the skull of the Cayuga chief 100 years old (Plate XXXV) with a cephalic index of only 65.4, and those of some of the Peruvian crania having a cephalic index of over 98. The supposed Natchez skull (Plate LIV) is so artificially flattened as to exclude it from the calculation. The mean cephalic index of each of the tables exhibits a well-defined type of the long and the short skull respectively. The former 74.7 and the latter 87 are both far enough removed from the dividing line (80) to leave no doubt that the types are distinct and separate. Additional data, materially strengthening the conclusion of the variety of types found among American crania, has been furnished by that eminent authority Dr. Daniel Wilson.[229] The following table of measurements in inches is based upon his extensive researches:

No. of Crania in each Class.	Description of Crania.	Mean Longitudinal Diameter.	Mean Parietal Diameter.	Cephalic Index.
8	Mound Crania (two from Morton, four undoubtedly from the mounds).	6.54	5.67	86.7
12	Cave Crania.	6.62	5.78	85.7
29	Peruvian Brachycephalic Crania.	5.97	5.12	85.7
16	Peruvian Dolichocephalic Crania.	6.49	4.95	76.2
8	Mexican Dolichocephalic Crania.	7.05	5.41	76.7
7	Mexican Brachycephalic Crania.	6.56	5.51	84.0
31	Dolichocephalic Crania of Am. Indians.	7.24	5.47	75.5
22	Brachycephalic Crania of Am. Indians.	6.62	5.45	82.3
12	Living Algonquins, Brachycephalæ.	7.25	6.00	82.7
39	West Canadian Hurons (male).	7.39	5.50	74.4

It requires no careful examination of these figures to observe that the type of skull among the American aborigines, ancient or modern, was in no sense constant, since among the same tribes long and short skulls occur in almost equal numbers. This fact is especially true among the savage Indians. Among the semi-civilized nations, however, as among the Peruvians and Mexicans, the long and short skulls mark the successive existence and destruction of distinct peoples having physiological characteristics peculiar to themselves. The Peruvian elongated crania are always found with large-boned skeletons having strong hands, while the short or rounded crania accompany very small bones, such as were unable to endure labor like the building of pyramids and the erection of such edifices as are found in Peru.[230]

It is with the utmost deference to the genius, and with full recognition of the valuable researches of Dr. Morton, that we disagree with his conclusions and pronounce his theory without foundation in fact. There is no evidence furnished by the measurement of crania that an American race, as unique in itself and distinct from the rest of mankind, ever existed.[231] One of the most interesting studies connected with these tables, as well as other measurements made more recently, is the question of relationship between the various semi-civilized peoples of the ancient period. First and most naturally the type of the mound crania attracts attention, and calls for comparisons with the Indian type and with that of the remarkable people of the more southern civilization.

The “Scioto Mound” skull figured by Dr. Davis in Plates xlvii and xlviii of The Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, was pronounced by Dr. Morton in Dr. Meigs’ catalogue of the human crania in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, as “perhaps the most admirably formed head of the American race hitherto discovered.”

The most important measurements are as follows:

Longitudinal diameter	6.5	inches.
Parietal „	6.0	„
Vertical „	6.2	„
Inter-mastoid arch	16.0	„
Horizontal circumference	19.8	„
	——
Cephalic index	92.3	„