Dr. Wiseman, after a critical examination of the evidence in reference to this mooted question, has arrived at the following philosophical conclusion;—“It is not easy to reconcile the conflicting results thus obtained from writers and from monuments; and it is no wonder that learned men should have differed widely in opinion on the subject. I should think the best solution is, that Egypt was the country where the Greeks most easily saw the inhabitants of interior Africa, (the Negroes,) many of whom, doubtless, flocked thither and were settled there, or served in the army as tributaries or provincials, as they have done in later times; and thus they came to be confounded by writers with the country where alone they knew them, and were considered part of the indigenous population.”[[23]]
External Configuration.—On this subject I have nothing to add but the following external measurements,[[24]] (taken with my own hands,) derived from each group, and embracing all the denuded adult crania excepting two of the Semitic form.
Table I. Pelasgic Group.
No. in Cat. | Plate. | Longitud. Diam. | Parietal Diam. | Frontal Diam. | Vertical Diam. | Inter-mastoid Diam. Line. | Occipito-Frontal Arch. | Horizontal Periphery. | ||
| Thebes, | 856 | IX. | 7.5 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 15.1 | 4.2 | 15.6 | 21. |
| Thebes, | 859 | VI., 5. | 7.1 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 14.1 | 4.1 | 14.5 | 20. |
| Thebes, | 850 | VI., 4. | 7.4 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 15. | 4.3 | 15.3 | 20.5 |
| Thebes, | 893 | VI., 3. | 7.2 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 14.6 | 4.1 | 14.7 | 20.3 |
| Abydos, | 817 | V., 3. | 7.1 | 5.7 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 15.6 | 3.9 | 15.3 | 20.5 |
| Memphis, | 803 | III., 8. | 7.5 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 5. | 14.8 | 4. | 14.9 | 20.8 |
| Memphis, | 808 | II., 1. | 7.4 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 15. | 4. | 14.9 | 21. |
| Memphis, | 816 | III., 5. | 7.4 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 15. | 4. | 15.1 | 20.6 |
| Memphis, | 802 | III., 7. | 6.8 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 13.9 | 4.2 | 14. | 19. |
| Memphis, | 812 | II., 3. | 6.8 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 13.6 | 4. | 14.1 | 19.9 |
| Memphis, | 815 | II., 2. | 7. | 5.2 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 14.6 | 3.9 | 15. | 19.9 |
| Memphis, | 799 | III., 4. | 7.2 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 5. | 14.9 | 3.7 | 14.8 | 20.4 |
| Memphis, | 814 | II., 5. | 7.3 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 15.4 | 4.3 | 15.5 | 20.8 |
| Memphis, | 805 | II., 7. | 7.4 | 5. | 3.9 | 5.3 | 14.4 | 3.9 | 15. | 19.8 |
| Memphis, | 838 | I., 1. | 7.5 | 5.5 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 14.7 | 4. | 15. | 20.7 |
| Memphis, | 837 | I., 2. | 7.8 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 15. | 4.1 | 15.6 | 21.2 |
| Memphis, | 798 | III., 6. | 6.9 | 5.5 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 14.2 | 4.1 | 14.5 | 19.5 |
| Memphis, | 825 | III., 9. | 7.5 | 5.7 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 15. | 4.2 | 15. | 20.7 |
| Memphis, | 840 | II., 9. | 7.3 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 14.8 | 4.1 | 15. | 20.6 |
| Philæ, | 821 | XII., 6. | 6.9 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 14. | 4. | 14. | 19.5 |
| Highest in the series, | 7.8 | 5.8 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 15.6 | 4.3 | 15.6 | 21.2 | ||
| Mean, | 7.25 | 5.44 | 4.38 | 5.25 | 14.6 | 4.05 | 14.85 | 20.33 | ||
| Lowest in the series, | 6.8 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 13.6 | 3.7 | 14. | 19. | ||
The frontal diameter is taken between the anterior inferior angles of the parietal bones.
The vertical diameter is measured from the fossa between the condyles of the occipital bone, to the top of the skull.
The inter-mastoid arch is measured, with a graduated tape, from the point of one mastoid process to the other, over the external table of the skull.
The inter-mastoid line is the distance, in a straight line, between the points of the mastoid processes.
The occipito-frontal arch is measured by a tape over the surface of the cranium, from the posterior margin of the foramen magnum to the suture which connects the os frontis with the bones of the nose.
The horizontal periphery is measured by passing a tape around the cranium so as to touch the os frontis immediately above the superciliary ridges, and the most prominent part of the occipital bone.