The Natural History of the Varieties of ManLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Science
The Natural History of the Varieties of Man
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Ethnology
Important as these are, they are not the points which the ethnologist
most looks to. Although the colour of the skin and eyes and the texture
of the hair may be determined by external influences, the real reasons
for the differences of _outline_ lie in the differences of the skull
and the bony parts of the face: and as, in addition to this, the skull
is the receptacle of the brain, and the brain is the organ wherein the
human species most differs from others, anatomists have long been in
the habit of determining the different varieties of the human race, by
the difference in the conformation of their skulls. With this view, the
particular bones of most importance are the following:--
_The Frontal bone, forming the forehead._--The more the frontal bone
retires, the lower is the forehead, and the more prominent the face.
The more it is vertical or arched, the more the brain seems to be
in superposition _over_ the face; rather than lying _behind_ it. By
drawing one line from the opening of the ear to the base of the nose,
by drawing a second from the most prominent part of the forehead to the
insertion of the teeth, and by measuring the inner angle at which these
two lines bisect each other, we have the famous facial angle of Camper;
in other words, we have a measure for the extent to which a forehead is
retreating or vertical.
_The Occipital bone._--This forms the back of the head. The distance
between the frontal and occipital bones is the occipito-frontal
diameter. It constitutes the _length_ or _depth_ of the head, in
contradistinction to its _breadth_.
_The Parietal bones, forming the sides of the skull._--The distance
between the two parietal bones is the parietal diameter. It constitutes
the _breadth_ of the skull, in contradistinction to its _length_ or
_depth_. The ratio between these two diameters has been most studied by
Professor Retzius, of Stockholm. Nations where the development is in
the occipito-frontal diameter are called _dolikhokephalic_.[1] Nations
where it is in the _parietal_ diameter are called _brakhykephalic_.[2]
_The Zygoma._--Formed by the union of two processes, one from the
malar, and one from the temporal bone, and enclosing a space, within
which the muscles pass from the temporal bone to the lower jaw. It
constitutes the ridge that can be felt through the skin, between the
cheek-bone and the ear. When the zygomatic space is large, the arch of
the zygoma itself projects laterally outwards.
_The Malar bones, i.e. the cheek-bones._--It is unnecessary to say
that the prominence of the cheek-bone affects the physiognomy.
When, over and above this prominence, the zygoma has a lateral and
outward development, the breadth of the face becomes remarkably and
characteristically broad and flat. It is upon the effect of a great
zygomatic development on the form of the skull that Prichard has
founded one of his primary divisions.
[Illustration: Fig. 2.]
[Illustration: Fig. 3.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account