The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*))McGee, W J
History
The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*))
McGee, W J
Seri Indians; Seri language; Yuman languages
Summarily, Dr Hrdlička’s special determinations conform with
the external observations on the Seri body; they indicate an
exceptionally large stature, together with a notably well-developed
and well-proportioned osseous framework, of the native American type,
yet significantly approaching the Caucasian in several respects. It is
especially noteworthy that the cranium is well formed and capacious,
the precise measurements corroborating the external observation that
the Seri head is of good absolute size, though relatively smaller
(in comparison with height and weight) than that of some neighboring
tribes of less stature—e. g., the Papago. It may be noted, too, that
the imperfect ankylosis of the epiphyses, and various other skeletal
features, are in accord with the inferences from the living body as to
the slowness of attaining maturity. It may be noted further that the
extraordinary development of the muscular attachments, especially in
the masculine cranium, is quite in harmony with the habits of the tribe.
* * * * *
The remaining somatic characteristics of the Seri are for the greater
part of such sort as to be described by generalities and negatives.
In general they correspond with those of typical American tribesmen
and other peoples; and they do not exhibit striking peculiarities
in proportion or structure. In the opposability of the thumb, the
nonopposability of the hallux, and the independence of fingers and
toes, the Seri hands and feet are developed quite up to, if not
somewhat beyond, the Amerindian[252] average; the feet are set
straight in walking, as befits the pedestrian habit; the arms are
not elongated, and the thighs seem no longer in proportion to other
elements of the stature than are those of the highest human types. In
like manner the bodies are notably free from artificial deformation;
the skulls are not flattened or otherwise distorted; there is no
scarification, or even tattooing; neither ears nor lips are pierced
for pendants or labrets; the teeth are not filed or drilled, though
in some cases at least the first incisors of females are extracted;
and while there are trustworthy records of the piercing of the nasal
septum for the insertion of pendants, no examples were found at Costa
Rica in 1894. The food habits and other customs of the tribe indicate,
or at least suggest, more or less specialized and perhaps distinctive
internal characters; but, without actual examination of the organs,
these inferred characters demand little more than passing notice.
[252] The term _Amerind_ (with the self-explanatory mutations
_Amerindian, Amerindize,_ etc.) has been established by the
Anthropological Society of Washington as a convenient collective
designation for the aboriginal American tribes (American
Anthropologist, new series, 1, 1899, p. 582).
* * * * *
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account