402 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 



well rounded, and the space for the downward development of the brain con- 

 siderable." The occiput of a Candahar skull is " broad, flat and perpendicular, 

 giving the skull something of the appearance of the flat-headed American In- 

 dians, although in a much less degree." 



The Aflghan head, as a whole, resembles, in several respects, the Hindoo 

 type. 



The ancient Assyrian skull is full and rounded in the occipital region. 



The Egyptian skulls differ among themselves as regards the form of the oc - 

 ciput. Of the series termed " Grseco-Egyptians" by Dr. Morton, Nos. 799, 801, 

 804, 812, 815, 821, 824, 856, 837, 838, 840 and 875, possess, in general, the 

 same occipital form as is seen in the Swedish crania referred to above. Nos. 

 798, 808, 814, 817, 825, 850, 859, 868, 873, 884 and 893 have the occiput less 

 ovoidal in shape and more rounded, owing to the external occipital protuber- 

 ance being less prominent. These latter skulls are, in general, broader than 

 the former, and exhibit a somewhat different configuration of the crown. 

 The same difference is observable in the other groups of skulls representing 

 the Egyptian race in the Academy's collection. Thus of the Ancient Theban 

 Egyptians, Nos. 48, 60, 844, 846, 855, 862, 876, 1044, 1293 and 1295 exhibit 

 a more or less rounded occiput, while in Nos. 847, 848, 849, 851, 853, 854, 

 860, S66, 867, 871, 880, 881, 882, 883, 887, 889, 894 and 1290, the occiput is 

 either shelving, as in the Swedish skull, or elongated, owing to the great pro- 

 tuberance of the occipital boss, as in the kumbe-kephalic crania above alluded 

 to. According to Dr. Morton, No. 1044 may serve as a type of the genuine 

 Egyptian conformation. He describes it as a long, oval cranium with a reced- 

 ing forehead, gently aquiline nose, retracted chin, and a marked distance 

 between the nose and mouth features all characteristic of the monumental 

 Egyptian. He makes no allusion, however, to the configuration of the occiput, 

 which, as will be seen by referring to the wood cut on p. 17 of " Crania iEgyp- 

 tiaca, " or p. 38 of my Catalogue, is quite peculiar. Some idea of the variety of 

 occipital forms among these Egyptian skulls, may be obtained by comparing 

 together the wood cuts in my Catalogue representing Nos. 812, 878, 1044, 88S 

 and 877 of the collection. Dr. Morton's descriptions of the Egyptian skulls 

 are, in general, very brief. He seldom alludes to the shape of the occiput. 

 He notices the "tumid" occiput of No. 871, and the "full" occiput of No. 867. 

 The occipital region of Nog. 861 and 886 is intermediate in shape between the 

 elongate and rounded forms. Of the ancient Egyptians from the Necropolis 

 of Memphis, Nos. 1223, 1235, 1519, 1520, 1521 and 1522 possess a rounded occi- 

 put. In all the rest the posterior part of the head is elongated and flattened 

 superorly. This elongation is particularly well marked in Nos. 809, 810, 811, 

 813, 1201, 1291, and also in No. 819 from Arabat el-Matfoon, the ancient 

 Abydos. In all these skulls the external occipital protuberance is exceedingly 

 prominent. This statement applies also to three embalmed Egyptian heads 

 found by Mr. Win. A. Gliddon in a rock-tomb located about four miles west 

 of the city of Alexandria, and belonging, probably, to the Ptolemaic era. 

 Among the Memphite Egyptian skulls is one (No. 806) which is altogether 

 peculiar and unlike the other heads of this series. It has a broad, low and 

 flat occiput, while the coronal region is decidedly Gothic in its outline. All 

 the crania obtained from the tombs opened by Prof. Lepsius at the base of the 

 great Pyramid of Gizeh, are long, oval heads, with protuberant occiputs, 

 flattened superiorly. Three Kens or ancient Nubians from the pits at Debod, 

 (827, 828, 829) exhibit the protuberant, shelving form of occiput. The hind 

 head in No. 828 is exceedingly elongated. Dr. Morton speaks of the very full 

 occiput of this skull. He makes no allusion to the occipital form in his 

 descriptions of the others. The occiput of No. 826 is rounded. Two crania 

 (830, 831) of ancient Egyptians, from the pits at Koum Ombos, have a rounded 

 occiput. A third, No. 832, has the occiput superiorly flattened. The Acade- 

 my's collection contains four skulls of ancient Egyptians, obtained by the late 

 Mr. G. R. Gliddon from the crocodile mummy-pits called Margaret-es-Sa- 



[Sept. 



