ORIGIN OP BLOND EUROPEANS — BEOCH. 623 



Hungary. — At Lengyel, in south Hungary, five prehistoric skulls 

 have been found, four of which were neolithic and one was of the 

 Bronze Age. They were measured by Virchow. The first four, 

 which were male, had a cephaUc index of 74.3, 78.2, 68.82, and 67.5, 

 while that of the fifth was 77.3. Virchow said that these skulls 

 greatly resembled the neolithic skulls of northern Europe, and 

 added that they might even be considered as of Aiyan origin, or as 

 representing one of the stocks from which the Aryans sprung.^ It is 

 probable, however, that these dolichocephals were merely immigrants 

 from the north. In any case they prove the wide expansion of the 

 prehistoric blonds in Europe. 



The Isles of Britain. — In the long barrows of the Stone Age, as in 

 the tumuli and caves of the same period, were found skulls with a 

 middle index of 72 for 86 skulls, but not of the German type, as then* 

 dolichocephaly was more meridional. They are, therefore, of no 

 service for our subject, the less so, as the stature of the skeletons is 

 much shorter tlian that of the dolichocephals of otlier countries which 

 have been connected witli the blond stock. 



After the dolichocephals the brachycephals came, bringing bronze 

 with them into England. These are found in the round barrows of 

 the southern part of the country (with middle cephaUc mdex of 80 for 

 103 skulls); but they are not to be considered as the descendants of 

 the neolithic dolichocephals, as they were immigrants. Besides, the 

 pottery of the Bronze Age fully resembled that of Central Europe.^ 



The only brachycephals who miglit be descendents of the neohthic 

 dolichocephals are those of the same period who are found in dift'erent 

 parts of the British Islands, not in the long-barrows, but in the 

 tumuli, in caves, and in other graves. These neolithic brachycephals 

 are quite different from tliose of the Bronze Age. 



There were, however, in Great Britain blond peoples, wliich Strabo 

 has specifically described : 



The Britons are much taUer than the Celts (Gaiiln) and less blond, but of a gentler 

 temperament. To give an idea of their stature, we have seen with our own eyes in 

 Rome tliat when scarcely emerged from infancy they would surpass the tallest people 

 in the city by half a foot. It sliould be added that along with this they are bow-legged 

 and their bodies are generally ill-proportioned.^ 



Tacitus, who must have been well-informed about the type of the 

 Britons through his father-in-law, the Roman general, Agricola, 

 dwells particularly on the variety of then* external characteristics 

 (habitus corporum varii), for he describes the reds and blonds among 

 the indigenes of Great Britain. He says : 



The russet hair of the inliabitants of Caledonia and their large size attest Gerrdan 

 origin. * * * The Britona nearest to the Gauls resemble them, either by reason 



1 Virchow. Excursion nacli Lengyel (Siid-Ungam). Zeitschrift ftir PUhnologie, 1S90. 

 » Abercromby. The oldest Bronze Age ceramic type in Britain. Journal of the.Vnthropological Institute 

 of Great Britain, 1902. 

 » Strabo. Geography, Chap. V. 2. 



