﻿2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 59 



Egyptian crania, with a large quantity of other osseous parts ; and 

 it is hoped that as the field work goes on, this collection will increase 

 to important proportions and form a study and reference series 

 unique on this continent and of the highest scientific value. 



The Metropolitan Museum's explorations at the Kharga Oasis 

 resulted also in the unearthing of a considerable number of bodies, 

 in this case proceeding from the Coptic burials of the second and 

 third centuries A. D. This material is also destined for the U. S. 

 National Museum. It comes mostly in the shape of natural mummies 

 in a remarkably good state of preservation, and will be of especial 

 value for comparisons and in the study of the entire skeletons. 

 Some of the bones and mummies from the Oasis have already 

 reached the National Museum, while another collection awaits trans- 

 portation. 



The co-operation of the two Institutions, however, soon developed 

 the fact that for a more thorough understanding of the conditions, 

 and also for the purpose of utilizing favorable local opportunities in 

 the study of the living remnants of the Egyptians, particularly at 

 the Great Oasis, a personal visit to the field by an anthropologist 

 was desirable. Toward the end of 1908, the means provided for 

 the Metropolitan Museum expedition rendering such a visit feasible, 

 the writer was detailed by the National Museum for the journey. 

 He spent ten weeks in Egypt, partly at Cairo, where, due to the 

 courtesies of Prof. G. Elliot-Smith, he was able to study the skeletal 

 remains from several important periods, especially the invaluable 

 early pre-dynastic, Naga-el-Der, collection ; partly at the Lisht exca- 

 vations, where numerous Xllth Dynasty crania and other skeletal 

 parts were collected ; and partly at the Great Oasis, where, besides 

 some work on the mummies and skeletal remains, measurements and 

 observations were made on 150 of the living adult male inhabitants. 



The present paper deals only with the last named investigations. 

 The value of the studies on the Kharga Oasis natives lies in the fact 

 that these people have received as yet no scientific attention ; and 

 that, due to their isolation, and their former adherence to the Copts, 

 they may be regarded as purer representatives of the old inhabitants 

 of that region than the people of many parts of the valley are of 

 their more ancient predecessors. Moreover, results of the observa- 

 tions ought to prove of special interest medically, due to the isolation 

 of the people and their peculiar environmental conditions. 



The studies were restricted to individuals of normal (that is, non- 

 pathological) development, who did not show by their hair or fea- 



