lU 



ANTIQUITIES IN TENNESSEE. 



by Dr. Morton, and approached more nearly to the largest Caucasian skull. The 

 trutli of tliis statement will be rendered evident by a comparison of the preceding 

 table of cranial measurements of the Tennessee skulls, with the following measure- 

 ments of the internal capacity of the cranium in the different races by Dr. Morton: — 



The internal capacity of the largest cranium of the Tennessee race was 103 

 cubic inches ; of the American, as measured by Dr. Morton, 100 ; of the Ethiopian, 

 94; of the Malay, 89 ; of the Mongolian, 93; and of the Caucasian, 109. 



The subsequent investigations of Dr. Morton, as enlarged by the measurements 

 of Dr. J. Aitken Meigs of Philadelphia, resulted in the increase of the mean 

 cranial capacity of the Teutonic family by 1.5 cubic inches; of the Mongolian by 

 5 cubic inches; of the American by 13 cubic inches; and in slightly diminishing 

 that of the Negro group. 



A careful comparison of the cranial measurements of the stone-grave and mound- 

 building race of Tennessee, with those recorded by Dr. Morton and Dr. Meigs, 

 from a collection of 490 crania and 13 casts, leads to the conclusion that tlie skulls 

 of the former race possess, in a marked degree, those characteristics which dis- 

 tinguish the American race. 



The entire series of crania from the stone graves and mounds of Tennessee is 

 characterized by the square form, and the more or less flatness of the occipital 

 portion. The want of symmetry in many of them is due, without doubt, to the 

 unequal manner in wliich the pressure was exerted during infancy. When 

 viewed from behind, the stone-grave skull presents a conical or wedge-shaped 

 outline, the base being wide at the occipital protuberances, and at the opening of 

 the ears, from thence to the parietal protuberances it is almost perpendicular, and 

 sloping from the parietal protuberances to the vertex. When tlie skull is laid on 

 the side and viewed in outline, the base presents a massive, compressed appearance, 

 the most prominent features being the short antero-posterior diameter and the com- 

 paratively long transverse diameter. This peculiarity also appears to be the result 

 of artificial pressure rather than of original configuration. Owing to the eff"ects of 

 pressure, in many skulls the foramen magnum does not occupy a strictly symmetrical 

 position in the base of the skull, being apparently thrown further back, and often 

 more to one side. From the same cause it happens, that the glenoid fossae are 

 not symmetrical, one being frequently in advance of a line drawn at right angles 

 to the antero-posterior diameter of the base of the skull. AVe have sometimes 

 observed that this deformation was attended with a corresponding alteration in tlie 

 lower jaw. 



