264 BULLETIN 183, UNIT'ED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



stature for males, and even allowing +3 cm. as a possible error in this 

 reconstruction, the result still does not equal that obtained on the 

 modern Sioux ( Hrdlicka, 1931 ) . Like most of the recent Plains tribes 

 the Sioux have a stature of about 172.4-175.7. On the other hand, 

 our figures for the females, similarly corrected, are fairly close to the 

 averages for the modern Sioux (159.1-160.1 cm.). Although the 

 disparity in male stature seems too great for samples of the same peo- 

 ple, it is unwise to speculate on this uncertain evidence until data be- 

 come available for stature reconstructed from the bones of the recent 

 tribes. 



Turning from the negative evidence that the present collection 

 brings to bear on the history of late Plains tribes, we may consider the 

 positive evidence of connections to the east. It seems clear, both from 

 cultural and physical evidence, that the two Kansas City groups 

 under discussion are somewhat peripheral representatives of wide- 

 spread Mississippi Valley population movements. Archeologists are 

 relatively certain only of the succession of the general cultures in- 

 volved, but also see faintly certain directional trends and a relative 

 chronology. The skeletal remains show, as in the present case, that 

 rather distinct physical types are associated with the different cultures 

 (cf. Neumann, 1941a and b). I believe, too, that physical anthro- 

 pology can point to certain evidence that has a bearing on relative 

 chronology. 



In 1940 I summarized the evidence then available for a late appear- 

 ance in North America of syphilis, and, at least in the eastern part of 

 the continent, of intentional cranial deformity. Although it was 

 tempting to relate these phenomena to the date of discovery of America, 

 there was no positive evidence on this point. The material of the 

 present report indicates, as was already known, that syphilis existed 

 here in Hopewellian times. The Pickwick Basin report (Newman 

 and Snow, 1942) now supports by its negative evidence my impression 

 that this disease was absent in the prepottery Shell Mound popula- 

 tions of the Southeast. However, the same report states (pp. 467-8) 

 that syphilis was present in the more recent Roger's Island people. 

 The authors are inclined to accept the view that this group represents 

 a prehistoric population, but at the same time point out that its cul- 

 ural affiliations are with Moundville. On this point Ford and Willey 

 (1941, p. 350) have concluded independently that Moundville "was 

 abandoned sometime before 1700. In spite of the large size of this 

 site, it seems to have been occupied only a short time." 



As for intentional cranial deformity, it has been shown that the ma- 

 terial of the present study was not thus affected. In general it may 

 be said that this custom did not extend much beyond the Gulf States, 

 and is found there only in the latest archeological periods. The very 

 fact of its restricted distribution also argues for its lateness. In this 



