122 DAVKXPORT ACADEMY OF XATUKAJ, SCIENCES. 



iliaiis of Sail flilHtonsd usiiifj- it. tliousili in tin- niaiitifi- just dc 



scrilx-d. 



( i; A MA. 



Kxaniiiiations and coniparisons of the crania ()])tained in th(^ 

 suutliwcstprn jjortion of t\\c T'nitcMl States and northern Mexieo, 

 show that a]>j)arentlv characteiistic [xn-iiliarities exist in all of 

 those fonnd in or about tlie ancient hiiildino-s and ruins, which are 

 not present in i lania of tlie adjacent regions noi' in those of the 

 j)resent iidiabitants. In the (■onij)arativ(dy small number of crania 

 thus far preserved in collections.* this jieculiaritv consists first, in 

 the o;en(M'al al)sencc of the sii))erciliarv ridges, and second, the ex- 

 istence of a remaikablv [nomiuent nasal eminenct^ 



Another striking- feature observed (as far as my examinations 

 have extended) in the ci-anial remains from both north and south of 

 that portion of the Mexican l)onndarv is the constant occurrence of 

 deformitv. to a g-reatiM- oi- less deg-r(-e. fn one instance of occi])ito- 

 parietal ilattening. tlu^ pressure ujion the facial ])ortion of the skull 

 was so grciat, indirectlv. no doubt, as to thrfuv one orbit three- 

 tentlis of an inch above the noi-mal position, while the other was 

 correspondingly l)tdow it. the remaining facial bones being dis- 

 torted in ])T'oportioii, In nearly all the specimens, however, the 

 ilattening appears more strongdv directed to either one side or the 

 other, while in a few it is vertical occipital. In most instances this 

 deformation might be attributed to the Tiatural pressure of the 

 cradle board, but the occurrence of such I'xtraordinary asynnnetry 

 indicates that ])ressure was also, in certain cases, applied by band- 

 aging-, whethei- foi- till- ])urpose as practicer] in (^entral America or 

 not, can onlv be surmised. 



As is well known, cranial defoiMnationl is atti'ibuted to pi-essure 



* It is sui)po.sed tiiat tlie Aruiy Medical Museum at Washiniiton, D. ('., 

 contains by far the larnrest collection of crania of the ancient Pnehlos thus 

 far collected by Government or private parties. 



I-The cradles, as constructed l)v the majority otour Indians of to-day, con- 

 sist of a frame of wood, with a back, composed either of a piece of raw-hide 

 or a network f)f thonirs or cords of buckskin. As these substances are more 

 or le.ss yieldin;j:, the pressure is not so great as where a piece of board was 

 used for Ihe same pinpo>e. '■ \n Xicaratrna," says Bancroft, " the heads of 

 infants were flattened; the jx-ople lielieved that the custom had been origin- 

 ally introduced by the gods: that the compressed forehead was the sign 

 of noble blood and the highest type of beauty: and. besides, that the 

 liead was thus belter ada])ted to the carrying of burdens. In Yucatan, ac- 

 cording to Landa, the same custom obtained. Four or tive days after birtli 

 the child was laid with the face down on a l)ed and the head was compressed 

 ))etween two pieces of wood, one on the forehead and the other on the back 

 of the head, the boards being kei)t in phice for several days until the de.sired 



