

HUMAN BONES IN THE CAVE OF CEO-MAGNON. 75 



B. Determination of the Sex and Age. 



The size, the development of the processes, the muscular depressions in a word everything here indicates 

 the male sex. The condition of the sutures and of the only remaining tooth, the aged projection of th< 

 chin, &c. show us that this man had passed his sixtieth year. Indeed, excepting the posterior portion of 

 the sagittal suture, the squamous suture, the upper end and some small lateral traces of the larnbdoid, 

 and, lastly, excepting the spheno-temporal at the hase of the skull, all the sutures are soldered up, leaving 

 no trace. At the same time the left parietal foramen is still quite visible, though very small. 



Is this almost complete obliteration of the cranial sutures to be attributed solely to the effect of age ? 

 We may doubt it, since in the normal state the soldering of the sagittal commences at its posterior third ; 

 whilst in this skull the progress of obliteration has been in the contrary direction. 



Judging by a stump of the penultimate upper molar, this old man's teeth had been worn down to the 

 crown. What is more, this stump is surrounded below with a plate of crushed enamel, which laterally laps 

 over much of the root. The dentine and the canal are visible in the centre of the tooth. 



C. Morphology. 



This skull so stands on its mastoid processes and dentary arch that the sockets of the incisors remain 

 in the air (C. Plate I. fig. 1). Seen from above (C. Plate II. fig. 1), it presents an oblong form, narrowing 

 gradually towards the forehead. The crown is marked on the sides with the semicircular lines or temporal 

 ridges, and on the top with the elevated ridge of the sagittal suture, where the parietals unite, almost like an 

 ass's back. The gradual narrowing towards the median line of the summit is equally pronounced on the 

 coronal suture, where a projection- following the same line is neatly drawn above the frontal region. 



In front view this skull has very decided characters. In general form the face has the lozenge-shape 

 almost as well pronounced as in an Esquimaux skull ; the latter, however, differs in all other particulars. 

 If we establish a horizontal plane at the level of the lower edges of the malar bones, and follow at the 

 sides of the face the line bordering the malo-orbital processes in their prolongation to the forehead, we shall 

 have on each side a line strongly inclined inwards, meeting with that of the opposite side to form a triangle, 

 the base of which is at the lower rim of the broad cheek-bones, and the point of intersection at the apex of 

 the forehead. If we then adjust the lower jaw to the skull, and, again starting from the aforesaid plane, 

 follow the contour downwards to the chin, we shall have a reversed triangle, and consequently a lozenge- 

 form in the general outline (C. Plate I. fig. 1). 



The anatomical details of the face combine, on the one hand, in producing this general form ; and, on 

 the other, they impress on the countenance its altogether peculiar stamp. 



In the first place, the forehead is marked by very short superciliary ridges, not very prominent, and 

 uniting at the glabella, which however shows no particular prominence. A slight depression traverses the 

 brow ; and above this the forehead rises with a bumpy surface. This conformation of the forehead and 

 brow is accompanied by a receding of the sides towards the temples, already commencing at the level of the 

 orbital arches, and, at first very moderate, rapidly increasing as the lateral slope of the forehead approaches 

 the crown. Hence the formation of the triangle of the frontal bone. 



If then from the forehead we descend to the orbital region, we first recognize the great depth of the 

 orbits and the convergence of their axes, and then their enormous transverse diameter. This conformation 

 of the orbital opening is connected above with the excessive development of the external angular process 

 of the frontal bone, which, large and directed outward, usurps the outer two-thirds of the orbital arch. 

 On its side, to unite the lower with the upper orbital rim, the upper maxillary sends a broad process to 

 the malar, high, not hollowed, and with its lower border turned laterally outwards, enlarging the base of 



