42 ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND RACE*BIOLOGICAL RESEARCHES 



with a strong admixture of mesocephals, but only a slight addition of brachycephals. 

 (Crania Suecica antiqua page 162.) During the time of transition from the stone 

 age to the bronze age and during the first periods of the latter the inhabitants in 

 regard to anthropology did not either form a pure race, but were still for the 

 most part dolichocephalic, and showed only a small admixture of meso* and 

 brachycephals. (Crania Suecica antiqua page 170.) During the iron age also the 

 inhabitants were not either a pure unmixed race, but formed a mixture of pure 

 dolichocephals, meso*dolichocephals and brachycephals. The pure dolichocephals 

 were however the preponderating type. (Crania Suecica antiqua page 172.) Crania 

 suecica antiqua is therefore in the highest degree, according to Kollmann, a most 

 important support for the conclusion respecting the constancy of the ancient races, 

 towards which for the rest all the facts of the craniology point more and more 

 decidedly. 



Anthropologia Suecica has a previous history: On the initiative of Gustaf 

 Retzius the Anthropological Society was founded in Stockholm, March 15th 1873, 

 and already in 1875 it began to give out the Journal of Anthropology and 

 Culture-history*. After the return of A. E. Nordenskiold from his voyage 

 in the Vega, the society was expanded to include geography also and was now 

 named: The Swedish Anthropological and Geographical Society*, and its organ 

 was now called Ymer, a journal published by the Swedish Anthropological and 

 Geographical Society*. Within this society the thought was adopted of bringing 

 about a comprehensive statisticaUanthropological investigation regarding the Swedish 

 people in the same way as had been done in several other countries with lively 

 interest. Gustaf Retzius had already in 1862 and 1863 planned and even begun 

 such an investigation, but was obliged to postpone the work. 



In the year 1888 the Archaeologist Dr. Hans Hildebrand emphasized strongly 

 that such an investigation ought to be made in this country. But it was first in 

 1896 that the thought came to the surface. Dr. Vilh. Hultkrantz then made the 

 proposal that the statistical-anthropological investigation in question should be 

 started. Dr. Hultkrantz and Professor Retzius were entrusted with the task of 

 preparing the question. The Government was petitioned to allow an anthropology 

 ical investigation to be made on the conscripts of Sweden. Arrangements were 

 made with several younger colleagues, professors, physicians and doctors, who 

 were initiated ready for the work, and in the years 1897 and 1898 the invest* 

 igation took place. The whole contingent of the conscripts for both those years, 

 about 45,000 men altogether of the age . of 21 years, were then measured and 

 examined according to the following plan: place of birth: that of the young man 

 as well as that of his father and mother, height of the body in standing and sitting 

 position; breadth of embrace: from finger-tip to finger-tip; skull: greatest length 

 (Glabella-occ.) and greatest breadth; type of face: oval or round; colour of the 

 eyes: blue, grey, mixed, or brown; colour of the hair: yellow, cendre, brown, 

 black or red. (Anthrop. Suec. page 38). 



The arrangement and study of the material which had been collected from all 

 parts of Sweden was carried out by G. Retzius and Carl M. Fiirst, G. Retzius 

 taking upon himself the working up of the measurements, and Carl M. Fiirst the 

 task respecting the colour of the eyes and hair, after which in collaboration they 



