912 EEPOBT— 1892. 



5. On some Facial Characters of the Ancient Egyptians. 

 By Professor A. Macalister. 



6. On some very Ancient Skeletons from Medum, Egypt, 

 By J. G. Garson, M.D. 



The series consists of twelve skeletons and several skulls obtained by Mr. 

 Flinders Petrie from Medum, in Egj^pt, and bave been determined by bimto belong 

 to the fourth dynasty, which dates from 3800 to 4000 B.C. If this is correct these 

 bones are the remains of persons who lived, in round numbers, about 6,000 years 

 ago. 



Stature. — Estimated from the length of the femur and tibia, according to the 

 European standard, the average stature of the people they represent would have 

 been about 1'64 metre, or 5 feet 4i inches. 



The average lengths of the tibia and radius are the same as in Europeans, accord- 

 ing to Rollett's averages, but those of the femur and humerus are shorter. The 

 proportion which the tibia bears to the femur is as 83-5 to 100, that in Europeans 

 is 80'4, and in the negro it is 82"9. The radio-humeral index in the Medum speci- 

 mens is 7S'S, in Europeans 72'5, and in negroes 79. It is very apparent, therefore, 

 that the proportions of both the upper and lower limbs of the Medum skeletons 

 agree closely with those of negroes, and difiFer essentially from those of Europeans. 



The pelvic measurements give a brim index of 85'7, while in the European it is 

 80, and in the negro 89. In this respect the negro affinity is not so marked as in 

 . the limbs, but still the pelvic characters are more negro than European. 



The characters of the skull agree generally with those of Egyptians of later 

 date. The muscular ridges are moderately well developed, the sutures are simple 

 in character and either open or nearly obliterated. The cephalic index averages 

 75-8. This is almost the same as that of ancient Egyptians measured by Broca, 

 which averaged 75'3. Ten of the Medum specimens are dolichocephalic, eleven 

 are mesaticephalic, and two are brachycephalic (the limits of these groups being 

 respectively 70 to 74-9, 75 to 79-9, and 80 to 84-9). The cephalic index of Nubians 

 and negroes ranges from 73 to 75 ; that of Europeans is 78. 



The nasal index of the Medum slaills averages 47'9, while that of Nubians is 

 55'1, and that of Europeans is 46. Ten of the Medum specimens are leptorhine, 

 seven are mesorhine, and two are platyrhine. 



The orbital index of the Medum skulls averages 86'8, the gnathic index is 

 95"5, the upper face index (Kollmann) is 56'4, and the total face index (Kollmann) 

 84"8, the Stephanie index is 90S, and the bigonial is 75. 



7. On a SJiull from Port Talhof, Glamorganshire. 

 By C. Phillips, B.A. 



8. On Trepanning -the Human Skull in Prehistoric Times. 

 By Robert Munro, M.A., M.D. 



A few years ago the Most Hon. the iMarquis of Bute, K.T., presented to the 

 National Museum of Scotland some portions of the osseous remains of a human 

 body which were taken out of a grave near Mountstuart House, on the island of 

 Bute. Along with these bones were also found an urn, a jet necklace, and a small 

 bit of thin bronze of an indeterminate character, all of which justified the opinion 

 that the interment took place in the early Bronze Age. 



According to Dr. Beddoe, to whom these bones were submitted for examination, 

 their owner was a young woman whose wisdom teeth had not yet appeared. 



But the special point to which Dr. Munro directed attention was a cup-shaped 

 hollow, situated on the left side of the frontal bone, and having in its centre a 

 small perforation. This hoUow lay immediately above the temporal fossa, and its 



