TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 289 



6. The Anthropology of Cyprm. By L. H. Dudley Buxton, M.A. 



The enquiry into the anthropology, of Cyprus was undertaken in the autumn 

 of 1913, under the general direction of Professor J. L. Myres. During the course 

 of the enquiry 557 adult males were meaeured, and a' small number of adult 

 females. A large number of observations on school children were also taken. A 

 number of skuJls from bronze age and other sets were collected. 



The villages in which measurements were made may be divided into four 

 groups, namely, Group I., the North Coast villages, Lapethos Karabas, Hagios 

 Ambrosios, Akanthar; Group II., Eastern INIesoaria villages, Crihomi Limnea, 

 Hagios Sergios; Group III., Levkoniko; Group TV., Nicosia, Kythria, and 

 various villages in the neighbourhood. Groups I. and II. may be taken as 

 typical groups. The mean head breadth of all groups is similar, viz. 149 mm. 

 In the cas3 of head length two subdivisions occur, viz. those groups with a head 

 length of 182 mm. (typical Group I. 220 male.';), and those with a head length of 

 178 mm. (typical Group II. 167 males). The mean head length for Cyprus (557 

 males) is 180 mm., which seems to show that these two subdivieione are equally 

 divided. It is not improbable that this division may suggest, in view of the 

 la.rge nu^nber of observations, that two racial elements are really present, as a 

 difference of 4 mm. appears to be significant. The two divisions do not, how- 

 ever, suggest the orthodox division into Mediterranean and Alpine types, but 

 the matter is not at present sufficiently certain. 



It appears, as far as the few skulls examined at present can be counted as 

 evidence, that the ancient types closely correspond to the modern types. The 

 means for .both the whole collection of crania and that of bronze age crania are 

 as follows : Cranial length, 177 mm. ; cranial breadth, 140 mm. This gives a 

 difference of 9 mm. in breadth between the living and the dead, and a difference 

 of 3 mm. in length between the dead and the living in Cyprus as a whole, but a 

 difference of 5 mm. between the inhabitants of modern Lapethos and Karabas 

 and the ancient inhabitants of the same place. No great change is at present 

 therefore apparent. It is possible that when a greater number of crania are 

 available the two groups, if two groups there be, may be differentiated. 



It should be noted in connexion with these facts that most of crania came 

 from places where the largest number of observations upon the living were made, 

 and also that the groups were selected not haphazard nor to fit the figures, but 

 on a geographical basis. It was only after the grouping was made that the 

 possibility of ethnological subdivisions became apparent. 



With this series of anthropological measurements another gap in our know- 

 ledge of the ethnology of the Eastern Mediterranean has been filled. Several 

 gaps still remain, of which the mo.st important appears to be Southern Anatolia. 



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 

 The following Papers and Report were read : — 



1. Stonework and Goldfields in Papua. By E. W. Pearson 



Chinnery.^ 



The following stone objects have been unearthed, many feet below the 

 surface of goldfields, in the mountainous districts of the interior of Papua by 

 European miners engaged in gold-digging : — 



Pestles (some of them carved to represent birds with snake-like heads, 



and some of them encircled by knobs). 

 Mortar of granite (surrounded by knobs). 

 Axe head of. obsidian. 



Natives have unearthed in one of these goldfields (Yodda) : — 



Quartz objects of various shapes with holes pierced through them (these 



were converted by the finders into stone clubs). 

 Granite mortar {which holds rain water and is now used as a mirror). 



* See Journ. Anthropological Inst., Dec. 1919. 



