Sullivan — Samoan Somatology 



95 



Table XLII. Anthropometric Characters 



MALE 67 TO 70 PERSONS FEMALE 20 TO 23 PERSONS 



Character Average E. S.D. v. in % Average E. S.D. V. in % 



Stature (cm.) 171.7 .63 5.25 3.05 161.2 1.02 4.92 3.05 



Head length (mm.) 190.6 .69 5.69 2.98 183.0 1.08 5.22 2.85 



Head width 154.8 .54 4.46 2.88 148.1 .80 3.87 2.61 



\Minimum frontal diameter 103.4 .72 5.98 5.78 101.5 .82 3.96 3.90 



Maximum face width 145.9 .63 5.23 3.59 136.5 .79 3.79 2^77 



Bigonial diameter 104.6 .62 5.13 4.90 99.6 .82 3.93 3.96 



Vnatomical face height 131.1 .79 6.56 5.00 121.1 1.33 6.41 5.30 



Nose height 59.8 .43 3.64 6.09 54.3 .94 4.53 8.34 



Nose width 43.8 .31 2.59 5.91 41.2 .90 2.56 6.21 



Ear height ..- 66.1 .50 4.23 6.39 61.2 .69 3.33 5.44 



Ear width 35.2 .33 2.76 7.84 33.6 .48 2.30 6.84 



CephaHc index 81.3 .42 3.53 4.34 80.8 .62 2.98 3.68 



Fronto-parietal index 66.8 .40 3.30 4.94 68.8 .65 3.12 4.54 



■^Cephalo-facial index 94.2 .34 2.84 3.01 92.4 .54 2.63 2.84 



Jugo-mandibular index 71.7 .46 3.84 5.42 72.5 .72) 3.50 4.83 



Jugo-frontal index 70.9 .43 3.55 5.01 74.5 .69 3.34 4.49 



^ Anatomical face index 89.9 .59 4.87 5.42 89.8 1.05 5.03 5.60 



Nasal index 73.6 .70 5.86 7.96 76.3 1.66 7.99 10.47 



Physiognomic ear index 53.3 .46 3.79 7.11 54.9 .94 4.53 8.25 



DISCUSSION 



The results speak for themselves and need little discussion. Attention 

 should be called to the fact that the average anatomical face height and the average 

 nasal height as given in these tables stand very high in the total range for these 

 two measurements. In fact they are among the very highest values so far recorded. 

 As we have no comparative data on this matter and as these two dimensions are diffi- 

 cult to take, the results should be regarded as merely tentative. While it is obvious 

 that the Polynesians have massive faces, it is not so obvious that they exceed all other 

 peoples in these measurements. Although I have every confidence in the accuracy 

 of these measurements as a whole, I am convinced from my own experience 

 that when dealing with anatomical face height and nasal height a generous allow- 

 ance must be made for individual differences in technique. The nasion is particu- 

 larly hard to locate if the nasal bridge is low. As the amount of fleshy tissue on 

 the chin varies considerably in dift'erent persons, the same degree of pressure may 

 yield quite dift'erent results. Furthermore when taking face height it is absolutely 

 necessary to be sure that the teeth are in proper occlusion, for even when the mouth 

 is closed and the lips together, the teeth are not necessarily in occlusion. The non- 

 occlusion of the teeth adds from 4 to 8 millimeters to the anatomical face height. 

 While the probabilities are that these two measurements were properly taken, 

 attention is called to these chances for mismeasurement. 



As previously mentioned comparative data from Samoa is practically non- 

 existent. Deniker, on the basis of 25 male Samoans, gives the average stature as 

 172.6 centimeters or slightly greater than our average of 171. 7. His cephalic 

 index is also somewhat higher — 82.7 as compared with our 81.2. Our average is 

 much lower than others previously recorded for this area. Deniker gives the 



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