Contributions to tlie Anthropology of the East Greenlanders. Iß9 



that a peculiar significance attaches to this anomaly, as an instance 

 of an organ that is on the point of becoming rudimentary in a 

 race which stands high in intellectual development; the expla- 

 nation being, either that the maxillary parts are thrust back to 

 make room for the development of the cranium proper, or that 

 they do not stand in need of such a powerfully developed set of 

 teeth as races which still remain at a lower stage of development. 

 This theory, which was tentativelj^ put forward first by Darwin^) 

 and afterwards confirmed by Mantegazza^) after direct examination 

 of a large number of skulls, is certainly very attractive, but hardly 

 deserves the response with which it was so speedily met. Quite apart 

 from the questionableness of intruding the intelligence into a purely 

 anatomical question, it will first have to be substantiated that the 

 occurrence of the third molar really is so intimately connected 

 with the development of the maxillary parts of the skull as has 

 been presumed. 



At anj' rate as regards the East Greenlanders, who have the 

 maxillary parts uncommonly well developed, and whose whole 

 mode of life renders a strong set of teeth particularly necessary, an 

 anomaly of the kind cannot be placed in conjunction with this 

 theory. Out of fifteen skulls eight have one or more wdsdom teeth 

 missing. Nor is the absence of front teeth in two of these skulls 

 altogether devoid of interest, particularly as it does not seem to be 

 a consequence of disease. 



The lower jaws attached to the skulls are powerfully formed, 

 high, and above all very thick, their inner surface being markedly 

 protruding, rounded, and without any special prominence of linea 

 mylohyoidea. This peculiarity, which is common enough among the 

 Eskimo and certain Siberian tribes, but is otherwise exceedingly rare, 

 must be regarded as a hyperostosis of the same nature as the 

 so-called torus palatinus. It is a partly pathological formation due 

 to a peculiar mode of life rather than a true morphological mark 

 of race. 



It has not been found possible to measure the breadth over the 

 anguli with any accuracy , as all these lower jaw s have straight- 

 ened themselves out a little under the influence of air and damp, 

 as in fact has already been observed by K. J. V. Steenstrup as re- 

 gards the skulls he has collected in North Greenland^). 



1) Darwin: Descent of man. I, p. 26. 



-) Mantegazza : II terzo molare nelle razze umane. Reale institute Lombardo. 



Rendiconti. Ser. 2 T. XI, p. 440. 

 3) Meddelelser om Grønland. V, p. 23. 



