Physical anthropology of the Lenape or Delawares, and of the eastern Indians in general

XX.  MUNSEE CRANIA: SUPRAORBITAL RIDGES

NASION DEPRESSION

The depression at the ridge of the nose is generally well marked in male Indian crania, but is mostly shallow in the female specimens. The depression is never narrow, like a deep line, as in some of the negroes; and in the females it is usually quite wide from above downward. The skulls of the series under consideration show nothing very exceptional in this respect.

XXI.  MUNSEE CRANIA: NASION DEPRESSION

NASAL BRIDGE

The development of the nasal bridge differs among the Indians more or less from tribe to tribe, hence it would be erroneous to assume that all Indians, or even a majority in some of the tribes, had high noses. On the other hand, the nasal bridge is never flat and short as in the negro. In the females, as among the whites, the bridge is generally lower than in the males. The observations on the Munsee, among 17 cases in which the bridge is preserved, show 10 of medium height and 7 submedium to low.

XXII.  MUNSEE CRANIA: NASAL BRIDGE

NASAL BONES

The chief feature of the nasal bones to which the student usually directs attention is their breadth. There is on this continent a frequency of especially narrow nasals among the Eskimo. Among the Indians, narrow nasal bones occur only exceptionally; more commonly they are rather broad, though the breadth is not excessive. In the present series we find them fairly broad in all the males and in two of the females; narrow (not excessively) in only two of the females.

XXIII.  MUNSEE CRANIA: NASAL BONES

NASAL APERTURE

The features of chief interest with respect to the nasal aperture are the fullness or sharpness of the inferior borders, the presence or absence of subnasal fossæ or simian gutters, and pronounced asymmetry. Among the 19 Munsee skulls in which these features can be studied, there are only one instance of moderate grooves and three cases of moderate asymmetry. The lower borders are fairly sharp, more so than the average in many other Indians.

XXIV.  MUNSEE CRANIA: LOWER BORDERS
OF NASAL APERTURE

NASAL SPINE

On the whole the nasal spine reaches its most pronounced development, especially in height, in the modern whites. It is rudimentary or absent in the anthropoid apes, and seldom reaches marked development in the yellow-brown and black races. Among Indians it ranges from rudimentary or very low to fairly well developed. In the Munsee, as shown by the accompanying figures, it was mostly very low to submedium.

XXV.  MUNSEE CRANIA: NASAL SPINE

ORBITS

In the majority of skulls under consideration, the orbits offer nothing special morphologically; in a number of instances, however, there is an exceptional conformation, the details of which are shown in the table which follows. The data accentuate the fact, already shown by the measurements, of the considerable range of fluctuation in these features, which, however, seems in this case to have little if any anthropological significance, although it may be due in part to admixture with other people.

XXVI.  MUNSEE CRANIA: ORBITS

SUBORBITAL FOSSÆ

These depressions in the upper maxillæ, which, strictly speaking, have only indirect relation to the canine teeth and do not deserve the old name of “canine fossæ,” are generally less well marked or hollowed out in the Indian than in whites, although there is considerable individual variation. In the Munsee, in more than half the skulls, they are shallow to very shallow.

XXVII.  MUNSEE CRANIA:
SUBORBITAL (CANINE) FOSSÆ

These fossæ are of evolutionary significance. In the anthropoid apes they are either entirely wanting or very nearly so, the region being in fact often moderately convex; and the same is true, so far as the evidence is available, of early man to the latter part of the Neanderthal period.

MALAR BONES. ZYGOMÆ

The malars among the Munsee are of moderate development throughout, and none of the bones shows any complete or even appreciable partial division or other anomaly. The zygomatic processes are rather submedium in strength as compared with those of other Indians, particularly in the males.

In one of the male skulls (no. 285,313) the right zygoma is represented only by a pointed but otherwise unaltered base, the rest of the bone, up to the malar suture, being absent. In all probability this condition is the result of an old fracture, after which the larger part of the zygoma was lost or remained separated.

XXVIII.  MUNSEE CRANIA: THE MALARS; ZYGOMÆ

UPPER ALVEOLAR ARCH

The main feature for observation of the upper dental arch is its slant or prognathism, and conditions in this respect have already been shown in the main by the measurements. The inspection confirms the fact that in three of the female skulls the arch must be described as markedly slanting. In two cases, in both of which the vault of the skull is artificially deformed, the arch is asymmetric; in one of these, however, the asymmetry is evidently due to early loss of some of the teeth. In no case is there any special massiveness of the arch.

XXIX.  MUNSEE CRANIA:
UPPER ALVEOLAR ARCH

LOWER JAW

In 17 of the 20 Munsee skulls in which the lower jaw is present, the latter is of ordinary (Indian) dimensions and form; in one male and in one female it shows strong development. In a single instance only is the chin square; in the others it is moderately rounded. The prominence of the chin in all cases may be described as approximately medium.

XXX.  MUNSEE CRANIA: LOWER JAW

PALATE

The shape of the palate is determined by that of the upper dental arch. Of the skulls at hand, in 11 of the 22 cases the outlines of both the arch and the palate are elliptic, in 7 ovoid, and in 4 parabolic. The tendency toward the parabolic form is more marked in the females than in the males. The height of the palate shows nothing exceptional, and there is no torus worthy of notice.

XXXI.  MUNSEE CRANIA: PALATE

BASE OF THE SKULL

Glenoid fossæ.—In general the glenoid fossæ of the Indian skulls resemble those among the whites, but there is considerable individual variation, particularly in spaciousness of the hollows. Among the 22 Munsee crania, in 14 the fossæ are of ordinary form and of about medium dimensions; in one they are narrow antero-posteriorly, in 4 wide; in 1 case their axis is decidedly oblique, and in 2 the fossæ differ in depth on the two sides. The wide fossæ are more frequent in the females.

XXXII.  MUNSEE CRANIA: GLENOID FOSSÆ

Floor of auditory meatus.—Among the Indians, and particularly in the young, there are frequently found more or less pronounced defects or dehiscences (Hyrtl) in the floor of the auditory meatus. The frequency of these defects differs from locality to locality and probably from tribe to tribe. They are rather scarce in the Munsee, two-thirds of the crania showing no defect whatever, while of the remainder in only one instance was the perforation large. There seems to be a predominance of this condition in the females.

XXXIII.  MUNSEE CRANIA: DEFECTS
IN FLOOR OF AUDITORY MEATUS

Styloid processes.—Among the Indians the styloid processes seldom reach good development, although there is some difference in this respect among the tribes. In a great majority of Indian crania the styloid processes are more or less diminutive, and not seldom they are quite rudimentary or even absent, in the latter case usually only small bases being discernible. In the Munsee only four of the twenty-two skulls show styloids which approach the medium or average in whites; in seven the processes are decidedly submedium; and in eleven they are rudimentary.

XXXIV.  MUNSEE CRANIA: STYLOID PROCESSES

Middle lacerated foramina. Posterior lacerated foramina.—As repeatedly pointed out by the writer on former occasions, the middle lacerated foramina are structures of some importance. They are very small in the anthropoid apes, generally small in negro skulls, submedium to medium in the yellow-brown races and in less developed whites, and reach their maximum spaciousness in civilized modern white men. These differences are connected with the increase in the size of the brain. A growing brain not accompanied with a proportionate or equally rapid increase in the bony structures of the base of the skull (which seems to be most frequently the case) will cause a spreading and bulging of the basal parts, one result of which will be the increased size of the middle lacerated foramina. In the Munsee, in only two of the nineteen skulls in which the basal region is sufficiently well preserved for examination, the foramina about equal in size the average in whites; in nearly half of the remaining skulls they are submedium, and in slightly more than half they are small.

XXXV.  MUNSEE CRANIA: MIDDLE LACERATED FORAMINA;
POSTERIOR LACERATED FORAMINA

The posterior lacerated or jugular foramina are of interest chiefly because of their frequent and often marked inequality in size, which signifies inequality in the size of the lateral sinuses and especially of the internal jugular veins. The right foramen is frequently larger than the left, a phenomenon which has been associated with the prevailing right-handedness in man. In the nineteen Munsee skulls in which the foramina could be examined, they are of about equal size in only two instances; the right is larger in thirteen, or in two-thirds of the cases, while the left is the larger in only four instances. As the proportion of left-handed persons among the Indians averages only about three per cent, it is evident that in some instances the relation between a larger jugular canal and habitual greater use of the arm of the same side would not maintain; besides, we know the motor centers for the right arm and hand to be on the left side of the brain. Possibly greater blood pressure on the right side in right-handed persons, due directly and mechanically to the greater muscular activity on that side, would be a more satisfactory explanation.

Depressions of the petrous portions.—In examining the petrous parts in the usual way, with the skull turned base upward, it is observed that in modern men of all races, in the majority of cases, these parts are more or less depressed below the niveau of the surrounding parts. In reality, of course, the surrounding parts have been pressed outward by the developing brain, while the prismatic and resistant petrous parts remained behind. The grade of depression of the petrous parts stands generally in close correlation with the size of the middle lacerated foramina and is of parallel significance.[45] Among the anthropoid apes even a slight depression of the petrous portions is very rare, and most frequently, especially in the orang, these portions rise slightly above the surrounding structures. In the African negro, and occasionally in individual skulls of other inferior races, they are level with the surrounding parts. In better developed negro skulls, as in the majority of those of other primitive peoples, they are slightly to moderately depressed. In white men, and in superior skulls in general, the depression is frequently pronounced, especially, it seems, in the brachycephals. The Indian stands in a practically intermediate position between superior whites and the negroes, and the Munsee are no exception. In two of the skulls the depression is well marked; in three males and seven females it is less than the average in whites; and in two males and five females it is only slight. The females, it will be noted, make a poorer showing in this respect than the males.

XXXVI.  MUNSEE CRANIA: DEPRESSION OF
PETROUS PORTIONS

Pterygo-basal foramina. Posterior condylic foramina.—Interesting features of the base of the skull, to which Gruber and (in this country) Harrison Allen have called attention, are the foramina found occasionally at the base (or proximal part) of the external pterygoid plates. These foramina are seldom complete. They may be single, double, or even triple. They are formed by a process or by processes of bone which proceed upward and backward, and in some cases more or less outward, from the border of the external pterygoid plate. According to the insertion of these processes, the foramina to which they give rise can be divided into two classes, namely, the more frequent pterygo-spinous and the rarer pterygo-sphenoidal.

Their significance is not yet so clearly understood as is desirable. They are of some anthropological interest and occur quite frequently among Indians, especially in certain localities. Among the Munsee they were rather scarce, particularly in the females.

XXXVII.  MUNSEE CRANIA:
PTERYGO-BASAL FORAMINA;
POSTERIOR CONDYLIC FORAMINA

Posterior condylic foramina.—These are canals which transmit the posterior condylic vein and are of interest only because of their more or less frequent absence from one or both sides in different racial groups. In the Munsee they are exceptionally normal, as will be seen from the preceding figures.

MISCELLANEOUS ANOMALIES

In addition to the peculiarities shown in the preceding paragraphs, the Munsee skulls present a number of anomalous conditions which deserve to be mentioned.

In male skull no. 285,306 the right occipital condyle is flat, the left being normal; there was no injury or arthritis.

In male skull no. 285,326 there is an accessory facet posteriorly to the left condyle.

In female skull no. 285,311 there are two moderate precondylar tubercles.

In male skull no. 285,313 and female skull no. 285,312 there is a moderate medio-basilar (“pharyngeal”) fossa.

In female skull no. 285,320 the carotid canals in the petrous parts are usually large, measuring 7 mm. in major diameter.

In female skull no. 285,311 a canal, 6 by 4.5 mm., is present just posteriorly to the right angular process, in the frontal bone and the spheno-frontal suture.

Finally, there is a series of anomalies relating to the spinous and oval foramina. They are as follows:

Male skull no. 285,303: The median wall of the left foramina spinosum and ovale is deficient.

Female skull no. 285,310: Median wall of right spinous foramen deficient.

Female skull no. 285,347: Median wall of left spinous foramen deficient.

Female skull no. 285,320: Median wall of each spinous foramen deficient.

Female skull no. 285,323: Right foramina spinosum and ovale connected, and the median wall of both deficient.

Female skull no. 285,311: The left foramen ovale is unusually large, 8.5 by 4.5 mm., while the right is enormous, 10 by 8 mm. (pl. 21).

The Teeth

Dentition.—Of the 22 skulls of Munsee adults at hand it is possible to ascertain the state of dentition in 14. In 11 of these cases there were 32 teeth in each, while in three there were 31. The congenital deficiency consisted in one case of the third left upper molar; in the second, the third left upper molar is completely absent, while the right corresponding tooth is rudimentary; and in the third there is a congenital absence of the left lower lateral incisor, while on the right side we find the very rare condition of a complete fusion of the lower lateral incisor and the canine (pl. 22).

Loss and decay.—Teeth lost through caries and the presence of decay are common in this series, more so than in other Indian groups. Among the males, 13 per cent of all the teeth were lost in life, while 12 per cent of those still present show more or less decay; among the females 21 per cent were lost in life and 16 per cent of those present show caries—this notwithstanding the fact that the average age of the female skulls was less than that of the males. The teeth lost or affected were mostly the molars, especially those in the lower jaw.

Wear.—In every instance the remaining teeth show more or less pronounced effects of wear. Where the wear is advanced, it is generally also irregular. The detailed notes show that the wear is slight in eight, moderate in five, and advanced in nine of the 22 specimens.

Size, quality, shovel-shaped incisors.—In size the Munsee teeth in all cases are medium. Where not decayed or worn off they show invariably regular and normal development. The upper incisors present in every case the cingulum which gives their lingual surface a more or less pronounced shovel-shaped character, common to and characteristic of all Indians, with rare individual exceptions.

Anomalies.—The anomalies of the teeth are always of considerable interest, being mainly either reversive or degenerative (progressively) in character. The skulls observed indicate the following conditions:

Male no. 285,301: A small supernumerary tooth between and on the labial side of the left lower second and third molars. The lateral upper incisors in this skull are somewhat abnormal lingually, their surface appearing as if rolled together from side to side, so that the tooth is cylindrical in form and its shovel-like hollow has become almost a cavity.

In male no. 285,303: The third right upper molar is diminutive.

In male no. 285,305: The third lower right molar is impacted, its vertical axis tending forward and upward.

In male no. 285,326: The third right upper molar is diminutive.

In female no. 285,305 is present the aforementioned fusion of the right lower lateral incisor and canine. The resultant tooth appears like a broad stout incisor (pl. 22).

In female no. 285,310: The crown of the right lower third molar is unusually large (13.5 mm. long by 12 mm. broad) and looks like that of a fused double tooth, but both first and second molars are present. The opposite tooth is also larger than ordinary, but the upper corresponding teeth are normal.

Finally, in no. 285,311 the third right upper molar is rudimentary.

Cuspids.—Many of the molars present were so worn that a determination of their cuspid formulæ was impossible. The better preserved teeth showed the interesting conditions detailed in the following table:

XXXVIII.  MUNSEE CRANIA: MOLARS;
CUSPIDARY FORMULÆ

Upper Molars

It will be observed that the 29 first upper molars have all four regular cusps, while all the first lower molars have five. The second upper molars vary in the males, but show all three ordinary and one small cusp (the posterior lingual) in the females. The wisdom teeth fluctuate considerably in both sexes, both as to size and to form.

Summary of Measurements and
Observations on the Crania

A summary of the results of the examination and measurements of the Munsee skulls includes the following points of interest:

A number of the specimens show traces of intentional fronto-occipital deformation, which is completely absent among other Indian tribes of the northeastern and Middle Atlantic States; and several of the skulls are of distinctly extraneous type. Both of these conditions point to admixture, which in all probability came from the southwestward and may have been due to Shawnee influence during the last few decades of the occupancy by the Munsee of the upper Delaware.

The crania that can be safely accepted as belonging to the Munsee themselves, and which are not deformed, are characterized by moderate dolichocephaly to mesocephaly and a high vault. They are not thick-walled and show fair capacity.

The face is of moderate dimensions and lacks prognathism. The facial index ranges from mild chamœprosopy to mild leptoprosopy.

The orbits are very variable, but the majority are mesoseme.

The nose is rather short, but fairly broad; the average index is mesorhinic.

The palate is of only moderate length, but fairly broad; its index in both sexes is brachy-uranic.

The lower jaw is of moderate dimensions throughout.

The teeth are medium in size.

Descriptive features.—The forehead is chiefly of medium development in the males, in the females frequently somewhat low.

The sagittal region shows more or less arching, in no case extreme; the temporo-parietal region and the occiput present mostly medium forms.

Serration of cranial sutures is submedium to very submedium. Wormian and other intercalated bones are scarce. The order of occlusion of sutures among the males was S-C-TO-L; among the females TO-S-C-L (see page 35).

The pterions are all of the H type, with tendency to narrow in males, medium to broad in females.

Parietal foramina are few in number and small, retromastoid foramina moderate to small.

The mastoid processes and the supraorbital ridges present ordinary development and variation; no excess.

The nasion depression is well marked in the males, mostly shallow in the females; nasal bridge is medium to submedium, nasal bones of fair breadth; lower borders of the nasal aperture are mostly fairly sharp, and with one exception there are no simian grooves or subnasal fossæ; nasal spine ranges from very low to submedium.

The orbits show exceptional variation in form, as they do in measurements; suborbital (canine) fossæ are shallow to medium; malar bones are of but moderate development, without anomalies; zygomæ average somewhat submedium as compared with those of other Indians.

The upper alveolar arch is mostly of very moderate slant and free from abnormalities. The lower jaw is of ordinary form, without anomalies. The palate in half the cases is elliptic, in two-thirds of the remainder ovoid, and in one-third parabolic; it is in no case exceptionally low or very high, and there is no torus.

Base.—The glenoid fossæ in a majority of the crania show usual form and medium dimensions, but tend to wideness in a number of the females; dehiscences in the floor of the auditory meatus are, for Indians, scarce.

The styloid processes reach medium development in but few instances, and they are frequently rudimentary.

The middle lacerated foramina are mostly submedium to small; depression of petrous portions prevalently submedium to slight. The posterior lacerated or jugular foramina are, as usual, in a majority of the cases larger on the right side. Pterygo-basal foramina are scarce.

Anomalies observed on the skulls pertain mostly to the basal structures, particularly the condyles and the sphenoidal foramina.

Teeth.—Dentition was remarkably regular, but decay and loss of teeth in life were relatively more frequent than in other Indians; upper incisors, especially the middle, are shovel-shaped lingually, as usual in Indians. More or less wear of the teeth in the adults is present in every instance. Dental anomalies, while few in number, comprise a case of special interest: a perfect fusion of canine and incisor.