350 American Antiquarian Society. [April,

CRANIUM FROM PROGRESO. YUCATAN.1ÏY FRANZ BOAS.

CRANIA from Yucatan are extremely rare, only two havingbeon described heretofore. One has been described byJohn L. Stephens (Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, NewYork, 1843, Vol. I., p. 276 ff.), the other by R. Vircbow(Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft fur Anthropologie, Eth-nologie und ürgeschicbto, Berlin, 18S7, p. 451). A thirdspecimen came into the possession of Mr. Stephen Salisburya. few years ago and is preserved in the Library of tbeAmerican Antiquarian Society at Worcester. It forms tbesubject of the foUoyving notice. The eranium was pre-sented to Mr. Salisbury by Mr. F. Ybarra, and accompa-nied by the following letter, dated Mérida, December i)tli,1883 :—

' ' I send you by this mail a box containing a human skull.The same was given me to-day as a present by Dr. DonFrancisco Rubio, wbo received it from a friond of his inProgreso, in wbicb place it was found while making exca-vations for the building of a house. Progreso is onr port-of-entry. With this relic were found otber human remainsand some pieces of ancient pottery of little account, accord-ing to tbe information received, because they differed in noway from pieces of the same material found freijuently invarious parts of the Peninsula. The skull attracted atten-tion on account of its shape, and for this reason the gentle-man who bad the excavation made, presented it to Dr. Riibio,from whom I readily obtained it in your name as one whohas given so many proofs of competency in all that concernsantiquities, and especially our dear Yucatan. We may saythat the antiquity of the skull is incontestable, as it comes

CRANIUM FROM PROGRESO, YUCATAN,IN THE LiiiRAUT or THK AMBHICAN ANTIQUAKIAN SOCIETY.

1NORMA LATERALIS.

2

NORMA VERTICALIS.

1890.] Cranium from Progreso^ Yucatan. 351

from a plaee in which, according to all information, no per-manent town existed. Moreover, on account of the otherobjects found with this relic, we are led to believe thatit comes from the 'Flat-Heads' (eabesas ehatas). TheReverend Father Carrillo, whom without doubt you knowby reputation, makes reference to tbe Flat-Heads in his'Ancient History of Yucatan,'' explaining the manner inwliich the aneient Indians proceeded in order to modify thesha[)e of the skull, compre.ssing the heads of the ciiildrenbetween two boards. He does not indicate, however, wliatobject they had for this operation, of which he speaks asone of the odd habits of the ancient inhabitants of thiscountry. On the arrival of the skull to-day, the ReverendFather Carrillo, whose opinion is worthy of respect, toldme, that, notwithstanding the perfeet preservation in whiehthe skull was found, lie considered it beyond a doubt thatit belonged to an individual of the Flat-Heads, this beingthe first time that he had had the satisfaction of seeins: a com-píete skull of this tribe or race. Indeed, many endeavorshave been made until now, and especially by Dr. Berendton his various visits to this Peninsula, without his beingable to seeure more than rather small fragments of skullsof this class, and it has not been possible to obtain com-plete ones belonging to the Flat-Heads. We cannot helpconsidering the preservation of our relic through so manycenturies, very remarkable. It has been observed that onour coast human bodies arc frequently mummified in themost perfeet manner without any preparation. The reasonsfor this faet have never been investigated or, better, havenever been published. Investigations relating to thehuman remains of the aneient Indians have always beencarried on in the interior of the eountry, and there theseremains have always been found converted into dust. I

1 Historia 8ntii,'ua dc Yucatan. Mórida de Yucatan, 1883, p . 277. See HerreraTV.. 10, 3.

352 American Antiquarian Society. [April,

wish to assure you most definitely that this is the first skullof any Flat-Head, that since a long time lias been foundentire in those parts. The deformity of the same showsthat it is not accidental."

The writer then goes on to propound a theory that theIndians may have practised the custom of doforming theheads of children in consequence of their knowledge ofphrenology, " in order to unfold that charitable, mild, pa-cific character which is distinctive of the type of the Flat-Heads."

I will give here at once the report of the finding of theskull descril)cd by Virchow. It was sent to Prof. Virchowby Dr. H. Curschmann of Hamburg, on June 25th, 1887.Dr. Curschmann says, regarding the find: '*I received theskull from a gentleman in Mérida, who has unearthed ithimself. It was found in one of the mounds that are sonumerous in that country, and are ascribed to the aborig-ines. These mounds are built of earth and stones, theirheight [and size?] is said to vary according to the import-ance of the person buried in them. They contain in addi-tion to the bodies, vessels of earthenware, clay figures andstone axes. A clay mask, arms and logs were found withthe present skull. * * * The bodies are said to havel)een buried without having been enclosed in aeofiin. Theheads, howovor, wero covered with clay vessels, specimensof whieh are very difficult to obtain, as the natives breakthem, whenever they find them, probably on account ofsome unknown superstition. The skull was unearthed ontho Peninsula of Yucatan, between Mórida and CapoCatoche [about 88° W. L. Greenw.]."

The cranium described by Stephens was found in theruins of Ticul, about thirty miles south of Mórida. Fol-lowing is an abstract of his report of the find and a descrip-tion of the cranium : We opened a large structure, withsidos four feet high, the top being covered over with earthand stones bodded in it. It stood in a small cornfield mid-

1890.] Cranium/rom Progreso, Yucatan. 353

way between two high mounds which had evidently beenimportant structures, and from its position, seemed to havesome direct connection w'ith them. Unlike most of theruined structures around, it was entire, with every stonein its place, and probably had not been disturbed, since theearth and stones had been packed down on the top. * * *In digging down, tho Indians found fhe inner side of theouter wall, and the whole interior was loose earth andstones, with some layers of large flat stones, the whole veryrough. * * * * ^ e continued the work six hours, andthe whole appearance of things was so rude that we beganfo despair of success, when, on prying up a lai'ge flat stonewe saw underneath a skull. • » * * The skeleton hadno covering or envelope of any kind, the earth was thrownupon it as in a common grave, and as this was removed itfell to pieces. It was in a sitting posture, with its facetowards the setting sun. The knees were bent ae;ainst thestomach, the arms doubled from the elbows, and the handsclasping the neck or supporting the head. The skull wasunfortunately broken, but the facial bone wus (entire withthe jaws and teeth, and the enamel on the latter was stillbright, but when the skull was handed up, many of themfell out. * * » • The position of this skeleton was notin the eentre of the sepulchre, but on one side, and on theother side of it was a large, rough stone or rock lirmly im-bedded in the earth, which it would have taken a long timeto excavate wifh our instruments. In digging round it an<lon the other side, at some little distance from the skeleton,was found a large vase of rude pottery, resembling verymueh the cantero used by the Indians now as a water-jar.It had a rough, flat stone lying over the mouth so as to ex-elude the earth, on removing which we found that it wasentirely empty, except some little hard blaek flakes. • * *It had a small hole worn in one side of the bottom, tlirougliwhich liquid or ¡lulverized sulistanees could have escaped.

Morton, to whom the remains were submitted, describes

354 American Antiquarian Society. [April,

them as follows [Ibid. p. 281] : "Tbe bones are those ofa female. Her height did not exceed five feet three orfour inches. Tbo toeth are porfoct and not approciablyworn, while the epiphyses have just become consolidatedand mark the completion of the adult age. The bones ofthe hands and feet aro remarkably small and delicately pro-portioned, wbicb observation applies also to the entireskeleton. The skull was crushed into many pieces, but theposterior ¡md lateral portions were reconstructed. The oc-ciput is remarkably flat and vertical, wbile tbe lateral orparietal diamtiter measures no less than five inches andeight-tenths (147mm.). A chemical examination of somefragments of the bones prove.« them to be almost destituteof animal matter. * » * * On the upper part of the lefttibia tbere is a swelling of the bone, called in surgical lan-guage a node, one and one-half inches in length, and morethan half an inch above the natural surface. This morbidcondition may have resulted from a variety of cau.ses, butpossesses greater interest on account of its extreme in-frequoncy among tbe primitive Indian population of thecountry."

I shall give here the measurements of the skull describedby Virchow and of the new skull, side by side. Tholowor jaws of botb of thom aro missing. Tlio former skullwhich 1 will designate as No. 1, is that of a male, whileNo. 2, the skull in the possession of Mr. Salisbury, is thatof a female.

CapacityMaximum Length - - - -Maximum Width . . ~Vertical Height . _ - -tleigiit [Basion-Biegma]Longth of Basis , - - -Witltli of Basis - - - -Longth of Purs lîasihirisLength of Forameu MagnumWidth " " u . .Occipital Width -

No. 1.1380ocm.

]73miii.156p "

- 131 *'-

- 105 "108 "

--

-I l l "

No, 2.12ü()ccm

17i)iiirn148p '1 0 '135 '91 '

118 '23 '31 '27 '98 '

CRANIUM FROM PROGRESO, YUCATAN,IN THK LIURARY OV TIIIÎ AMEHICAN ANTUJUAKIAN SOCIKTY.

NOKMA FRONTALIS, i

NORMA OCCIPITALIS.

1890.] Cranium from Progreso, Yucatan. 355

Mhiimnni Width of Forehead - - -¡loiizontal Cireumference - - -Sagittal Circumference of Forehead

" '* '* Parietal Bones

98inm505 '120 '115 '

" *' " Occipital ¡Squama 114 '*' '* " Head

Height of FaceJugal Width of Face - - - -(órbita, lU'iíiht _ - - . _

" WidthNose, Height

" WidthDistance of Laehryiiial Points - - -External Kdges of Orbits _ - -Palate, Length - - - , -

' ' Anterior Witlth _ _ -Posttu-ioi- Width - - - -

Length of Face

Cephalic IndesLength : Height Index - - - -Facial Index [Jngal Width : Height]Orbital Index - - - - -Nasiil Index - - - . . . .

349 '71 '

142 '34 '40 "53 "26 "

55 '•

4t "tl9 "

90.275.750.085.049.0

I have not computed the cephalic index ofskull, as the deformation is too ffreat. The

8nnm.463 •'119 "121 "no "350 "

66 "(140) "

35 "38 ' '51 '*27 "25 '*97 "49 "36 "45 "99 "

47.190.952.9

the secondindividual

seems to have been a young adult female. The molars,the only teeth that remain, are well preserved, not beingworn down by long UHC The spheno-basilar synchondrosisis perfectly closed. The last molar on the right side hasnot developed, so tliat there are only five teeth left. Tliezygomatic arch of the fight side and portion of the maxil-lary bone are broken. There are slight defects on theoccipital st|uama, particularly at the foramen magnum.The riirht orbit, the lachrymal grooves and the inner nosearc damaged. Large parts of the cranium, particularly theleft parietal and the adjoining parts of the frontal bone arecovered with a tliick incrustation, which, on being heated,gives a strong smell of animal matter. It seems to consistmainly of carbonate of lime. The bone also contains a con-siderable amount of animal matter. As the skull is un-

356 A77ierican Antiquarian Society. [April,

doubtodly old, it seoms probablo that the tissues wereniuinmifiod, as has been suggested by Mr. Ybarra. Tho fig-gure shows that the skull is very muoh deformed, far moreso than the skull described by Vircliow, who states *' thatthe forehead (of No. 1) h much flattened, the upper partbeing pressed backward ; the tubera have disappoarod. Thouppor part of the occipital squama is so fiat that the cra-nium can be made to stand on it." The flatness of theocciput in tho skull No. 2 is very remarkable. The skullis small and in most parts thick. Noiir tho bregma an ex-tensive hyperostosis is found which seems to extend a littlebehind the coronal suture, which has somewhat the appear-ance of a doep groove. Tho hyperostosis forms a triangu-lar, median elevation on the forehead. Its limits on theparietal bones are not well defined. Tho hyperostosis hassomewhat an ivory appearance. Small exostoses are foundsurrounding both parietal foramina. Their surfaces arerough. The left one has a diameter of about 1.3cm., theright of 1.5cm. All the sutures that are normally open inthe young adult are still open. Tho frontal suture is alsoo])cn through its whole length. Tho forohcad is narrow,particularly considering the fact that the frontal suture isopen. On the right side, a large Wormian body is foundin the central part of the coronal suture which appears de-pressed at this place. Probably a similar body oxists onthe left side, but it is not clearly visible on account of theincrustation. The skull is remarkably tliin at tho coronalsuture. [Fig. 5.] The occipital s<]uama is paraboloid ; thefrontal sutui'e is 1cm. to the right of the saggital suture.Occipital protuberance large. Pars basilaris uneven. Planeof foramen magnum intersects about the centre of the ai)or-tura iiyrifonuis. Palate fiat and wide ; processus alvoolarislow, prognathous. No tuherositas malaris. Lower edge ofnose sharp, oross section of nose very flat, uppor end 8mm.wide ; nasal bones 23mni. long. No depression at root ofnose. Opening of nose wide, oval. Orbit rounded. Dis-

1890.] Cranium/rom Progreso, Yucatan. 357

tance between temporal and frontal bones on left side 5mm.Ear round. Processus mustoidei small. Ineisurie mas-toideiv shallow.

It is a remarkable fact that the skull described byVirchovv has the same Iiyi)orosfosis as we fin<l in this skull.It has also been found in crania from Peru. The horizonfallength of the skull measured from the glabella is 160.5mm ;the corresponding cephalic index is 92.2. On the wholetiie two crania seem much alike, and appear to be similarfo the befft-r known forms of Mexico and Peru.

Fig. 1. Crauium from Progreso ; Norma lateralis, J .Fig. 2. '•'• " " Norma verticaHs, J.Fier. 3. »' '* " Norma faeialis, ^.Fio-. 4. " *' " Norma oecipitalis, ^.Fig. 5. " " " Cross section tlirough a point

1.5 cm iu front of the bregma and thiougli tbe Wor-miau botliea of the coronal suture, ¿.

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