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Show 316 TTIE CRANIAL CIIARACTERISTICS Fig. 87. CmoAssrAN (764). Now Morton's Colle ·Lion contains fonr w ll-marJ·cd Circassian hcads,-two malo and two fcmale,-which, although they do not strictly coincide in structure and configuration with tho G orgiau sku1l, nevcrthcloA!:l approximate more decidedly tho Japh ticorEuropoanform than the Mongolian, as will bo so n by tho anucx d cut and des ·ription of one of those crania, that of a man, rotat. 40 years, a1Hl exl1ibiLing an internal capacity of 90 cubic inches. TI1o calvaria is well developed and regularly arched, and i11 si~c considerably oxcocclt-:~ the face. Tho proportions between the vertical, transverse, and longitudinal diameters arc such as to convey to the eye an impl'cssion of harmony and regularity of structul'o. 'l'ho high and broad forehead forms with tho parietal r gion a continuons and symmetrical convexity. 'l'hc occiput is full and prominent. Tho face is strongly marked; the orbits moderato in size; tlw nasal bones prominent; the malar bones small and rounded; th teeth vertical; tho maxillre of medium size, and tbe chin promin nt. 'l'bc fulneAs of tho fu.cc, its oval contour, and general want of angnlarity, decidedly scpn.rato this head fl'om the Mongolian type, as represented by the Kalmuck skull already figured and described. Did space permit, other differen cs could readily be pointed out. These characters accord very well with the descriptions of these people, given us by different travellers. The Circa sians who call thcmsclv s Attighe or Adigo (Zychi of the Grech and Latins, Tchcrkcss of tho Russians) have always been celebrated for their personal charms. Mr. PENOER says that, among the N ottaha.izi tribe, every individual he saw was decidedly handsomo.227 "The men," says vi~it tho collection in which it id contained. 1'ho verticnl11nd frontal t·ogions ~.; and smooth convexity, which is a little Jl1tttoned nt the temples; tho forehend is high and brond, nnd onrriod forwnrds porpondioulnrly over tho fnco. 1'ho check-bones nrc smnll do~conding from tho outer side of tho orbit, and gently turned back. 1'ho suporcilinr; ridges run together at tho root of tho nose, n.nd m·o smoothly continued into tho bridge of that ot·g11n, wl!ich forms au olognnt and finoly-tul'rlod o.rch. Tho alveolar processes arc softly rounded, and the chin is full and prominent. In tho whole structure, thoro is nothing rough or h11rsh, nothing disagreonbly projecting. lienee, it occupies a middle plnoo betwoon tho two opposite extremes, of tho Mongolinn vnrioty, in which the fnco is flattened, nnd expanded !literally; and the Ethiopian, in which tho forohond is contrncted, and tho jaws also arc nanow t\nd elongated antoriol·ly."-LAWRiiiNOlil, op. cit., p. 228. m Tmvols in Circassia, ii., 245. OF TITE RACES OF MEN. 3] 7 PAnAs, " especially among the bighcr classes, arc mostly of a tall stature, thin form, but IIcrcul an structure. They arc very slender about the loins, have small feet, and uncommon strength in their arms. They possess, in general, a truly Roman and martial appearance. The women arc not uniformly Circassian beauties, but arc, for the most part, well formed, have a white skin, dark-brown or l>lack hair, and regular features. . . . . I have met with a greater number of beauties among them than in any other unpolished 11ation." 228 Says KLAI,ROTJI,-" 'l'bey have brown hair and eyes, long faces, thin, strai o-ht noses, and elegant forms." 210 "'l'heir profile approaches nearest the Grecian model," writes MORTON, "and falls little short f tbc beau-ideal of classic sculpturc." 230 The Abassians, probably autochthones of the north-west Caucasus,-" are distinguisltcd from all the neighbouring nations by their narrow faces, by tho figure of tl10ir hcadF!, which are compressed on both sides, by the Rlwrtncss of the lower part of the face, by their prominent noses and dark-brown bair." 231 From all accounts, the Georgians, "a people of European features and form," arc but little, if at all, inferior to the Ch·cassians in pbysical endowments. According to RmNEaos, the Georgian women arc even more beautiful than the Circassians.232 "Le sang do 06orgic," sa.ys CHARI>IN, "est lc plus beau lo l'Oricnt, ct jo puis dire, du mondc. Jc n'ai pas rcmarqu6 un visage laid en co pays-hi, parmi l'un ct l'autre scxe, mais j'y en ai vu d'angeliqucs." 233 'The extreme south-eastern section of the Europcn.n ethnic area, occupying mainly tho table-land of Iran, is represented in the Mortonian Coil ction hy six Armenian, two Persian, and one Aflghan Rkull. A general family rcHcmhlancc pervades all these crania. 'l'h y arc all, with one exception, remarkable for the smallucss of the face, and shortness of head. In the Armenian skull, tho forehead is JtalTOW but well formed, the convexity expanding upwards and backwards towards the parietal protuberances, and laterally towards the temporal bones. The greatest transverse diameter is between the parietal bosses. This feature, combined with the flatness of the occiput, gives to the coronal region au outline somewhat resembling a tl'ianglc with all three ano-Jcs truncated, and the base of the triangle looking posteriorly. In fact, the whole form of the calvaria is such as to impress the mind of the observer with a sense of squar ness 220 Travels in Southern Provinces of the Russian Empire, I. 808. 220 1'mvols in Caucasian Countries. 2no Crania Americann, p. 8. 281 R111proth, C11ucasus, p. 257. m Allgomoino hiHtorisohc-topogl'aphischc Dc~cllrcibung des K1wknsus. 288 Voyages on l'orso, I., 171. |