Chapter XCIII: Eastern Indian Crania: Face

--------------------+-------------------------------
| Palatine index
+---------------+---------------
| Males | Females
Group +---------+-----+---------+-----
| Number | | Number |
| of |P.I. | of | P.I.
|specimens| |specimens|
--------------------+---------+-----+---------+-----
Massachusetts | (5) |113.2| (8) |115.4
Manhattan Island | (2) |113.2| — | —
Maine | (3) |113.8| (4) |113.8
Virginia (Valentine | | | |
collection) | (3) |114.1| (5) |116.4
New York State | (2) |116 | — | —
Rhode Island | — | — | (3) |116.1
Staten Island | (2) |116.5| — | —
Southeastern Canada | (4) |117.3| (3) |115.8
New Jersey | | | |
(Heye collection) | (8) |120.7| (5) |120.5
New Jersey (earlier)| — | — | (2) |121.2
--------------------+---------+-----+---------+-----
-------------------+------------------------------------
| Angle of facial prognathism
+-----------------+------------------
| Males | Females
Group +---------+-------+---------+--------
| Number |Angle, | Number |Angle,
| of |degrees| of |degrees
|specimens| |specimens|
-------------------+---------+-------+---------+--------
Connecticut | — | — | (2) | 68
Rhode Island | (3) | 69 | (2) | 73
New York State | (7) | 71 | (10) | 72.5
Southeastern Canada| (5) | 72 | (3) | 72
Maine | — | — | (3) | 72
Massachusetts | (4) | 73 | (3) | 71
New Jersey | | | |
(Heye collection) | (6) | 73 | (5) | 74
Long Island | (4) | 74 | (3) | 71
Virginia (Valentine| | | |
collection) | — | — | (5) | 74
Staten Island | (3) | 76 | (1) | 75
-------------------+---------+-------+---------+--------

PROGNATHISM

Facial prognathism did not differ very greatly in the different groups, yet there is a perceptible tendency toward a greater orthognathy among Indians of the northeastern states and Canada, and to somewhat greater protrusion among those of Long Island and Staten Island, the Munsee, and the Virginians of the Valentine collection. Alveolar prognathism (see table for details) was most pronounced on Manhattan Island, Long Island, and Staten Island; east among the New York Indians and among those of southeastern Canada, Maine, and Massachusetts.

It is evident from the data presented above, that the eastern Algonquian (and Iroquois) Indians, while essentially of one type, approached purity of type much more in the northeastern Atlantic states and in southeastern Canada than farther south. It is further plain that the stock presented numerous and occasionally marked localized or tribal as well as individual variations, and that in several of the states, and possibly even in Rhode Island, it was modified more or less by admixture with individuals of both sexes from across the Appalachians or the south. A locally differentiated group which in many respects already stood more or less apart from the neighboring tribes and was also characterized especially by more than average development, is the cluster of tribes of Manhattan Island, Long Island, and Staten Island. The Munsee and other Lenape stand in close relation in many important respects, though they exhibit also some differences; and both of them, as already shown, agree with the rest of the eastern Algonquians, more especially with their immediate neighbors to the north and south.

The tables of detail measurements of the Eastern Indian crania follow.