Chapter LXXVIII: The First Metatarsal in the Munsee

AND IN UNITED STATES WHITES

-------------+---------------------------------
| Right
-------------+---------+-------+-------+-------
|Specimens|Length,|Hallux-|Pollex-
Both sexes | |maximum| femur |hallux
| | | index |index
-------------+---------+-------+-------+-------
| | _cm._ | |
Munsee | (19) | 6.3 | 14.3 | 72.3
United States| | | |
whites[96] | (51) | 6.6 | 15.3 | 71.1
-------------+---------+-------+-------+-------
| Left
-------------+---------+-------+-------+-------
| | _cm._| |
Munsee | (17) | 6.2 | 14.15 | 71.1
United States| | | |
whites | (33) | 6.7 | 15.5 | 66.1
-------------+---------+-------+-------+--------

[96] The indexes in whites are close approximations.

_Os Calcis_

Being the largest bone of the tarsus, and the most important functionally, the os calcis, or calcaneus, seems to deserve closer attention by anthropologists than it usually receives.

The bone presents three different and fairly easily ascertainable dimensions: (1) the greatest length of the whole bone; (2) the minimum breadth or thickness of the body; and (3) the height of the body at its greatest constriction. It further offers several interesting points for visual observation.

The total number of calcanei in the Munsee material is 51, which gives a fair male and female series. The following table shows the measurements on 40 of those that are paired and hence most suitable for comparison.