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0303 Explorations in Turkestan : Expedition of 1904 : vol.2
Explorations in Turkestan : Expedition of 1904 : vol.2 / Page 303 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000178
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HUMAN REMAINS FROM THE NORTH KURGALA.   459

The relief of the bone is well elaborated, the crista interossea standing clearly out, especially in its upper part. In front and parallel with it there runs a depression through the proximal two-thirds, which shows itself also in the cross-section (fig. 494, b). There is scarcely an indication of a crista posterior.

The measurement of the torsion angle gave 26° ; but in view of the extremely great variability of this characteristic it can scarcely have racial importance.

That these upper and lower leg bones come from the same individual is so certain that I may base on it an investigation. If we compare the length of the tibia with that of the femur, we find a femoro-tibial index of 84.9. In doing this we have measured the length of the tibia without the spina intercondyloidea, but have included the malleolus, and have used the length of the femur in its natural position. In a similar manner the following values were found:

Europeans (Topinard)   8o .8 I Andamanese (Flower)   

Europeans (Flower)   82.1   Negroes (Humphrey)   

Fuegians (Martin)    82.2   Australians (Flower)   

For Senoi Martin found (1905, p. 642), by applying the condylo-astragal length of the tibia and using the results of Turner, Duckworth, Annandale, and Robinson, a mean value of 81.7. If we apply the method of these authors we shall have an index of 82.8. The race to which this Anau individual belonged is to be called moderately dolichocnemic; that is, the lower leg is relatively long in proportion to the length of the thigh, a peculiarity which presents itself as a primitive characteristic not only in that it occurs more often in primitive races, but especially because the new-born European has also a relatively long lower leg.

Of the fibule we have unfortunately only a few short fragments from which but few inferences can be drawn as to their complete form. Therefore we content ourselves with the presentation of a statement of the absolute measurements, which will be found in the appended tables. These bones also show that sharply expressed modeling which seems to be a characteristic of these Anau individuals.

The talus also shows several points of interest. In the first place the considerable development in width. If with Leboucq (1902, p. 144) we take the length of the talus from the highest elevation of the head to the sulcus pro musculo flexori hallucis longo = loo, then the width from the lateral point of the fibular facet to the most medial point of the processus posterior left =82.5. This index amounts, according to Leboucq, in the mean among Europeans to 77.o. Martin found it for Senoi = 79.5 and 80.9. The Spy talus has 91 (Leboucq). Thus we find here, too, an approach in this Anau skeleton to primitive forms. Next, the narrowing of the trochlea at the posterior end. According to Volkov's determinations this narrowing seems to belong in a higher degree to primitive races. Also among new-born Europeans it is strongly marked. If, according to Volkov's method (1903, p. 695), we take the anterior width as loo, the relative width of the posterior end is among—

New-born Europeans   56.9 Fuegians, males   79.o

Japanese, males .    74.5 Polynesians, males   79.4

Negritos, males   74.7 Eskimos, males   80.3

Australians, males .    74.7 Europeans, males   81.3

Melanesians, males   76.2 Negroes, males   $1.9

Weddas, males   77.3

84.5

84.7

84.9