  The greater part of this extensive and singularly perfect and varied series of heads, was collected by Mr. Gliddon during two visits to Thebes. They were all taken from Plate VI., Fig. 1. (Cat. 860.) A man of fifty, with a small but well proportioned cranium. The bones of the face are small, and the whole osseous structure very thin.—I. C. 80 cubic inches. F. A. 82°. Egyptian form. (Cat. 853.) Head of a man of fifty, with a low coronal region, receding forehead, full occiput, aquiline nose, and remarkable flatness beneath the temporal muscles.—I. C. 95 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate VI., Fig 2. (Cat. 865.) An oval head with a full but retreating forehead, a large, aquiline nose, and angular, prominent face. The eyes are embalmed open. Semitic form. Plate VI., Fig. 3. (Cat. 893.) A singularly thin cranium, especially in the lateral parietal regions. The forehead is moderately expanded and the nose straight.—I. C. 85 cubic inches. F. A. 81°. Pelasgic form. Plate VI., Fig. 4. (Cat. 850.) A large oval cranium, with a voluminous forehead, a small aquiline nose, and rounded orbits. Age, seventy to eighty years?—I. C. 86 cubic inches. Pelasgic form. Plate VI., Fig. 5. (Cat. 859.) An octogenarian female, with a small but well proportioned head, and delicate facial bones. This cranium, which is remarkable for its tenuity, retains a very little smooth, long hair.—I. C. 82 cubic inches. Pelasgic form. Plate VI., Fig. 6. (Cat. 881.) Skull of a female not exceeding seventeen years of age, with a beautifully developed forehead, and delicate facial bones, yet possessing an obvious downward elongation of the upper jaw, as in the Hindoo.—I. C. 71 cubic inches. F. A. 80°. Egyptian form. Plate VI., Fig. 7. (Cat. 889.) A well formed, oval head, with a remarkably prominent nose and chin.—I. C. 83 cubic inches. F. A. 83°. Egyptian form. Plate VI., Fig. 8. (Cat. 870.) A long oval cranium, with a broad, receding forehead, tumid occiput, very long aquiline nose, and sharp features. The hair, which is cut close, is brown and silky.—I. C. 79 cubic inches. A man of thirty? Semitic form. Plate VI., Fig. 9. (Cat. 876.) A small, but oval male head, with hair of a fine texture and brown colour.—I. C. 83 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate VII., Fig. 1. (Cat. 851.) A narrow, elongated cranium, with a retreating forehead, and rather produced maxillÆ. The whole osseous structure is remarkably delicate. A woman of thirty-five?—I. C. 79 cubic inches. F. A. 80°. Egyptian form. Plate VII., Fig. 2. (Cat. 861.) Skull of a man of fifty, large and massive: forehead and coronal region but moderately developed; face projecting, with a small, aquiline nose.—I. C. 91 cubic inches. F. A. 78°. Egyptian form. Plate VII., Fig. 3. (Cat. 857.) A female cranium, long, narrow, and much flattened at the sides, and rather ponderous. The whole face is long, angular, and prominent, with a slight yet manifest negro expression. A little hair remains, long, black, and smooth.—I. C. 83 cubic inches. F. A. 77°. Egyptian, blended with the Negro form? Plate VII., Fig. 5. (Cat. 847.) A small head, narrow and laterally compressed, with a well formed forehead, and full occiput. The nose is very large and salient, and the maxillary structure much produced. A woman of thirty.—I. C. 68 cubic inches. F. A. 76°. Egyptian form. Plate VII., Fig. 6. (Cat. 854.) A small but well proportioned cranium of a female not exceeding fifteen years of age. The forehead is full (by an oversight inadequately represented in the drawing,) and the whole of the osseous structure extremely delicate. Egyptian form. (Cat. 849.) Skull of a man of twenty-five years, finely oval, with a broad receding forehead, and full coronal region. Facial bones broken.—I. C. 81 cubic inches. Egyptian form. (Cat. 894.) A beautiful juvenile head, with a broad high forehead, large, prominent nose, and oval orbits. Pelasgic form. (Cat. 887.) A child of twelve or fourteen years, with a finely turned forehead, long, aquiline nose, and vertical teeth. A little long, fine hair remains on the occiput. Egyptian form. (Cat. 868.) Skull of a child of beautiful organization, excepting a slight inequality in the occipital region. Pelasgic form. Plate VIII., Fig. 1. (Cat. 878.) An elongated head, with a broad receding forehead, long and nearly straight nose, and prominent chin. This person has been most carefully embalmed, with a profusion of gilding on various parts of the face. The hair is soft and curling, and of a dark-brown colour. A man of fifty?—I. C. 77 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate VIII., Fig. 2. (Cat. 879.) A man of fifty, admirably embalmed. A broad and full, but receding forehead, a large aquiline nose, and strong maxillÆ. Pelasgic head of the Roman conformation. Plate VIII., Fig. 3. (Cat. 839.) A short-oval cranium, with a full but retreating forehead, straight nose, and large prominent maxillÆ.—I. C. 74 cubic inches. F. A. 78°. Egyptian blended with the Negro form? Plate VIII., Fig. 4. (Cat. 871.) A juvenile female head, with a full but receding frontal region, long nose, sharp features, tumid occiput, and rounded orbits. Egyptian form. Plate VIII., Fig. 5. (Cat. 866.) A small, juvenile, female head, with a convex but retreating forehead, and the whole face remarkably sharp, projecting, and repulsive. This head is elaborately gilded, and retains a portion of long, fine, smooth hair. Egyptian form? (Cat. 873.) An oval cranium, with a good frontal region, and salient nasal bones. The alveoli have been almost destroyed by absorption consequent to advanced age.—I. C. 88 cubic inches. Pelasgic form? (Cat. 888.) Head of a man of thirty-five years? most carefully embalmed, with a high frontal region, and very long prominent angular face.—I. C. 85 cubic inches. Egyptian blended with Negro or Malay lineaments? The conformation of this head is not unlike that of some modern Nubians. Plate VIII., Fig. 7. (Cat. 880.) A female head? of a fine oval form, long, straight nose, and quadrangular orbits. The angles of the lower jaw are remarkably expanded. The hair, which is cut short, is fine, and of a dark-brown colour.—I. C. 85 cubic inches. F. A. 80°. Egyptian form. Plate VIII., Fig. 8. (Cat. 867.) A large head with a broad convex frontal region, and full occiput. The nose is large and remarkably salient, and the maxillary bones projecting and ponderous. A little soft, dark-brown hair is attached to some remaining fragments of the scalp.—I. C. 86 cubic inches. F. A. 78°. Egyptian form. This person has evidently undergone decapitation, and in order to attach the head again to the body, a ball of mummy cloth has been formed on the end of a piece of reed within the cranium, and the other end has been thrust between the spine and adjacent muscles, and confined there by bandages. There is also an excision of the occipital protuberance, by means of an axe or other sharp instrument, seemingly made by an unskilful effort to sever the head from the body. Plate VIII., Fig. 9. (Cat. 855.) Head of a female not exceeding eighteen years of age, with a finely developed forehead, very long aquiline nose, small but prominent face, and very peculiar features. Hair, dark-brown, and extremely fine. The face is gilded.—I. C. 78 cubic inches. Egyptian form. (Cat. 874.) Head of a child of nine or ten years, closely shaved and elaborately gilded, with a high, full forehead, projecting jaws, and oblique teeth. Egyptian blended with the Negro form? (Cat. 48.) Skull of a child of eight years, with a fine frontal region, but rather prominent face. Hair long, and of a dark-brown colour. Egyptian form. Plate IX. (Cat. 856.) A cranium of harmonious proportions, with a fine forehead, gently aquiline nose, delicate facial bones, and perfect teeth. A man of thirty?—I. C. 92 cubic inches. F. A. 80°. Egypto-Pelasgic form. Plate X., Fig. 1. (Cat. 844.) A finely formed female head, with a straight nose, and delicate facial bones. Hair abundant, soft, and curling.—I. C. 68 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate X., Fig. 2. (Cat. 872.) A woman of fifty?—with a low receding forehead, and prominent facial structure. Hair abundant, long, and very fine, of a light brown or auburn colour, and elaborately curled and platted.—I. C. 72 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate X., Fig. 3. (Cat. 862.) Head of a man of sixty, with a broad receding forehead, Plate X., Fig. 4. (Cat. 843.) Head of a woman of thirty? most carefully embalmed; with a full forehead, very long, straight nose, and sharp delicate features, but prominent face. There is a profusion of long, brown, curling hair.—I. C. 74 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate X., Fig. 5. (Cat. 877.) Head of a man with a broad receding forehead, salient nose, and delicate features. Hair, dark-brown, smooth and curling. The beard, though short, is preserved.—I. C. 89 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate X., Fig. 6. (Cat. 60.) Head of a female not exceeding eighteen years of age, with a low forehead, long, straight nose, and rather prominent face. Hair long and fine. This style of head is very common on the Egyptian monuments. Egyptian form. Plate X., Fig. 7. (Cat. 882.) Head of a young girl, with a very prominent nose, and long, smooth, curling hair: gilding on the eyelids and nose. Egyptian form. Plate X., Fig. 8. (Cat. 884.) Head of a woman of thirty, of a faultless Caucasian mould. The hair, which is in profusion, is of a dark-brown tint, and delicately curled. Pelasgic form. Plate X., Fig. 9. (Cat. 875.) A small female head, of seventy? years, with a fine frontal development, straight nose, and large oval orbits. The long, curling hair is of a yellowish colour, but has probably been gray, and dyed by henna.—I. C. 73 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate XI., Fig. 1. (Cat. 846.) Head of a youth of about eighteen years, with a remarkably broad and lofty forehead, a small straight nose, and delicately formed face. A little smooth, dark hair remains, and the whole has been elaborately embalmed, with a profusion of gilding on the face.—I. C. 87 cubic inches. This is one of the most perfectly formed heads that have ever come under my notice, yet the eyes are widely separated, the distance between the nose and mouth is remarkable, and the chin is short and receding. Egypto-Pelasgic form. Plate XI., Fig. 2. (Cat. 842.) Head of a man of about fifty years of age, with a broad but very low and receding forehead. The nose is very large, and strongly aquiline, the teeth vertical and much worn, the cheek bones prominent, and the whole face remarkable for harshness of expression. A little brown hair remains on the occiput.—I. C. 85 cubic inches. Semitic form. This head possesses great interest, on account of its decided Hebrew features, of which many examples are extant upon the monuments. (Cat. 886.) Head of a man of fifty? small but well proportioned throughout. The teeth, which are vertical, are remarkably worn by attrition.—I. C. 76 cubic inches. Egyptian form. Plate XII., Figs. 1, 2. (Cat. 845.) An oval head with a full forehead, and long aquiline nose. The orbits are far apart, and the balls replaced with bone, on which the iris is distinctly painted. The hair, which is cut short, is fine and straight.—I. C. 73 cubic inches. This head has something of the Semitic character, both as respects configuration and expression, and I class it, though with some hesitation, with that series. TWO HEADS OF LUNATICS, FROM THEBES.Wood-cut 1. (Cat. 841.) An elongated head, with a very receding forehead, long, aquiline nose, and large, ponderous jaws, which project so as to reduce the facial angle to about 65°. This person has been embalmed with evident care, but with the mouth open, the tongue protruded, and the eyelids raised, giving a frightfully vacant expression to the whole countenance, and leaving no reasonable doubt that this is the head of an idiot. A little hair remains, which is remarkably fine, and encroaches on the eyebrows. Wood-cut 2. (Cat. 863.) Another idiotic head, embalmed also with the mouth open and the tongue partially protruded. The cranium is long, the forehead low and receding, the face remarkably prominent, and the whole expression, as in the former instance, to the last degree vacant and repulsive. I presume that no one accustomed to comparisons of this nature can examine these heads, without agreeing with me in opinion as to their position in the intellectual scale. It may appear, and, indeed, is surprising, that two idiotic heads should be found among one hundred taken at random from the catacombs; and I can only explain the fact by supposing that a particular tomb was reserved for this unfortunate class of persons; and that the Arab servant employed by Mr. Gliddon, in his explorations at Thebes, invaded by chance this very sanctum. It is well known that idiotic persons have, in all ages, been regarded with a certain degree of veneration in the East; and hence their remains would be likely, in Egypt, to be carefully preserved after death. In examining Professor Rosellini’s plates, I find a solitary example of an idiot, whose head is represented in the annexed diagram; and it is curious to remark, that the sagacity of the Egyptian artist has admirably adapted this man’s vocation to his intellectual developments, for he is employed in stirring the fire of a blacksmith’s shop. This singular effigy is seen at Thebes. NEGROID HEADS.In addition to the two heads of this class from Maabdeh and one from Memphis, I subjoin descriptions and outline drawings of five others from Thebes, which are here grouped for the advantage of more ready comparison. Fig. 1. (Cat. 864.) A female cranium, of a narrow oval form, with a low, receding forehead, small nose, and protruding face. There is much of the Negro expression in the bony structure of this head.—I. C. 77 cubic inches. F. A. 75°. Fig. 2. (Cat. 858.) A large and rather ponderous cranium, with a well developed forehead, salient nose, jaws powerfully developed and protruding, and the upper teeth presenting obliquely outwards.—I. C. 87 cubic inches. F. A. 77°. Fig. 3. (Cat. 885.) An oval head, with a convex frontal region, small, depressed nose, and very projecting face.—I. C. 77 cubic inches. F. A. 76°. Fig. 4. (Cat. 852.) A small head, with a low, receding forehead, and strong, small nose, projecting maxillÆ, and obvious Negro expression. A little hair remained, which was cut short, and was coarse without being woolly.—I. C. 77 cubic inches. F. A. 75°. Fig. 5. (Cat. 869.) An oval head, with a good frontal development, salient nose, and very projecting face.—I. C. 88 cubic inches. F. A. 76°. In the preceding five crania, the Negro features and expression greatly predominate; at the same time there is an evident mixture of Caucasian characters. Two of them might pass, perhaps, for genuine Negroes, but for the comparatively fine texture of the hair. I therefore regard them as Mulattoes, to which class, also, may be referred a large proportion of the modern Copts. (Cat. No. 1044.) The subjoined wood-cut illustrates a remarkable head, which may serve as a type of the genuine Egyptian conformation. The long, oval cranium, the receding forehead, gently aquiline nose, and retracted chin, together with a marked distance between the nose and mouth, and the long, smooth hair, are all characteristic of the monumental Egyptian. |
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