DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0145
90
E. A. Hooton
Breasts. The breasts in both drawings show the extensive areola characteristic of
the Hottentot and Bushman women. The note on the 1803 drawing says “Breasts black
as represented toward ends.” Measurements on the 1801 drawing indicate that the
diameter of the areola was about 50-54 mm. In the subject of the later drawing the
areola appears much larger. Deniker17 found the diameter of the areolae in three adult
Hottentot women 5, 7, and 10 cm. respectively, and he mentions the small size and slight
projection of the nipples, a feature characteristic also of both of our drawings.
Steatopygia. Both of our artists were particularly interested in the pronounced
steatopygia of their subjects. The marginal note on the 1803 drawing says “6 or 7 inches
from the spine to the external part of posteriors.” The corresponding measurement on
M. Thibault’s drawing is 6| pouces or inches. Thibault took measurements of the gluteal
projection from the deepest point of the lumbar concavity and from the juncture of the
gluteal fold with the thigh. In this he forestalled the method later devised by Deniker18
so that his measurements are exactly comparable with those taken by the distinguished
French anthropologist. Deniker, however, worked on photographs, while both of our
artists took measurements on the living subject. Thibault found the extreme gluteal
projection from the lumbar concavity 6| pouces or 174 mm., and from the conjunction
of the gluteal fold with the thigh 5| pouces or 148 mm. If the measurements indicate
inches, the figures are 165 mm. and 135 mm. respectively. Deniker’s method is to draw
a line connecting these two points and another parallel to it and tangent to the most
posterior point of the gluteal projection. This gives the mean gluteal projection which
on Thibault’s drawing is approximately 162 mm. or 150 mm. This is 10.4% of the stature
of the subject. Utilizing photographs and drawings of six adult Hottentot women,
Deniker found a mean gluteal projection equivalent to 7.9% of the stature. (Range
from 5.2% to 10.0%). The same measurements taken on drawings of two Bushman
women gave an average of 8.5% of the stature, while five French and Italian women
yielded a mean index of 3.4. The note on the margin of the 1803 drawing gives 5-7
inches as the extreme projection of the gluteal mass from the lumbar concavity. Assum-
ing the mean projection to be 6| inches the relation to the stature is 11.2%. The maxi-
mum transverse diameter of the gluteal mass is 16| inches or 28.4% of the stature.
There has been much discussion by anthropologists concerning the causes and nature
of steatopygia, but no completely satisfactory explanation of the phenomenon has been
generally agreed upon. Probably it is a special character developed through selection
and fixed by heredity in the Hottentot-Bushman race. It is said to occur in varying
17 Deniker, op. cit, p. 14,
18 Op. cit., p, 16,
E. A. Hooton
Breasts. The breasts in both drawings show the extensive areola characteristic of
the Hottentot and Bushman women. The note on the 1803 drawing says “Breasts black
as represented toward ends.” Measurements on the 1801 drawing indicate that the
diameter of the areola was about 50-54 mm. In the subject of the later drawing the
areola appears much larger. Deniker17 found the diameter of the areolae in three adult
Hottentot women 5, 7, and 10 cm. respectively, and he mentions the small size and slight
projection of the nipples, a feature characteristic also of both of our drawings.
Steatopygia. Both of our artists were particularly interested in the pronounced
steatopygia of their subjects. The marginal note on the 1803 drawing says “6 or 7 inches
from the spine to the external part of posteriors.” The corresponding measurement on
M. Thibault’s drawing is 6| pouces or inches. Thibault took measurements of the gluteal
projection from the deepest point of the lumbar concavity and from the juncture of the
gluteal fold with the thigh. In this he forestalled the method later devised by Deniker18
so that his measurements are exactly comparable with those taken by the distinguished
French anthropologist. Deniker, however, worked on photographs, while both of our
artists took measurements on the living subject. Thibault found the extreme gluteal
projection from the lumbar concavity 6| pouces or 174 mm., and from the conjunction
of the gluteal fold with the thigh 5| pouces or 148 mm. If the measurements indicate
inches, the figures are 165 mm. and 135 mm. respectively. Deniker’s method is to draw
a line connecting these two points and another parallel to it and tangent to the most
posterior point of the gluteal projection. This gives the mean gluteal projection which
on Thibault’s drawing is approximately 162 mm. or 150 mm. This is 10.4% of the stature
of the subject. Utilizing photographs and drawings of six adult Hottentot women,
Deniker found a mean gluteal projection equivalent to 7.9% of the stature. (Range
from 5.2% to 10.0%). The same measurements taken on drawings of two Bushman
women gave an average of 8.5% of the stature, while five French and Italian women
yielded a mean index of 3.4. The note on the margin of the 1803 drawing gives 5-7
inches as the extreme projection of the gluteal mass from the lumbar concavity. Assum-
ing the mean projection to be 6| inches the relation to the stature is 11.2%. The maxi-
mum transverse diameter of the gluteal mass is 16| inches or 28.4% of the stature.
There has been much discussion by anthropologists concerning the causes and nature
of steatopygia, but no completely satisfactory explanation of the phenomenon has been
generally agreed upon. Probably it is a special character developed through selection
and fixed by heredity in the Hottentot-Bushman race. It is said to occur in varying
17 Deniker, op. cit, p. 14,
18 Op. cit., p, 16,