DOI article:
Derry, Douglas Erith: Anatomical report (B)
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18103#0047
— 4o —
as typical of predynastic Egyptians, in being rather more pointed
at the two ends. The ellipsoid type was characterized by a rather
larger frontal breadth, averaging some 6 millimetres more in this
dimension than the so-called coffin-shaped skulls.
In the case of the females, the oval type of skull is much more
common; and is about equally divided as regards frequency with a
small coffin-shaped type.
An examination of femoral lengths in the Middle Nubian people
(C-group), as compared with those of the same date at Gennari and
Maria, showed a remarkable increase in size both in males and females.
The average oblique femoral length in the Middle Nubian bodies
measured previous to this cemetery is 4503 millimetres for the men,
and 424-8 for the women. In this cemetery the men average 468-3,
and the women 438-9, a difference of about 18 millimetres in the former
and 14 millimetres in the latter.
The difference between this group of skeletons and those of the
Pre-Christian Nubians (X-group), as regards the condition of teeth and
pathological changes generally, was very striking. The teeth were
quite healthy in most cases, and as regards signs of other disease, only
one of any interest was encountered. This was found in the skeleton
of a woman who had suffered from some necrotic process in various
bones. The left humerus had broken across in the grave at a weak
spot caused by some ulceration of the bone which has resulted in a
cavity in the medulla communicating with the surface by a round
hole. All around this hole there has been periosteal inflammation.
A similar pathological process had attacked the left clavicle, which
had also broken at a corresponding weak spot. The sternum had a
hole of the same character, while the entire bone was much inflamed.
The left scapula had a large hole through the supraspinous fossa,
surrounded by spicules of inflammatory bone. The same disease
may probably explain the condition of the vertebra (particularly in
the cervical region), which were eaten away by a form of rarefying
osteitis.
Cemetery 73.
This cemetery contained 114 numbered graves, some of which were
late predynastic, and others Middle Nubian (C-group). There were
as typical of predynastic Egyptians, in being rather more pointed
at the two ends. The ellipsoid type was characterized by a rather
larger frontal breadth, averaging some 6 millimetres more in this
dimension than the so-called coffin-shaped skulls.
In the case of the females, the oval type of skull is much more
common; and is about equally divided as regards frequency with a
small coffin-shaped type.
An examination of femoral lengths in the Middle Nubian people
(C-group), as compared with those of the same date at Gennari and
Maria, showed a remarkable increase in size both in males and females.
The average oblique femoral length in the Middle Nubian bodies
measured previous to this cemetery is 4503 millimetres for the men,
and 424-8 for the women. In this cemetery the men average 468-3,
and the women 438-9, a difference of about 18 millimetres in the former
and 14 millimetres in the latter.
The difference between this group of skeletons and those of the
Pre-Christian Nubians (X-group), as regards the condition of teeth and
pathological changes generally, was very striking. The teeth were
quite healthy in most cases, and as regards signs of other disease, only
one of any interest was encountered. This was found in the skeleton
of a woman who had suffered from some necrotic process in various
bones. The left humerus had broken across in the grave at a weak
spot caused by some ulceration of the bone which has resulted in a
cavity in the medulla communicating with the surface by a round
hole. All around this hole there has been periosteal inflammation.
A similar pathological process had attacked the left clavicle, which
had also broken at a corresponding weak spot. The sternum had a
hole of the same character, while the entire bone was much inflamed.
The left scapula had a large hole through the supraspinous fossa,
surrounded by spicules of inflammatory bone. The same disease
may probably explain the condition of the vertebra (particularly in
the cervical region), which were eaten away by a form of rarefying
osteitis.
Cemetery 73.
This cemetery contained 114 numbered graves, some of which were
late predynastic, and others Middle Nubian (C-group). There were