第 5 节
作者:痛罚      更新:2021-04-30 16:09      字数:9321
  diminutive Hindoos it falls to as little as 27 ounces。〃
  'footnote' *Estimating the facial angle in the way
  suggested; on the cast I should place it at 64 degrees to
  67 degrees。G。 B。
  After comparing the Neanderthal cranium with many others; ancient and
  modern; Professor Schaaffhausen concludes thus:
  〃But the human bones and cranium from the Neanderthal exceed all the
  rest in those peculiarities of conformation which lead to the
  conclusion of their belonging to a barbarous and savage race。  Whether
  the cavern in which they were found; unaccompanied with any trace of
  human art; were the place of their interment; or whether; like the bones
  of extinct animals elsewhere; they had been washed into it; they may
  still be regarded as the most ancient memorial of the early inhabitants
  of Europe。〃
  Mr。 Busk; the translator of Dr。 Schaaffhausen's paper; has enabled us to
  form a very vivid conception of the degraded character of the
  Neanderthal skull; by placing side by side with its outline; that of
  the skull of a Chimpanzee; drawn to the same absolute size。
  Some time after the publication of the translation of Professor
  Schaaffhausen's Memoir; I was led to study the cast of the Neanderthal
  cranium with more attention than I had previously bestowed upon it; in
  consequence of wishing to supply Sir Charles Lyell with a diagram;
  exhibiting the special peculiarities of this skull; as compared with
  other human skulls。  In order to do this it was necessary to identify;
  with precision; those points in the skulls compared which corresponded
  anatomically。  Of these points; the glabella was obvious enough; but
  when I had distinguished another; defined by the occipital protuberance
  and superior semicircular line; and had placed the outline of the
  Neanderthal skull against that of the Engis skull; in such a position
  that the glabella and occipital protuberance of both were intersected by
  the same straight line; the difference was so vast and the flattening
  of the Neanderthal skull so prodigious (compare Figs。 22 and 24; A。);
  that I at first imagined I must have fallen into some error。  And I was
  the more inclined to suspect this; as; in ordinary human skulls; the
  occipital protuberance and superior semicircular curved line on the
  exterior of the occiput correspond pretty closely with the 'lateral
  sinuses' and the line of attachment of the tentorium internally。 But on
  the tentorium rests; as I have said in the preceding Essay; the
  posterior lobe of the brain; and hence; the occipital protuberance; and
  the curved line in question; indicate; approximately; the lower limits
  of that lobe。  Was it possible for a human being to have the brain thus
  flattened and depressed; or; on the other hand; had the muscular ridges
  shifted their position?  In order to solve these doubts; and to decide
  the question whether the great supraciliary projections did; or did
  not; arise from the development of the frontal sinuses; I requested Sir
  Charles Lyell to be so good as to obtain for me from Dr。 Fuhlrott; the
  possessor of the skull; answers to certain queries; and if possible a
  cast; or at any rate drawings; or photographs; of the interior of the
  skull。
  FIG。 24。The skull from the Neanderthal cavern。  A。 side; B。 front; and
  C。 top view。 One…third the natural size; by Mr。 Busk: the details from
  the cast and from Dr。 Fuhlrott's photographs。  'a' glabella; 'b'
  occipital protuberance; 'd' lambdoidal suture。
  Dr。 Fuhlrott replied with a courtesy and readiness for which I am
  infinitely indebted to him; to my inquiries; and furthermore sent three
  excellent photographs。  One of these gives a side view of the skull;
  and from it Fig。 24; A。 has been shaded。  The second (Fig。 25; A。)
  exhibits the wide openings of the frontal sinuses upon the inferior
  surface of the frontal part of the skull; into which; Dr。 Fuhlrott
  writes; 〃a probe may be introduced to the depth of an inch;〃 and
  demonstrates the great extension of the thickened supraciliary ridges
  beyond the cerebral cavity。  The third; lastly (Fig。 25; B。) exhibits
  the edge and the interior of the posterior; or occipital; part of the
  skull; and shows very clearly the two depressions for the lateral
  sinuses; sweeping inwards towards the middle line of the roof of the
  skull; to form the longitudinal sinus。  It was clear; therefore; that I
  had not erred in my interpretation; and that the posterior lobe of the
  brain of the Neanderthal man must have been as much flattened as I
  suspected it to be。
  In truth; the Neanderthal cranium has most extraordinary characters。  It
  has an extreme length of 8 inches; while its breadth is only 5。75
  inches; or; in other words; its length is to its breadth as 100:72。  It
  is exceedingly depressed; measuring only about 3。4 inches from the
  glabello…occipital line to the vertex。  The longitudinal arc; measured
  in the same way as in the Engis skull; is 12 inches; the transverse arc
  cannot be exactly ascertained; in consequence of the absence of the
  temporal bones; but was probably about the same; and certainly exceeded
  10 1/4 inches。  The horizontal circumference is 23 inches。  But this
  great circumference arises largely from the vast development of the
  supraciliary ridges; though the perimeter of the brain case itself is
  not small。  The large supraciliary ridges give the forehead a far more
  retreating appearance than its internal contour would bear out。
  To an anatomical eye the posterior part of the skull is even more
  striking than the anterior。 The occipital protuberance occupies the
  extreme posterior end of the skull; when the glabello…occipital line is
  made horizontal; and so far from any part of the occipital region
  extending beyond it; this region of the skull slopes obliquely upward
  and forward; so that the lambdoidal suture is situated well upon the
  upper surface of the cranium。  At the same time; notwithstanding the
  great length of the skull; the sagittal suture is remarkably short (4
  1/2 inches); and the squamosal suture is very straight。
  FIG。25。Drawings from Dr。 Fuhlrott's photographs of parts of the
  interior of the Neanderthal cranium。  A。 view of the under and inner
  surface of the frontal region; showing the inferior apertures of the
  frontal sinuses ('a')。  B。 corresponding view of the occipital region of
  the skull; showing the impressions of the lateral sinuses ('a a')。
  In reply to my questions Dr。 Fuhlrott writes that the occipital bone 〃is
  in a state of perfect preservation as far as the upper semicircular
  line; which is a very strong ridge; linear at its extremities; but
  enlarging towards the middle; where it forms two ridges (bourrelets);
  united by a linear continuation; which is slightly depressed in the
  middle。〃
  〃Below the left ridge the bone exhibits an obliquely inclined surface;
  six lines (French) long; and twelve lines wide。〃
  This last must be the surface; the contour of which is shown in Fig。 24;
  A。; below 'b'。  It is particularly interesting; as it suggests that;
  notwithstanding the flattened condition of the occiput; the posterior
  cerebral lobes must have projected considerably beyond the cerebellum;
  and as it constitutes one among several points of similarity between the
  Neanderthal cranium and certain Australian skulls。
  Such are the two best known forms of human cranium; which have been
  found in what may be fairly termed a fossil state。  Can either be shown
  to fill up or diminish; to any appreciable extent; the structural
  interval which exists between Man and the man…like apes?  Or; on the
  other hand; does neither depart more widely from the average structure
  of the human cranium; than normally formed skulls of men are known to
  do at the present day?
  It is impossible to form any opinion on these questions; without some
  preliminary acquaintance with the range of variation exhibited by human
  structure in generala subject which has been but imperfectly studied;
  while even of what is known; my limits will necessarily allow me to
  give only a very imperfect sketch。
  The student of anatomy is perfectly well aware that there is not a
  single organ of the human body the structure of which does not vary; to
  a greater or less extent; in different individuals。 The skeleton varies
  in the proportions; and even to a certain extent in the connexions; of
  its constituent bones。  The muscles which move the bones vary largely
  in their attachments。  The varieties in the mode of distribution of the
  arteries are carefully classified; on account of the practical
  importance of a knowledge of their shiftings to the surgeon。  The
  characters of the brain vary immensely; nothing being less constant
  than the form and size of the cerebral hemispheres; and the richness of
  the convolutions upon their surface; while the most changeable
  structures of all in the human brain; are exactly those on which the
  unwise attempt has been made to base the distinctive characters of
  humanity; viz。 the posterior cornu of the lateral ventricle; the
  hippocampus minor; and the degree of projection of the posterior lobe
  beyond the cerebellum。  Finally; as all the world knows; the hair and
  skin of human beings may present the most extraordinary diversities in
  colour and