Sacred Texts  Australia  Index  Previous  Next 

The Native Tribes of North Central Australia, by Baldwin Spencer and F. J. Gillen [1899], at sacred-texts.com


Appendix C

IN the following table we give the measurements of twenty males and ten females, all mature, the majority of whom belonged to the Arunta tribe. The measurements follow those recommended by Broca. 1 The facial angle was determined by means of Broca's “facial and lateral goniometer” and it must be stated that, apart from the natural reluctance of the natives to remain sufficiently quiet under what was at least an uncomfortable and to them mysterious and therefore not agreeable operation, the thick hair on the upper lip made it very difficult to take the measurement satisfactorily. The greased and matted nature of the hair make it also difficult to be quite accurate with regard to other head measurements, while the habit of pulling out the hairs on the forehead render it sometimes a little difficult to be quite sure as to exactly where the hairs start on the forehead.

We did not attempt to obtain any skulls, for the simple reason that while the desecration of native graves might have enabled us to secure a few, it would at once have put a stop to work in other branches which we have been as yet more anxious to study than to obtain anthropometric data. To have opened native graves would have meant the closing of sources of information with regard to habits and customs.

p. 644

 

1. Male.

2. Male.

3. Male.

4. Male.

5. Male.

6. Male.

7. Male.

8. Male.

9. Male.

10. Male.

11. Male.

12. Male.

13. Male.

14. Male.

15. Male.

Head Measurements—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antero-posterior maximum

18.2

19

19

18.3

19.2

19

18.1

20.4

18.9

19

19

18.8

18.1

18

20

Transverse maximum

14.6

14

13.8

12.6

13.6

14

14.2

14.8

15

13.8

14.6

14

14.1

14.5

15

Sus auricular

12.6

13

12.6

11.8

12.7

13.6

13.1

13.6

13.6

12.4

13.6

12.8

13.1

13.5

13.2

Temporal maximum

14.6

14

13.8

12.6

13.6

13.5

14.1

14.8

15

13.6

14.6

13.8

14

14.2

14.6

Frontal minimum

10.7

10.3

10.8

10

10.2

11.1

11.1

10.6

12.2

10.4

14.4

11.3

11.1

10.6

11.1

Campers facial angle

76

63

76

65

71

77

71

73

74

71

65

74

70

65

75

Facial line length

7.1

8.5

7.4

7.6

7.2

7.7

7.3

9.6

7.9

8.1

8.8

7.8

7.8

9.3

9.6

Facial triangle base

9

10.8

10.5

10.5

10.8

10.5

10.8

10.8

10.6

10.5

11

10.5

10.2

11.2

10.3

Chin to hair

16.9

20.5

19.4

18.7

19.3

19.5

18.9

20.8

19.6

19.8

21.3

20

18.4

21

20.2

Ophryon to alveolar point

7.9

10.2

8.5

8.7

8.8

8.1

8

8.8

7.4

8.5

9.4

8.2

8

8.9

8.1

Bi-zygomatic width

13.8

14.1

13.8

13.2

13.7

14.6

14.2

15

14.7

13.7

15

13.4

14

14.5

14.5

Nose length

4

5.8

4.6

5

4.9

5

5.2

5.6

4.9

5.6

6.2

4.9

4.9

5.6

5.1

Nose width

3.9

5

4.7

4.7

4.6

4.4

5.4

5.1

4.8

5.2

4.9

4.6

5

4.6

5.2

Ophryon to hair

4

7

6.7

6

7

8

6.9

8.9

7.4

7.5

8.4

7.4

5.9

8.1

Ophryon to root of nose

2

2.6

2.6

2.6

2.6

2

2

2.3

1.9

2.1

2.2

1.6

2

2.7

2.2

Ophryon to sub-nasal point

5.9

8.1

7.2

7.6

7.2

6.7

6.8

7.7

6.8

7.5

7.9

7

6.7

7.6

7

Sub-nasal points to chin

7

8.4

7.3

7.3

7.5

7

7.4

6.9

7.1

7.6

7.6

7.4

7.9

7.6

7.3

Bi-orbital width

9.8

10.1

9.8

9.5

9.9

10.6

9.9

10.5

10.5

9.7

10.2

10.2

10.5

10.1

10.4

Bi-caroncular width

4.2

4.3

4.2

4.3

4

4.7

4.7

4.4

4.6

4.3

4

4.3

Length of eye

3.1

3

3.1

3.5

3

3.1

2.7

3.5

3.2

3.3

3.3

3.4

3.2

3.5

3.1

Bi-malar width

11.2

12.8

10.6

11.6

11.8

11.8

13.2

13.6

14

11.8

13.2

12

11.3

12.6

12.2

Buccal width

5.3

5.5

5.6

5.8

5.5

6.2

5.6

6.3

5.7

5.9

6.2

6.4

5.6

6

6.2

Bi-goniaque width

9.8

11

10.4

9.8

10.7

7.8

8.2

10.8

10.2

10

10.2

10

8.3

10.2

9.6

Cephalic index

80.2

73.6

70.2

68.9

70.8

73.6

78.3

72.5

79.3

72.6

76.8

74.4

77.3

80.5

75

Trunk and Limb Measurements—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total height

160

160

166.5

174.2

162.8

165

174

170

173.2

164.2

165

167.5

167

162.5

178.2

Height to ear

146.5

146

154

160.5

150.2

152.5

160.5

157

159

151.5

151

154.5

155

150

166.5

Height to chin

140

138.2

144.2

152

141

147.5

152.5

146.5

151.5

143

142.5

147

146

140.5

157.3

Height to acromion

134

136

139

146

134

136

147.5

141

147

137

137

140.5

141

134.8

152.8

Height to epicondyle

101

102.8

103

112

102

101

114

107

108.5

105

104.6

106

105

102.5

116

Height to styloid apophysis

76

76

78

86.5

75

74

84

74

80.5

79.2

79

80.5

79

77

88.5

Height to sternal notch

131

133

139

145

134.5

138

144

139

142.5

135.5

135.5

139

140

136

152

Height to breast

119

118.5

124

131

119

122

130.5

124.5

128

123.2

122.8

125.7

129

122

138.8

Height to umbilicus

96.5

100

103

105

100

102

108.5

103.4

104.5

99

100

102

106.5

100.5

112.5

Height to iliac spine

93

97

99

100

94

98

105

97.5

100

93.5

96.5

97.5

101

94

108

Height to trochanter

86

91

92

95

90

92

98

92

94

85

91

91.5

92

90

102

Height to knee

46

48

49

51

46

50.5

51.5

48.5

50

47

50.8

50.5

51

47

54.8

Height of greatest calf swelling

32

32

34

36

35

38

40

37.5

36

35

35

35

36

37

38

Total length of arm

75

76.5

76

80

77

79

81

81

79

76

77

78.5

78.5

75.2

84.4

Large span of hand

15.5

15.8

16.2

15.7

15.3

19.5

22

18.5

16.5

16.4

17.5

17

16.5

15.5

16.7

Small span of hand

17.6

16.1

18.2

17.2

17.3

20

22.3

18.6

17.7

17.7

18.7

18.5

16.4

18.5

Length of thumb

9.6

9.9

11.1

11

11.2

10.5

10.5

12

10.5

11

11

10.7

10.5

10.5

11.5

Length of medius

10.2

10.2

12

11.5

11

10

11.2

12.5

11

11.5

11.2

11.4

11

11

11.8

Distance of the two acromions

33.5

32.5

33

31.5

33

35

32.5

36.5

31.5

33

32

31

37.5

31

34.5

Clavicular length

16.5

15.8

16

15.5

15.5

16

16.5

17.2

15

16.5

14.8

15.5

17

15.2

16

Circumference at arm pits

83

85.5

90

89.5

92.5

97

87.5

94.5

91.5

91.2

90.5

88

87.5

90.5

91.5

Circumference at waist

65.5

75

73.5

74

69.5

78

75

75

73.5

80

78

71.5

74.5

70

70.5

Distance of the two iliac points

23

22

21.4

25.2

21.2

24

26

23

22

23.5

24

23.5

22

22.4

24

Maximum distance of iliac crests

26

27.2

25

27

25

26.5

29

28.5

26

27

27

28

25.2

28

Distance of two great trochanters

27.5

25.5

26.8

27.5

27

25

28

26.6

25

26

27

26

25

26.8

Maximum circumference of calf

27

26.5

30.5

30

28.5

29.5

28

34.5

35.5

34

33.5

34

34

30

27.5

Minimum circumference of calf

16.5

18

18

18.2

18

18.5

17

18.5

16.2

19.5

19

20.5

21

18.2

18.2

Length of foot

23.8

23.4

25.2

26.2

24.2

24.5

26.5

26.8

26

25.5

25.5

26

25.8

23.8

25

Pre-malleolar length

16

16.5

18

18.8

18

18

18.5

18.5

18

18

17

17.5

18.5

16.2

17

Length of great toe

6

6

6.5

6.8

5.8

7

7.2

7.8

7.5

7.4

7.8

6.5

7.2

6

7.5

Height when seated

77

71

79.8

80.5

76

76.5

78

82.5

82

80

82

82

77

76

81

Breadth across extended arms

168.5

171

173

174

168.8

172

178

176.5

165

170.3

169.8

173

173.5

171

183.2

Colour of skin

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

28

Colour of eye

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3+18

3

3+18

3+18

 

16. Male.

17. Male.

18. Male.

19. Male.

20. Male.

21. Female.

22. Female.

23. Female.

24. Female.

25. Female.

26. Female.

27. Female.

28. Female.

29. Female.

30. Female.

Observations.

19.1

18

19.3

19.8

20.1

18

18.8

18

18

17.6

17.1

18.3

18.4

18.3

18.2

 

14

14

14.8

13.8

14.4

13.6

13.6

13.5

13.3

13.8

13.8

13.6

14

13.8

13.6

 

13

13.1

13.4

12.2

13.8

12.2

12.4

12

12.2

12.4

12.6

11.4

12.8

12.5

12.4

 

14

14

14.8

13.8

14.4

13.4

13.6

13.5

13.3

13.4

13.6

13.6

14

13.8

13.6

 

10.1

10.1

10.6

10.5

10.9

10.8

10.8

10.8

11.2

10.7

10.2

10.6

10.8

11.1

10

 

73

65

65

63

70

78

78

78

69

78

75

76

71

72

75

 

8

7.6

9.9

9.4

8.2

6.9

7.9

6.9

7.6

7.3

7

7.2

7.9

7.1

7.1

 

10.4

10.5

11

11.5

11

10.2

10

9.3

10.3

9.5

9.5

10.2

10.8

10

9.8

 

19.9

19.1

20.1

20.1

26

17.5

16.9

16.9

18.1

17.1

16.4

16.8

17.7

16.4

17

 

8

8.7

9.5

8.9

8

8.2

6.8

8

8.3

7.5

8.1

8.2

7.5

7.3

 

14.1

13.8

15.1

14.1

14.8

13.1

12.8

12.8

13.3

13.2

13.2

12.4

14.5

13.1

13

 

5.1

5.1

5.1

5

5.2

4.6

4.9

4.3

5.2

4.6

4.4

5.1

4.7

4

4.4

 

4.8

5.2

4.8

4.9

5

4

4.5

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.1

4.9

4.4

4.4

 

7.6

6.9

8.4

7.9

8.3

5.2

4.5

5.6

5.5

5.6

5.6

4.3

5.6

5.2

5.8

 

1.9

1.8

2.2

2.8

3

1.8

1.9

2.1

1.9

2

2

2.1

2.1

2.1

2.2

 

6.9

6.8

8.2

7.8

7.8

6.3

7

6.3

6.7

6.8

6.1

6.8

6.9

6.3

6.5

 

6.9

7.5

6.6

7.8

7.7

6.8

7

6.4

7.3

6.7

6.7

6.6

6.8

6

5.9

 

10.5

9.9

10.5

10.7

11.2

10.5

10.2

9.8

9.9

10.6

9.9

10.5

10.9

9.8

9.9

 

4.4

4.1

4.3

4.5

4.4

4.3

4.5

3.6

4.1

4.1

4.1

4.2

4

3.8

 

3.5

3.1

3.3

3.3

3.5

3.1

3.4

3.2

3.1

3.3

3.5

3.7

3.2

3.2

3.2

 

12

11.2

13.2

12.6

13.2

11.8

11

10.4

11.8

12.1

11.2

10.8

13.6

11.4

10.6

 

6.4

5.5

5.8

5.6

6.5

5.5

6

5.2

4.7

5.3

5.6

5.5

5.7

5.6

5.1

 

9.2

10.8

10.2

9.6

10.1

9

9

9.4

9.6

8.8

9.8

10

9.8

9.4

 

73.3

77.7

76.6

69.6

71.9

75.5

73.8

75

73.8

78.4

80.7

74.3

76

75.4

74.7

 

165

163

170.8

158.2

160.5

155.3

156.5

151.5

158

158

154

163

163

156.5

152.2

 

153

154.5

157.2

148

148.5

144

145.2

141

144.8

147

143

151.5

151

144

141.5

 

143.5

149.5

139.8

139

133

134.4

131.5

137

138

133.5

141.5

140.3

135

132.8

 

136

139.5

144

135

135.5

127.5

130.2

127.5

132

132

129.2

137

136.5

129.8

122.8

 

104

106.5

108

100.5

104

97

100.2

97.6

100.2

101

98.5

105

103.2

100.5

91

 

76

75.5

81

76

78.2

73.2

75.5

72.2

75.5

76

75.2

80

75

75.2

67

 

138

138.2

140

132

134.2

127.3

130.5

123.5

128

131.5

130

135.5

135

129.5

125.5

 

123

124

125.5

121

118

 

100

103.5

105.8

100

97

94

98

94.5

97

95

96

100.5

100

95

92

 

97

97

102

95

93

89

95

92

92

92

96.5

96

96

93

88

 

90.5

91.5

95

91

85

80.5

84

82

80

84

87

87

85

81

 

51

49

50.5

47

47

43

44

45

44

46.5

45.4

46.5

47.5

45.5

43

 

35.5

35

32

35

36

31

31

30

32

32

32

32

36

33

30

 

78

77.5

81.5

77.2

75

71.3

71

73

74

73.5

71.5

74.8

77.2

73

71.5

 

16.3

17.5

16.7

15.7

16.2

15.5

13.9

18.9

14.9

16.5

14

15.8

17.3

15.5

14.3

 

19

19.5

18.5

18.2

19.2

16.6

15.7

15.9

16.2

18.7

17.3

16.8

18.2

16.6

15.4

 

10.5

11

11.1

10

11

10

10.2

10

10.8

10.5

10.2

10

10.2

10

10.2

 

11.2

11.6

12

10.2

11.5

10.5

10.3

10.5

11

11

11

11.2

11

10.6

10.8

 

31.5

30.5

30.5

31.5

31

29

27.5

21

28

30.5

33

31

29

29.5

27

 

14.5

15.8

15.5

15

15

14

13

13.5

13.5

13.5

15.8

15

14

14.3

13.2

 

85.5

93

88

94

96

79.5

87

78

83

85

86

78.5

86

82.5

76.5

 

73

73

76

77

75.5

68

70

64.5

71

71

66

71

78

70.5

54.5

 

23.1

23.2

24.3

23.6

23.8

21.5

22

21.4

23

21.4

24.1

24.8

22

22.8

 

26

25.8

28.8

25.5

26

24.6

23.5

25.2

24.5

24.2

26

29.5

26

25

 

26.5

26.8

28.5

27.2

28.8

26

25.5

25

25.5

26

29

31

26.5

26

 

29

35

32

32

34

29

30

28

30.5

30

32.5

28.3

32

29.8

28

 

18

18.5

18.5

19

19

17

19.5

18.8

19

19

20

16.5

18.5

17.8

17.5

 

24

24.8

26

23.5

25.8

22.8

23.5

22.6

24

22.8

23.5

24.3

24

23.5

23

 

17.3

17.5

18.5

16

17.5

16

16

15.8

17.5

16.5

16.8

17.8

16.5

17

16.5

 

6.8

6.2

6.5

6.2

7

6

6

6

6.5

5.5

5.5

6

6.2

6.4

6

 

76

77.5

72.5

75

76

78.5

73.5

72.8

77

75

78.5

79.2

76.3

74

 

172

173

177.2

171

165.5

158.5

157

157

163.8

161

160

167

168

159.8

158

 

28

28

28

28

28

28

29

29

29

28

29

29

29

29

28

 

3+18

3+18

3+18

1

2

2

2

3

2

2+18

2+18

2+18

2

 

 

The measurements throughout are expressed in centimetres. The numbers which follow the colour of the skin and the eye refer to the coloured plates at the end of Broca's Instructions Anthropologiques, 2nd edition, Paris, 1879. In the case of the eye the numbers 3+18 imply that the general ground of the iris corresponds to colour 3, but that round the outer margin there is a tinge of colour 18. Unless otherwise stated in the case of the men, the beard is black and frizzled, the hair on the head wavy, and the body with a sparse coating of crisp short hairs, only noticeable on close inspection. The following notes refer to the individuals numbered. No. 1, beard wavy, skin smooth, very few hairs. No. 2, hair grey, fairly well developed on arms and legs. No. 5, old man, hair grey and scanty on head. No. 6, elderly man, hair grey, beard not abundant, teeth worn flat. No. 8, considerable disparity in size of calf of the legs, not due to accident. No. 12, length of left clavicle. No. 14 of right, 15.5; beard especially frizzled. No. 13, strongly-marked platycnemic and camptocnemic condition of legs. No. 15, very old man, nearly blind; teeth all present, but worn level with the gums. No. 16, legs especially covered with curly black hairs, 12–20 mm. in length. No. 17, colour of eye between 2 and 3 with tinge of 18. No. 20, very old man, body with strong development of hairs, especially on the chest. No. 21, woman of Kaitish tribe, top left incisor knocked out; two children. No. 22, one child. No. 23, one child; hair of head has a distinct rusty tinge. No. 24, Kaitish tribe, top left incisor knocked out; no children. No. 25, one child. No. 26, no child, left upper incisor knocked out; woman belongs to Eastern Arunta. No. 27, no children; Eastern Arunta woman, top left incisor knocked out. No. 28, three children; left upper incisor knocked out. No. 29, two children, slight development of hair under chin. No. 30, two children.

1 Instructions générales pour les Recherches Anthropologiques. M. P. Broca, Société d' Anthropologie de Paris. Paris, 1879. For the instruments used we are indebted to the kindness of Professor J. T. Wilson of Sydney University.


Footnotes

643:1 Instructions générales pour les Recherches Anthropologiques. M. P. Broca, Société d' Anthropologie de Paris. Paris, 1879. For the instruments used we are indebted to the kindness of Professor J. T. Wilson of Sydney University.


Next: Glossary of Native Terms Used