The facial dimensions of the Eskimo skull offer a number of points of
unusual interest. The face is absolutely and especially relatively to
stature very large in all measurements. It is particularly high between
the upper alveolar point and nasion.
The large size of the Eskimo face will best be appreciated from a few
figures.
FACIAL DIMENSIONS OF THE WESTERN AND OTHER ESKIMO CRANIA COMPARED
WITH THOSE OF THE SIOUAN AND ALGONQUIAN TRIBES
-----------------+-------------------+---------------+------+----------
| Southwestern and | Eskimo |Siouan|Algonquian
| midwestern Eskimo | in general |tribes| tribes
+----------+--------+------+--------+------+----------
|Mean of 14| 10 | 27 | 22 | 12 | 15
| groups | groups |groups| groups |groups| groups
| (male) |(female)|(male)|(female)|(male)| (female)
-----------------+----------+--------+---------------+------+----------
Total height | | | | | |
(ment.-nas.) | 12.60 | (11.63)| 12.52| (11.59)| 12.26| 12.11
Upper height | | | | | |
(alv. pt.-nas.)| 7.87 | (7.29)| 7.79| (7.21)| 7.52| 7.35
Diameter | | | | | |
bizyg. max. | 14.25 | (13.27)| 14.26| (13.22)| 14.16| 13.89
Module of | | | | | |
upper face | | | | | |
(U. H. + B)/2 | 11.06 | (10.28)| 11.03| (10.22)| 10.84| 10.62
-----------------+----------+--------+------+--------+------+--------
So far as known there are no larger faces among the Indians than
those of the Sioux, yet they remain very perceptibly, in all three
measurements, behind the Eskimo. No face as large as that of the
Eskimo is known, in fact, from anywhere else in the world. In whites
the mean diameter of the largest faces (see data in Martin's Lehrbuch
Anthrop., 789-791) does not exceed 10.36 centimeters. The above showing
assumes especial weight when it is recalled that both the Siouan and
the Algonquian tribes are among the tallest there are on the American
Continent. The cause of the large size of the Eskimo face can only be
the excessive use of the jaws; no other reason even suggests itself.
But the character may already be more or less hereditary. It furnishes
another attractive subject for further investigation.
With its large dimensions the face of the Eskimo skull presents
generally also large orbits, large molars, submedium prominence and
breadth of the nasal bridge, shallow suborbital (canine) fossae,
large dental arch above medium teeth, and a large and stout lower jaw
with broad not seldom more or less everted angles, giving the whole a
characteristic appearance. With partial exception of the orbits and the
nose, which are subject also to other factors, all these features of
the Eskimo face are explainable as strengthenings resulting from the
increased function of mastication.
The main dimensions of the cranial face in the three large groupings of
the Eskimo are given in the next table.