第 3 节
作者:
痛罚 更新:2021-04-30 16:09 字数:9322
writers; and which were encountered as autochthones by the German
immigrants。 And 3rdly。 That it was beyond doubt that these human
relics were traceable to a period at which the latest animals of the
diluvium still existed; but that no proof of this assumption; nor
consequently of their so…termed 'fossil' condition; was afforded by the
circumstances under which the bones were discovered。
FIG。 23。The Engis skull viewed from above (A) and in front (B)。
〃As Dr。 Fuhlrott has not yet published his description of these
circumstances; I borrow the following account of them from one of his
letters。 'A small cave or grotto; high enough to admit a man; and
about 15 feet deep from the entrance; which is 7 or 8 feet wide; exists
in the southern wall of the gorge of the Neanderthal; as it is termed;
at a distance of about 100 feet from the Dussel; and about 60 feet
above the bottom of the valley。 In its earlier and uninjured
condition; this cavern opened upon a narrow plateau lying in front of
it; and from which the rocky wall descended almost perpendicularly into
the river。 It could be reached; though with difficulty; from above。
The uneven floor was covered to a thickness of 4 or 5 feet with a
deposit of mud; sparingly intermixed with rounded fragments of chert。
In the removing of this deposit; the bones were discovered。 The skull
was first noticed; placed nearest to the entrance of the cavern; and
further in; the other bones; lying in the same horizontal plane。 Of
this I was assured; in the most positive terms; by two labourers who
were employed to clear out the grotto; and who were questioned by me on
the spot。 At first no idea was entertained of the bones being human;
and it was not till several weeks after their discovery that they were
recognised as such by me; and placed in security。 But; as the
importance of the discovery was not at the time perceived; the
labourers were very careless in the collecting; and secured chiefly
only the larger bones; and to this circumstance it may be attributed
that fragments merely of the probably perfect skeleton came into my
possession'
〃My anatomical examination of these bones afforded the following
results:
〃The cranium is of unusual size; and of a long elliptical form。 A most
remarkable peculiarity is at once obvious in the extraordinary
development of the frontal sinuses; owing to which the superciliary
ridges; which coalesce completely in the middle; are rendered so
prominent; that the frontal bone exhibits a considerable hollow or
depression above; or rather behind them; whilst a deep depression is
also formed in the situation of the root of the nose。 The forehead is
narrow and low; though the middle and hinder portions of the cranial
arch are well developed。 Unfortunately; the fragment of the skull that
has been preserved consists only of the portion situated above the roof
of the orbits and the superior occipital ridges; which are greatly
developed; and almost conjoined so as to form a horizontal eminence。 It
includes almost the whole of the frontal bone; both parietals; a small
part of the squamous and the upper…third of the occipital。 The
recently fractured surfaces show that the skull was broken at the time
of its disinterment。 The cavity holds 16;876 grains of water; whence
its cubical contents may be estimated at 57。64 inches; or 1033。24 cubic
centimetres。 In making this estimation; the water is supposed to stand
on a level with the orbital plate of the frontal; with the deepest
notch in the squamous margin of the parietal; and with the superior
semicircular ridges of the occipital。 Estimated in dried millet…seed;
the contents equalled 31 ounces; Prussian Apothecaries' weight。 The
semicircular line indicating the upper boundary of the attachment of
the temporal muscle; though not very strongly marked; ascends
nevertheless to more than half the height of the parietal bone。 On the
right superciliary ridge is observable an oblique furrow or depression;
indicative of an injury received during life。*
'footnote' *This; Mr。 Busk has pointed out; is probably
the notch for the frontal nerve。 The coronal and sagittal
sutures are on the exterior nearly closed; and on the
inside so completely ossified as to have left no traces
whatever; whilst the lambdoidal remains quite open。 The
depressions for the Pacchionian glands are deep and
numerous; and there is an unusually deep vascular groove
immediately behind the coronal suture; which; as it
terminates in the foramen; no doubt transmitted a 'vena
emissaria'。 The course of the frontal suture is indicated
externally by a slight ridge; and where it joins the
coronal; this ridge rises into a small protuberance。 The
course of the sagittal suture is grooved; and above the
angle of the occipital bone the parietals are depressed。
mm。*
'footnote' *The numbers in brackets are those which I should
assign to the different measures; as taken from the plaster
cast。G。 B。
The length of the skull from the nasal
process of the frontal over the vertex
to the superior semicircular lines of the
occipital measures。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。303 (300) = 12。0〃。
Circumference over the orbital ridges and
the superior semicircular lines of the
occipital。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。590 (590) = 23。37〃 or 23〃。
Width of the frontal from the middle of
the temporal line on one side to the
same point on the opposite。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。104 (114) = 4。1〃4。5〃。
Length of the frontal from the nasal。
process to the coronal suture。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。133 (125) = 5。25〃5〃。
Extreme width of the frontal sinuses。。。。。。。。。。。25 (23) = 1。0〃0。9〃。
Vertical height above a line joining the
deepest notches in the squamous border
of the parietals。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。70 = 2。75〃。
Width of hinder part of skull from one
parietal protuberance to the other。。。。。。。。。。。。。138 (150) = 5。4〃5。9〃
Distance from the upper angle of the
occipital to the superior semicircular
lines。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。51 (60) = 1。9〃2。4〃。
Thickness of the bone at the parietal
protuberance。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。8。
at the angle of the occipital。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。9。
at the superior semicircular line of
the occipital。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。10 = 0。3〃
〃Besides the cranium; the following bones have been secured:
〃1。 Both thigh…bones; perfect。 These; like the skull; and all the
other bones; are characterized by their unusual thickness; and the
great development of all the elevations and depressions for the
attachment of muscles。 In the Anatomical Museum at Bonn; under the
designation of 'Giant's…bones;' are some recent thigh…bones; with which
in thickness the foregoing pretty nearly correspond; although they are
shorter。
Giant's bones。 Fossil bones。
mm。 mm。
Length。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。542 = 21。4〃。。。。。。438 = 17。4〃
Diameter of head of femur。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 54 = 2。14〃。。。。。 53 = 2。0〃
〃 of lower articular end; from
one condyle to the other。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 89 = 3。5〃。。。。。。。 87 = 3。4〃
Diameter of femur in the middle。。。。。。。。。。。。 33 = 1。2〃。。。。。。。 30 = 1。1〃
〃2。 A perfect right humerus; whose size shows that it belongs to the
thigh…bones。
mm。
Length。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。312 = 12。3〃
Thickness in the middle。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 26 = 1。0〃
Diameter of head。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 49 = 1。9〃
〃Also a perfect right radius of corresponding dimensions; and the
upper…third of a right ulna corresponding to the humerus and radius。
〃3。 A left humerus of which the upper…third is wanting; and which is so
much slenderer than the right as apparently to belong to a distinct
individual; a left 'ulna'; which; though complete; is pathologically
deformed; the coronoid process being so much enlarged by bony growth;
that flexure of the elbow beyond a right angle must have been
impossible; the anterior fossa of the humerus for the reception of the
coronoid process being also filled up with a similar bony growth。 At
the same time; the olecranon is curved strongly downwards。 As the bone
presents no sign of rachitic degeneration; it may be supposed that an
injury sustained during life was the cause of the anchylosis。 When the
left ulna is compared with the right radius; it might at first sight be
concluded that the bones respectively belonged to different individuals;
the ulna being more than half an inch too short for articulation with a
corresponding radius。 But it is clear that this shortening; as well as
the attenuation of the left humerus; are both consequent upon the
pathological condition above described。
〃4。 A left 'ilium'; almost perfect; and belonging to the femur: a
fragment of the right 'scapula'; the anterior extremity of a rib of the
right side; and the same part of a rib of the left side; the hinder
part of a rib of the right side; and lastly; two hinder portion