Page:Archaeologia volume 38 part 1.djvu/110

 < 1 1 Further Researches in a Sternum, Grave 31. On carefully comparing this the first bone of the sternum with the cor- res|*>nding one in the skeletons of men of the respective heights of six, seven, and eight feet, it was found to agree completely with that of the skeleton of seven feet. The upper portion of this hone, on the right side, is a little different in shape to that on the left, and the articulations for the clavicle and first rib on that side are lower by a quarter of an inch than those on the right. The articulation also for the first rib is of smaller size, and situated more posteriorly than that on the right. From the greater projection of the articular surfaces of the left side, both in an upward and outward direction, it would apjwar that some deposition of new bone, the result either of accident or disease, had taken place at this point, and, if the latter were the case, it proceeded probably from rheumatism. Hones of the L'ft hand, Grave 31. These consist of three metacarpals and of nine phalanges, all of which bear a proportionate size to that of the sternum bone ; and the most interesting of the three motacarpals is that of the thumb, the upper surface of which is broad and flat, and exhibits very plainly the articular surfaces for the sesamoid bones. The other two bones have well developed ridges for the attachment of muscles, and that of the forefinger has its distal extremity slightly enlarged on one side, as if from rheumatism. On comparing these bones as to length, &c. with those of the hand of a man undoubtedly of seven feet high, they were found to be on an average just one- tenth of an inch shorter, whilst, when compared with those of the hand of a man of average height, they exceeded them by one-fifth of their entire length. I therefore consider myself warranted in con- cluding that the person to whom these bones belonged must have been a man nearly if not fully seven f<ft in height. Skull,. 4(5. The cranium of an Anglo-Saxon woman, which from the pressure of the soil in which the interment took place is considerably distorted. The right side of the face has been pressed upon the lower jaw in such a manner as to force forward from their sockets the four upper incisor teeth. The head itself has also been forcibly bent forwards on the chest, so that the four UJ)]KT cervical vertebras may be seen in the interval between the foramen magnum and the inner side of the lower jaw. When first placed in my hands, this and the other skulls from the same locality were all coated and filled with the soil in which they were found, and on the removal of this the bone was so brittle that it crumbled to pieces very readily, and of all the skulls only two could be so far restored as to have their principal measurements taken, and these were females. The soil itself was very peculiar; it contained numerous minute land shells, and was made up principally of small grains of rounded silex; and, if a lump of three or more inches in cubical measure were placed in water, in less than two minutes it would as it were crumble to atoms and fall to the bottom of the water without discolouring it. The soil was threaded in every direction by minute roots, which served the purjxise of keeping it together, and in the specimens now under examination every foramen was occupied by them, and their eroding effects may be seen upon various parts of the head and face ; the markings produced being very much like those of the ramifications of blood-vessels. Judging from the teeth, this skull (No. 46) must be that of a person of middle age, the crowns, both of the molars and incisors, being very much flattened, as may be seen on the right side, where tin)-., in the lower jaw are exposed to view. The general appearance of this skull is very like that figured in the " Crania Britannica " of Thurnam and Davis as an Anglo-Saxon from West Horn-