Part 18

The exact provenience of the six men measured at Marshall is uncertain, but they seemingly were all from the lower Yukon and all were apparently full-blood Eskimo. But the measurements are rather peculiar. They are given, for comparison, with those of the western Eskimo in general (p. 165). They approach nearest to those of the Togiak Eskimo, well down below the Kuskokwim. They show a higher stature than all of their relations farther south, except the Togiaks, and they have a rounder head. They are, in fact, moderate brachycephals, a very unexpected form in this strain of people. The Togiaks also are brachycephalic. The vault is relatively somewhat higher than it is in the other groups, though the height is not excessive. The nose is slightly lower as well as narrower than it is in all the other contingents. The face is close to those of St. Lawrence Island. The ear is perceptibly smaller and especially narrower than elsewhere, but perhaps the age factor enters into the case. The hand is much like that of Togiak and St. Lawrence, the index being identical.

The brachycephaly of the group for the present is hard to explain. It can not be ascribed to a mixture with the river Indians, for these, as has been seen from the skulls, were meso- rather than brachycephalic. There is need here for further inquiry.

SKELETAL REMAINS OF YUKON ESKIMO

As with the Indian, such remains are still rare. Some measurements of three "Smithsonian Mahlemute" skulls from the Yukon, collected by William H. Dall, are given by Jeffries Wyman, and probably the same specimens appear in the Otis Catalogue, the measurements in which are regrettably not very reliable. These specimens can not now be located, and the scarce data are of but little value. The three skulls examined by Wyman were all mesocephalic.

It is now possible to report on 40 adult skulls from the lower Yukon and the delta. An abstract of the measurements is given in the next table. The data indicate a considerable local variation. All the skulls, or very nearly all, are mesocephalic; but they differ considerably in height and in all the facial features. The Pilot Station group, from the apex of the delta, and hence the midst of the Eskimo territory on the Yukon, is especially peculiar. Both the vault and the face, in the series as a whole, range from low to high, and much the same is true of the height of the nose and that of the orbits, while the palate is exceptionally broad, giving a low index, all of which would seem to indicate instability or conditions in change, together probably with admixtures from farther up the river. We need more material, particularly from the stretch of the river between the apex of the delta and Paimute.

YUKON ESKIMO CRANIA

UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM:

+---------+---------+---------+--------- | 17 males +---------+---------+---------+--------- | Pilot | "Lower | Kashunok| Kotlik | Station | Yukon" | (of | and | | | Yukon) |Pastolik ------------------------+---------+---------+---------+--------- Number of adult skulls | (3) | (1) | (2) | (11) Collector | | [42] | [43] | [44] Vault: | | | | Length | 18.90 | 18.8 | 18.45 | 18.44 Breadth | 15.07 | 14.2 | 14.10 | 13.90 Height | 13.77 | 13.7 | 13.65 | 13.60 Module | 15.91 | 15.57 | 15.40 | 15.31 Capacity |1,660 |1,535 |1,468 |1,486 Cranial index | _79.7_ | _75.5_ | _76.4_ | _75.4_ Mean height, index | _81.6_ | _83_ | _83.9_ | _84.1_ Height-breadth, index | _91.4_ | _96.5_ | _96.8_ | _97.8_ Face: | | | | Menton-nasion | 12.40 | | | 12.67 Alveolar point-nasion | 7.85 | 7.1 | 8.25 | 7.78 Diameter | | | | bizygomatic maximum | 14.97 | 14.4 | 14.25 | 14.13 Facial index, total | _82.4_ | | | _90.1_ Facial index, upper | _52.2_ | _49.3_ | _57.9_ _55_ Orbits: | | | | Mean height | 3.58 | 3.55 | 3.80 | 3.67 Mean breadth | 4.07 | 4 | 3.91 | 3.98 Mean index | _87.7_ | _88.7_ | _97.1_ | _92.3_ Nose: | | | | Height | 5.27 | 5.05 | 5.65 | 5.53 Breadth | 2.57 | 2.15 | 2.28 | 2.51 Index | _48.7_ | _42.6_ | _40.3_ | _45.4_ Upper alveolar arch: | | | | Length | 5.70 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.57 Breadth | 7.40 | 6.6 | 6.65 | 6.70 Index | _77_ | _81.8_ | _81.2_ | _83.4_ Basi-facial diameters: | | | | Basion-alveolar point | 10.35 |n. 10.3 | 10.15 | 10.40 Basion-subnasal point | 9.07 | 9.4 | 9.10 | 9.17 Basion-nasion | 10.60 | 10.8 | 10.15 | 10.41 Facial angle | 70 | 74 | 66 | 68 Alveolar angle | 55 | 60 | 60 | 52 Height of lower jaw at | | | | symphysis | 3.63 | | | 3.75 ------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------

+---------+---------+---------+--------- | 23 females +---------+---------+---------+--------- | Paimute | Pilot | Kashunok| Kotlik | | Station | mouth | and | | | | Pastolik ------------------------+---------+---------+---------+--------- Number of adult skulls | (1) | (3) | (1) | (18) Collector | [44] | | [43] | [44] Vault: | | | | Length | 18.7 | 17.80 | 18.7 | 17.72 Breadth | 14 | 14 | 13.9 | 3.62 Height |n. 13.5 | 13.20 | 12.4 | 13.04 Module | 15.40 | 15 | 15 | 14.81 Capacity | |1,442 | |1,359 Cranial index | _74.9_ | _78.7_ | _74.3_ | _76.8_ Mean height, index |_n. 82.3_| _83_ | _76.1_ | _83.2_ Height-breadth, index |_n. 96.4_| _94.3_ | _89.2_ | _95.8_ Face: | | | | Menton-nasion | | 11.90 | | 11.82 Alveolar point-nasion | | 7.40 | | 7.49 Diameter | | | | bizygomatic maximum | | 13.47 | 13.90 | 13.26 Facial index, total | | _89.1_ | | _89_ Facial index, upper | | _55_ | | _56.5_ Orbits: | | | | Mean height | | 3.54 | 3.50 | 3.62 Mean breadth | | 3.89 | 3.80 | 3.86 Mean index | | _91_ | _92.1_ | _94.1_ Nose: | | | | Height | | 5 | 5.50 | 5.19 Breadth | | 2.33 | 2.45 | 2.31 Index | | _46.7_ | _44.5_ | _44.5_ Upper alveolar arch: | | | | Length | | 5.40 | | 5.45 Breadth | | 6.60 | | 6.38 Index | | _81.8_ | | _85.4_ Basi-facial diameters: | | | | Basion-alveolar point | | 10.17 | | 10.09 Basion-subnasal point | | 8.80 | 8.90 | 8.86 Basion-nasion | | 9.97 | 10.20 | 9.98 Facial angle | | 67 | | 67 Alveolar angle | | 52 | | 53 Height of lower jaw at | | | | symphysis | | 3.67 | | 3.56 ------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------

FOOTNOTES:

[42] Howgate & Schwatka Exp.

[43] Rev. P. I. Delon.

[44] A. Hrdlička.

SKELETAL PARTS OF THE YUKON ESKIMO

The next table gives the measurements of the long bones in both sexes in the Yukon Indian (for comparison), in the Yukon Eskimo, and in the western Eskimo, the latter coming mainly from the coast south of the Yukon and from the Nunivak and St. Lawrence Islands. The Yukon Eskimo material, collected from intact burials by the writer, is unfortunately limited to the northern mouth of the river. The skeletons from St. Lawrence Island were collected on the Smithsonian expedition to the place in 1912 by Riley D. Moore, 1927 expedition by H. B. Collins, jr., and T. D. Stewart, all of the National Museum.

The Yukon Eskimo show perceptibly longer bones than do either the Indians or the southeastern and midwestern Eskimo, indicating a somewhat taller stature.

The humerus in the males is less broad than either in the Indians or the midwestern and southwestern Eskimo and has as a consequence high shaft index; but in the females the index in the Yukon and western Eskimo series is identical. The radius is relatively even shorter in the Yukon that it is in the other Eskimo, giving low radio-humeral index.

The femur is notably less platymeric in the male and slightly less so in the female Yukon Eskimo than it is in both the Indians and the rest of the southwestern and midwestern Eskimo, giving a higher index at the upper flattening. The meaning of these facts is not obvious and they may undergo some modification with more material.

As to strength, measured by the mean diameter of the shafts, the Yukon Eskimo in comparison to the southwestern and midwestern show a slightly weaker humerus, and in the males a slightly weaker femur at middle, but in the males again, a slightly stronger tibia. If, however, the mean diameters of the bones are taken in relation to the length of the bones, then in both sexes and in all the parts the southwestern and midwestern Eskimo are slightly stronger. This would seem to indicate more exertion, with harder life, among the coastal and insular than among the river Eskimo. As a matter of fact Kotlik and the near-by Pastolik, from which our skeletons came, were favorably situated at the northern mouth of the river.

The Yukon Eskimo females, as compared with the males, have a somewhat weaker and especially somewhat flatter humerus, with a consequently lower shaft index; they have relatively even a shorter radius, giving a lower radio-humeral index; their humerus itself is relatively short, giving a lower humero-femoral index; their femur is relatively somewhat flatter at the upper flattening, giving a lower index of platymery; while their tibia is relatively less strong antero-posteriorly, resulting in an index that is more than four points higher than that of the males.

YUKON INDIAN, YUKON ESKIMO, AND WESTERN ESKIMO LONG BONES[45]

+--------------------------+-------------------------- | Male | Female --------------+------+------+------------+------+------+------------ Paired bones | Yukon| Yukon|Southwestern| Yukon| Yukon|Southwestern of the two |Indian|Eskimo| and|Indian|Eskimo| and sides | | | midwestern| | | midwestern | | | Eskimo| | | Eskimo | | | | | | Humerus: | (10)| (16)| (143)| (4)| (16)| (136) | | | | | | Mean length | 31.17| 32.10| 30.69| 28.12| 28.31| 28.40 (right | | | | | | and left) | | | | | | | | | | | | At middle-- | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter, | 2.38| 2.83| 2.40| 1.90| 2.07| 2.10 major | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter, | 1.67| 1.80| 1.80| 1.40| 1.51| 1.54 minor | | | | | | | | | | | | Index | _70_|_78.2_| _75.1_|_73.7_|_73.2_| _73.2_ | | | | | | Radius: | (10)| (16)| (98)| (4)| (16)| (109) | | | | | | Mean length | 23.61| 23.44| 22.90| 21.10| 20.18| 20.50 | | | | | | Radio-humeral |_75.7_| _73_| _74.5_| _75_|_71.3_| _72.2_ index | | | | | | | | | | | | Femur: | (14)| (22)| (195)| (8)| (27)| (132) | | | | | | Mean length | 41.92| 43.78| 42.50| 40.15| 41.11| 39.36 (bicond.) | | | | | | | | | | | | Humero-femoral|_74.5_| _n.| _72.2_| _73_| _n.| _72.2_ index | | 73_| | | 69_| | | | | | | At middle-- | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter | 2.96| 3.05| 3.08| 2.59| 2.74| 2.69 antero- | | | | | | posterior | | | | | | maximum | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter | 2.58| 2.67| 2.70| 2.45| 2.44| 2.46 lateral | | | | | | | | | | | | Index |_87.1_|_87.6_| _87.6_|_94.7_|_88.8_| _91.5_ | | | | | | At upper | | | | | | flattening-- | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter, | 3.25| 3.31| 3.35| 2.84| 3.02| 3.02 maximum | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter, | 2.30| 2.57| 2.51| 2.16| 2.27| 2.26 minimum | | | | | | | | | | | | Index |_70.7_|_77.4_| _75_|_75.8_|_75.4_| _74.5_ | | | | | | Tibia: | (14)| (22)| (141)| (8)| (27)| (147) | | | | | | Mean length | 34.19| 35.14| 33.86| 31.97| 32.01| 31.32 (I. A.) | | | | | | | | | | | | Tibio-femoral |_81.5_|_80.3_| _79.7_|_79.6_|_79.8_| _79.6_ index | | | | | | | | | | | | At middle-- | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter | 3.04| 3.16| 3.12| 2.72| 2.61| 2.71 antero- | | | | | | posterior | | | | | | maximum | | | | | | | | | | | | Diameter, | 2| 2.15| 2.12| 1.82| 1.90| 1.89 lateral | | | | | | | | | | | | Index | _66_|_68.3_| _67.9_|_66.9_|_72.8_| _69.9_ --------------+------+------+------------+------+------+------------

FOOTNOTES:

[45] See also data on p. 160.

NOTES ON THE ARCHEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN ESKIMO REGION

Archeological work in the vast area of the western Eskimo is still in its infancy. Until the 1926 Smithsonian expedition nothing whatever had been done in this line in the Eskimo parts of the southwestern coasts of Alaska[46] or on the Kuskokwim or Yukon Rivers.

Some time between 1877 and 1881 E. W. Nelson made limited excavations on St. Michael Island[47] (see p. 170) and also dug on Whale Island.

In 1912 V. Stefánsson excavated at Barrow.[48] Having two months to spend at this place he engaged numerous Eskimo of the village and had them excavate the native village sites in the neighborhood. He says (p. 388): "It was a small army that turned out to dig wherever there was a ruin or a kitchen midden, and they worked energetically and well. While the excavations were not done as methodically and scientifically as could have been wished, still we were able to get from them a collection of over 20,000 archaeological specimens within the space of six weeks. This collection (which is now safely stored in the American Museum of Natural History) brings out many significant and some revolutionary ideas with regard to the prehistoric history of the Eskimo. My method was to dig as much as possible myself, and to go around as best I could to see the others at work. In many cases I was able to see the exact position from which the important finds were taken." The specimens have since in part been described by Wissler.[49] Stefánsson brought also some archeological specimens from Point Hope, where, however, no excavations were made; and collected a valuable series of crania from Point Barrow.

In 1917-19 excavations near Barrow were conducted by W. B. Van Valin, leader of the John Wanamaker expedition to northwestern Alaska, for the University Museum at Philadelphia. The excavations were made in some mounds located about 8 miles southwest of Barrow and about 1,000 yards back from the beach on the tundra, and uncovered six old igloos containing, aside from many cultural objects, the skeletal remains of 83 individuals. These remains have since been found to be those of an intrusive group of people and to be of special interest.[50]

In 1924 Rasmussen during the last parts of his great journey gathered numerous archeological specimens at Point Hope and from other localities along the west coasts of Alaska.

In 1926, finally, the year of my survey, some careful initial excavations, with very interesting results, were carried on at Wales and on the Little Diomede Island by Dr. D. Jenness, of the National Museum of Canada, Ottawa. A preliminary report on the results of this work has been published in the annual report of the National Museum of Canada for 1926.

Besides such more professional work a good deal of archeological collection has been done in the regions under consideration by local people, particularly traders and teachers; and the demand for specimens has made assiduous excavators of some of the Eskimo themselves, particularly at Point Hope and at St. Lawrence Island.

Beginning with the north, the first white man to be mentioned in this connection is Charles Brower, the well-known trader at Barrow. Mr. Brower has not only aided all the explorers who have reached this northernmost point, but he has also been directly instrumental in excavating and the making of archeological collections, though, regrettably, some of these have been scattered.

During 1925-26 there lived at Point Hope a very active and interesting man, sent there by the Fox Film Co. to photograph the Eskimo--Mr. Merle La Voy. La Voy, whom I met at Point Hope and who for a time became our fellow-passenger on the _Bear_, had not only succeeded remarkably in his own line, but had also amassed during his stay a large archeological collection. He did not excavate himself, and unfortunately paid no attention to the scientific side of the case; but by offering the natives sugar, tea, chocolate, chewing gum, tobacco, etc. in exchange for specimens, he so stimulated them that they engaged most assiduously in the excavation, or rather picking over as they thawed, of their old ruins, and brought him thousands of objects, some of which are of considerable interest. At the time of my visit there were several barrels full of specimens, largely of stone and ivory. Skulls and bones, regrettably, were neglected and reburied in the débris. Later this collection was transported to San Francisco, where it remains at the date of this writing, in Mr. La Voy's possession.

At Kotzebue Mr. Tom Berryman, the trader, has made some collections of Eskimo archeological material, from which I benefited for the National Museum; and the local teacher, Mr. C. S. Replogle, informed me that he had a large collection at his home in the States.

At Nome I found a valuable lot of specimens in fossil ivory, pottery, and stone, in the possession of the well-known Lomen brothers, members of one of the foremost families in Alaska. The best parts of this collection I was fortunate to secure for exhibit in the United States National Museum.

A large and valuable collection of western Eskimo archeological material was made some years ago by Dr. Daniel Neuman. A part of this collection is in the museum at Juneau; the whereabouts of the rest and of Doctor Neuman himself I was unable to discover. There are several collections of archeological material from the western Eskimo region at Seattle and San Francisco, but none represents scientific excavation.

The names of Joe Bernard, Prof. H. N. Sverdrup, and O. W. Geist should be mentioned in this connection, all having collected archeological objects in the western Eskimo region. Many specimens of value collected by these men and others are in various museums or in private hands in Fairbanks, along the west coast or in Europe.

My own small part in the archeology of Bering Sea and the northwestern coast of Alaska was, as already stated, mainly that of making a survey of conditions. The object was to obtain a good general view of what there was in the line of archeological sites and remains, and thus help to lay a foundation for more organized research in the future. In addition all possible effort was made to collect and obtain specimens of distinct archeological value. Both of these endeavors met with results of some importance.

FOOTNOTES:

[46] Dall, W. H., and Jochelson, W., made, as is well known, valuable excavations in the Aleutian Islands; but the Aleuts were not Eskimos. (See Cat. of Crania, etc., U.S.N.M., 1924, 39.)

[47] Nelson, E. W., The Eskimo About Bering Strait; Eighteenth Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pt. 1, Washington, 1899, p. 263.

[48] My Life with the Eskimo, N. Y., 1913, 387, 388. See also his The Stefánsson-Anderson Arctic Expedition: Preliminary Ethnological Report. Anthrop. Papers Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., XIV, N. Y., 1914.

[49] Wissler, Clark, Harpoons and Darts in the Stefánsson Collection. Anthrop. Papers Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., N. Y., 1916, XIV, 401-443.

[50] See section devoted to this find, p. 318.

OLD SITES IN THE REGION OF THE WESTERN ESKIMO