Dr. T. Tóth szerk.: Studia historico-anthropologica (Anthropologia Hungarica 16. Budapest, 1979)

ratio between length and width, that is today known as the cranial index describing cranial physique. Considering even extreme cases this index fluctuates between 58 and 98, meaning that the width of the skull may very from a little more than half to the whole length of the skull. On living individuals, naturally, the soft parts somewhat modify this value, usually increases it by almost 2 units on the average. And for the very reason that the length cranial index is taken from living individuals gained this method a wide recognition. Consequently, a huge mass of data has accumulated which can readily be broken down to ethnical or geographical groups. On the other hand, observations concentrating on the height index are much smaller in number. Thus, this latter value should, for the time being, be separately examined. The maximum deviations of the cranial index have for a long time been grouped in three principal classes: up to 75 dolichocrany, i. e. having a long skull; between 75 and 80 mesocrany, i.e. having a medium skull; and from 80 onwards brachycrany, i.e. having a short skull. Unfortunately, the weak point of this grouping is the narrow limits of the mesocrany. According to Biasutti, Sergi's statement that in fact no medium group exists is true, in other words, a value below 80 yields dolichocrany, above it brachycrany. The forms comprising the major groups in fact give rise through the frequency variation of the mean values. My results wholly conform with this theory. According to Biasutti it is quite likely that "the cxanial index is related with the stature, or rather the physique of tne race: so that dolichocrany is coupled with leptosomatic, of tali stature, while brachycrany with eurysomatic, of robust stature, form. When measuring the height of the skull we should use the presently most widely employed method: the distance between the basion (external occipital tubercle - at the frontal margin of the foramen magnum) and the bregma (the point where the frontal bone meets the parietal bone on the calvaria). However, some research workers use the so-called height above the ear, i.e. the projection of the distance between the opening of the ear and the calvaria. This measurement may be taken also on living individuals". According to Biasutti the height value compared to the two horizontal diamètres makes it possible to calculate further two cranial indices. These are the longitudinal-vertical index (the ratio of height to the maximum length of the skull) and the width-vertical index (the ratio of height to the maximum width of the skull). However, attention is drawn to the fact that discordant results are obtained when the variations of these two vertical indices are examined separately. Thu-s, it was necessary to work out such a formula which evaluates the height of the skull with relation to the other two measurements. Such a method was put forward by Topinárd, that is known today as the "combined" height index, i.e. using the average of the two vertical indices. After some time, however, this method was discarded, nevertheless, Hrdliika reverted to it in the USA, thus, it gradually gained recognition there. Many Italian scientists, like Biasutti, Mocchi, strongly supported by the research of Sera, through Giardina' s index arrived to a more precise formula: Y = height length X width Prof. Fiorenzo Facchini (Anthropological Institute, University of Bologna) was kind enough to inform me through a letter (dated 18th June, 19 76) of the most recent findings and surrendered to me the Giardina index elaborated for historical finds as well as for living individuals: height of basion - bregma x 100 maximum length x width of skull auriculo- bregma height x 100 maximum length x width of head