Horváth Attila – H. Tóth Elvira szerk.: Cumania 4. Archeologia (Bács-Kiskun Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei, Kecskemét, 1976)
Matolcsi J.: Táltosló az Izsák-baláspusztai honfoglalás kori sírban
breadth of the right lacrymal bone (Fl—Zl) 49.0 mm breadth of the left lacrymal bone (Fl—Zl) 60.0 mm In the right naso-facial part the value of the joint length of parts the maxilla and intermaxilla which adjoin the nasal bone is even larger. Using the nomenclature of the craniometry this is the distance between the l^acrymomaxillare orale (Lmo) and the Nasoliberale (N1). The distance between Lmo— N1 is 121.4 mm on the right side, and the distance between Lmo — N1 is 116.8 mm on the left side. The result of the size differences described above is that the orbit and the aboral point of the free part of the nasal bone are further from each other on the right side than on the left. In the last analysis it can be stated that the right side of the brain skull is 16.6 mm longer than the left one, and this circumstance causes the plagiocephaly of the horse of Izsák-Balázspuszta. Ir the basilar view the break of the median plane of the skull is even better expressed than in the frontal view. Also the characteristics of the facial crest described before can be well seen (Fig. 2). Nevertheless, in this view it is the specialities of the palate and those of the teeth which draw the most attention. The palate is more arched than usual, the sulcus palitinus is deeper. The choanae bordered by the palatal bones, appear as asymmetric holes, and the pterygoid bones bordering their other side show different forms on the two sides. The form differences arc particularly striking on its right and left hooks (humulus pterygoideus). The foramina pterygopalatina located just above the pterygoid bone have different forms and sizes on the two sides. The articular tuber stands vertically to the median plane on the right side, on the left side it stands more orally and makes an acute angle with the median plane. This abnormality itself shows the unproportionedform of the two vertical parts of the mandible. The form differences of the upper articular tubers go together with the special shaping of the condyloid processes of the mandible (Fig. 5), since these latter are almost the mirror images of the former ones. The verticil part (ramus mandihulae) of the right mandible — following the torsion of the skull — leans strongly to the lateral side. The plagiocephaly of animals has not yet been studied in detail. Tasnádi-Kubacska mentions only the deformations caused by lesions among the pathological cases of fossil animals. 18 Among them he refers to cases when the left side of the brain-case fell far behind the right one in its development and is in fact smaller. A cave bear skull studied from this point of view was deformed both in the horizontal and vertical planes just like the horse skull of Izsák-Balázspuszta, The physical anthropologists, on the other hand, often discuss plagiocephaly. ~L,ipták sees its cause in the too early ossification of certain sutures 19 , more exactly that of the coronal suture and one part of the lambdoid suture resulting in the earlier completion of the growth on that particular side. Kissçely also stresses the occurrence of hereditary and illness based plagiocephalies, besides acknowledging the type mentioned above.0 In the skull of Izsák-Balázspuszta the right side of the brain-skull is somewhat more developed than the left, and its coronal suture is ossified, these symptoms are not so well-expressed however, that they would be an acceptable explanation of the plagiocephaly for the naso-facila part is more slanted than the brain-skull, and the ossification of the coronal suture is of the same grade on both sides. On the other hand, the ossification of the sutures is not completed on either side of the naso-facial part. Ultimately of course the causes of the deformation of the horse skull of IzsákBalázspuszta are genetic. Passing over to the form and specific position of the dentition, we have to discuss many abnormities concerning both the incisors and grinding teeth. 21 Through the simple size difference of the two premolar-molar rows it is not possible to demonstrate that situation is quite different from that of a normal skull. This complicated phenomenon is must more than just that of size differences. 18 TASNÁDI KUBACSKA A.: 1960, 129-134. 19 LIPTÁK P.: 1969, 52. 20 KISZELYI.: 1969, 298. 21 In the zoological and hippological literatures several methods are known for the numeration of the teeth. According to the proceeding followed by me I t is the central incisor, I 2 is the lateral incisor, and I., is the corner incisor. С marks the canine. I begin the numeration of the praemolars at the oral end of their tow (P lt P 2 , P 3 ) and following the aboral direction I mark the molars (M„ M 2 , M 3 ). The wolf tooth, ifit is present, I nominate separately in each case. 200
