Physical anthropology of the Lenape or Delawares, and of the eastern Indians in general

About the book

Physical anthropology of the Lenape or Delawares, and of the eastern Indians in general by Aleš Hrdlička is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. It examines Lenape—especially Munsee—skeletal remains to establish their physical characteristics and variation, offering detailed osteological measurements, pathology notes, and comparisons with other Eastern Indigenous groups. The opening of the study explains that it is a Smithsonian Bureau of American Ethnology bulletin built on 57 skeletons recovered from a Munsee cemetery near Minisink in the Delaware Valley, identified as historic and likely dating to the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, with one European skeleton noted. It sketches Lenape history and Munsee territory, mentions an early Shawnee influx as a possible source of variation, and describes the collection’s condition: mostly adults with balanced sexes, many skulls showing cradleboard-like or intentional fronto‑occipital deformation, and very little disease or trauma. Initial results report a majority of dolicho‑ to mesocephalic skulls with a minority of markedly brachycephalic (notably among females), generally moderate facial build, mild prognathism, and regular dentition, alongside variable orbits and nasal breadths and relatively broad palates. Measurements highlight fair cranial size with clear male–female differences in capacity and detailed notes on frontal, sagittal, temporo‑parietal, and occipital regions. Overall, the beginning lays out context, methods, and the main morphological patterns that frame the comparative analysis of Eastern Indian crania.