Types of mankind, or ethnological researches, based upon the ancient monuments, paintings, sculptures, and crania of races and upon their natural, geographical, philological, and biblical history / illustrated by selections from the unedited papers of Samuel George Morton and by additional contributions from L. Agassiz, W. Usher, and H.S. Patterson ; by J.C. Nott and Geo. R. Gliddon.

  • Nott, Josiah C. (Josiah Clark), 1804-1873.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Types of mankind, or ethnological researches, based upon the ancient monuments, paintings, sculptures, and crania of races and upon their natural, geographical, philological, and biblical history / illustrated by selections from the unedited papers of Samuel George Morton and by additional contributions from L. Agassiz, W. Usher, and H.S. Patterson ; by J.C. Nott and Geo. R. Gliddon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    glad to have a skull of a Copt and a Fellah, and indeed of any other of the present tribes in or bordering on Egypt, and which could be probably obtained through any one of your medical friends in Cairo or Alexandria. I hope before you leave to be able to send you one of the lithographs for my work, to prove to you that it will be no discredit to the arts of this country. Sensible how infinitely you may serve me in a favorite though novel inquiry, I cannot but hope to interest your feelings and exertions on this occasion, and therefore beg an early answer. To this letter Mr. G. responded freely and cordially, readily under- taking the commission, which resulted in supplying Morton with crania, which form the basis of his renowned Crania JEgyptiaca. Without the aid thus afforded, any attempt to elucidate Egyptian ethnology from this side the Atlantic would have been absurdly hope- less ; with it, a difficult problem was solved, and the opinion of the scientific world rectified in an important particular. The correspond- ence thus originated led to a close intimacy between the parties, which essentially modified the history of both, and ended only with life ; and which resulted in a warmth of attachment, on the part of the survivor, that even death cannot chill, as the dedication of this volume attests. With the prospect of obtaining these Egyptian crania, Morton was delighted. How much he anticipated appears from the following passage in the preface to his Crania Americana:— Nor can I close this preface without recording my sincere thanks to George R. Gliddon, Esq., United States Consul at Cairo, in Egypt, for the singular zeal with which he has pro- moted my wishes in this respect; the series of crania he has already obtained for my use, of many nations, both ancient and modern, is perhaps without a rival in any existing collection; and will enable me, when it reaches this country, to pursue my comparisons on an extended scale. (p. 5.) The skulls came to hand in the fall of 1840, and Morton entered eagerly upon their examination, and upon the study of Nilotic Archaeology in connection therewith. Mr. Gliddon arrived in Janu- ary 1842, with the intention of delivering a course of lectures in this country upon hieroglyphical subjects; and the two friends could now prosecute their studies together. They had already been engaged in active correspondence, Morton detailing the considerations which were impelling him to adopt views diverse, in several points, from what were generally considered established opinions. I regret that I have not access to the letters of Morton of this period, but the following extract from a reply of Gliddon, dated London, Oct. 21st, 1841, will show the state of their minds in regard to Egyptian questions at that time:— With regard to your projected work, (Crania JEgyptiaca,) I will, with every deference frankly state a few evanescent impressions, which, were I with you, could be more fully developed. I am hostile to the opinion of the African origin of the Egyptians. I mean of the high caste—kings, priests, and military. The idea that the monuments support such