The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-07
A list Of publications given by Mr., Broyde
offers an idea OF the activity OF the Jewish
Cons,antinopoitan presses during the six
taepth century


offers an idea OF the activity OF the Jewish
Constantinopolitan presses during the six
teenth century.
VII.
The article on ACorriova," which ~
written by DR.. Mayer Kaiserling OF Buda-
pest, IL particularly Interesting for the light
II throws on the condition OF the Jews IN
Andahisia under Moslem rule and under
Christian sovereigns up to the time vhen
Jews we're expelled by Ferdinand and
Isabella. Az early as the eighth century
Jews were included among the inhabitants
Of Cordova. They we're not behind the moore
in their efforts to promote education, ana
In tho Academy Of Cordova. founded by
the Caliphs. Jews as we'll a. Moors received
instruction In philosophy. grammar, rnathe-
matics, botany and music. Under the
caphnte OF Cordova the Jews not only
enjoyed all the privileges that were con-
coded to other non-Moslem inhabitants,
but what was an exception In Islam, they
fought in the Moorish army and held govern
ment positions Tie first persecution TO
which the Jews were subjected In Moslem
Spain occurred in 1919 II was due to their
having sided with one OF the pretenders 10
the throne and 10 their having invoked
the aid OF the Count Of Barcelona. When
Spain was invaded by the fanatical Almo-
hades, the Jews we're compelled to choose
between Islam and death. and many under
went the formalty OF conversion to the
MohaInmedan fnith. After Cordova was
taken in 1885 by Ferdinand III. OF CASTLE
the Jews acquired considerable privileges.
! and continued to enjoy tranquility and
To IS,,, hundred
fifty years. In 1891, however, they were
the victims OF a massacre, and fifteen years
later another outbreak Of race hatred
occurred. In 1873 a royal order was Issued
prohibiting Maranos the name given TO
Jewish converts to Christianity from
holding public Office in Cordova: and this
was soon followed by another decree pro-
! hibiting Jews from residing In that city and
In Seville under penalty OF death. 1t Ia
we'll known that nineteen years later all
Jews were expelled from Spain. Cordova
, was one Of the first cities to furnish victims
to the Inquisition which subsequently
destroyed 40 many thousands Of Maranos
The chief autos da ies held in Cordova
took place in 1865. 1885, 1928 and 1874
VIII.
II is generally admitted by anthropolo-
gists that the shape OF the head II the
| most stable charact eristic OF given race.
The form Of the skull is little, II at all. in
fuenced by climate, environment, nutri-
ton or sexual selection, The only way
in which the type of tho head may be
changed Is by intermixture with other
races. Now the pure Semitic skull 10
dolichocephalic, as may be seen from the
! measurement OF the heads OF modern Arabs,
Abyssinans and Syrians. The cephalic
index OF these races Is from 70 to II. II
the ancient Hebrews were OF the same stock
| az the modern non-Jewish 6emites, and
| IL the modern Jews are the descendants
| of the ancient Hebrews. then pure dolicho-
cephalic type Of head would be expect ed
| among existing Jews. A matter OF fact
| all the results OF craniometry prove that
| the modern Jews are brachycephalio, and
| that the dolicholephalic form Is only found
among them in less than two per cent,
| Of the cases. II we except the Caucasian
| Jews, Of whom but few have been measured
| the cephalic index in 90 per cent. OF the
modern Jews ranges from SIS to s. DR..
! Maurice Fishberg. medical examiner to
| the United Hebrew Charities Of New York
city. who has cont ributed the article on
cranometry, points out that the pho
nomenon Just mentioned may be explained
| in two ways. Either the modern Jews
! have very little Semitic blood in their veins,
| as Lombroso, Luschan and others arc In
| clined to think or else the ancient Hebrews
! may have been q brachycephalic race.
| In order TO establish the latter hypothesis,
| il would be needful to examine more skulls
Of ancient Hebrews than are at present
| available. The only known skulls OF an
| Gent Hebrews are Ave obtained by LON.
| broso from the cataoomb OF st. Calixtua
| In Rome; these date back to A. d. I60
Lombroso considers these skulls OF great
| importa nce from a craniometrical point
| of view, because. at the period from which
! they are derived. there could have been
no considerable intermixture OF the Jews
with other races, and, consequently. the
craniai type exhibited should he con.
+, sidered pure. Now the cranial indexes
| OF these skulls give an average Of SOS
which is far above the cephalio index OF
the non Jewish Ssmtes in our day. Twelve
skulls from a jewish cemetery in Barcel
Of the thirtee and fourte zenith centuries
have been examined. and have been found
to be even more brachycephalic than are
those of contemporary Jews This shows
that the brachy capitalism Of the modern
Jews lie not Of recent origin The theory
once suggested that the Sephardim are
dolicocephalic, while the Ashkenazim are
brachycephalic, is not supported by cranio-
metrical research. Measurements OF the
Jews in London indicate that the percent &c
of dolicocephalic skulls Is the larger among
the AshkenaZim.
IX.
Inscriptions unearthed In various parts
Of the Crimea prove that organized Jewish
communities existed in that peninsuis
long before the destruction Of the Temple
81. Jerome toward the close OF the fourth
century A. D.. reports on the authority
OF his Jewish teacher that, according to Z
tradition then prevalent among the Jews
the Assyrans and Babylonians had con.
veyed their Jewish captives to the coasts
of the Black Sea. The Crimean Jews wert
Greeks in language, customs and socia
life and enjoyed equal rights with theil
fellow citizens. We have seen that, after
the Chazars conquered the Crimea. many
OF them, and particularly the higher classes