The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-11-04
-Dietz on Science
MODERN IRISH
CREW OUT OF
RACE MIXTURE
Full Lineage Difficult to
Obtain Due to Lack
of Skeletons.
BY DAVID DIETZ
Scripps- Howard Science Editor

BY DAVID DIETZ
Scripps-Howard Science Editor
The racial history of Ireland still
awaits serious investigation, ac-
cording to DR.. James A. Geary OF
the department of comparative
philology and Celtic languages of
the Catholic University Of America.
Much that was written up to
about fifty years ago about Phoeni-
clan and Spanish strains in the
Irish people was based on insecure
legends or even on fancies of the
fimsiest kind" he says.
Information about the very earli-
est inhabitants Of the island can be
obtained only from the examina-
ton of very ancient skeletal re-
mains revealed by excavations, DR..
Geary says.
Such discoveries have been rel
atiVely few" he continues, for
systematic investigation remains to
be carried out. Altogether, hardly
500 skeletons or skulls have been
found. But nearly 80 per cent of
the Oldest skulls are either long or
medium in proportion to the width,
and the older the skulls, the greater
the percentage of long ones.
Broad or long skulls do not ap-
pear in any numbers till far into
the Christian era"
Race of Medium HEIGHT
A study of the skeletons reveals
that the stature of these early in
habitants was from short to me-
dunn, DR.. Geary says.
1.-THE presence in Ireland, 1000
years before the Christian era, of a
medium-statured race with me-
dunn shaped skulls is quite in har-
mony with the discoveries made on
the continent Of Europe" he con-
tinues:
There it is found that the Clipped
stone or paleolithic age is associated
with long skulls but that at the end
OF this period some broad skulls
appear, and that during the sue
ceeding polished stone or neaIithic
age these broad skulls become more
frequent while also a mixed type
like that of the Irish skulls appears.
Mixed Blood Evident
1.-THE long skulls are ascribed to
the Mediterranean race. The broad
skulls are aScribed to what is now
called the Alpine race. At a later
period the Teutonic race appears,
with all the traits attributed by the
Greek and Roman writer's to the
CeltS and Germans, namely a COM
bination of long-headedness with
tall stature.
"By the mixture of the Mediter-
ranean and Alpine types arose the
medium type of skull found in Ire
land, as well as in England and on
the continent. But the broad skulls
found in the latter places are al
most entirely lacking in Ireland. In
Scandinavia, if Montelius is correct,
the Oldest burials show round skulls
and the later stone age burials show
skulls of the Teutonic type"
The two stone ages in European
history were followed by the bronze
age when the use Of bronze weapons
and utensils replaced those of stone.
Bronze Agt Dtat
1.-THE bronze age is plentifully
represented in Ireland, as it is all
over Europe" DR.. Geary says. I'm
England, the use of bronze is asso-
ciated with burials which contain
round as well as long skulls.
However, there is no appearance
of any new type Of human beings
in Ireland along with this new kind
of culture. 1t seems that the use
of bronze was introduced by trade
and not by the migration of people
Of another physical type"
The bronze age lasted from about
1000 B. G. to 1000 B. G. in Ireland,
he says, although the iron age be-
gan on the continent of Europe at
about 900 B. G. He dates the be-
ginning of the iron age in Ireland
with the arrival of the Gaels at
about the middle Of the fourth CEN
fury, B. c. These Gaels, he says,
were Celts.
The Celts Of central Europe, he
adds, discovered iron about 900 B. G.
and spread by expansion into Gaul
between 900 and 600 B. G. A second
period of expansion in 400 B. G.
carried Celts into Italy and under
the name of Gaels, into Ireland. The
Gaels were characterized by tall
stature, long skulls and faces and
fair hair.
The Picts, DR.. Geary says, ap-
peared in Ireland and Scotland
about 400 A. D., but little is known
as to their origin.