Craniometry
Craniometry is the scientific measurement of skulls and the study of skull shapes, sizes, and the variations thereof. It is a branch of Anthropology and Human biology that has been used in various forms of Scientific racism.
History[edit | edit source]
Craniometry was developed in the 19th century by Samuel George Morton, an American physician. Morton collected hundreds of human skulls from around the world and started trying to find a way to classify them according to some logical criteria. He was influenced by the common European belief of his time that intelligence was related to the size of the brain and, consequently, the size of the skull.
Methodology[edit | edit source]
Craniometry involves the measurement of the skull, specifically the cranium, which is the upper part of the skull that encloses the brain. The measurements are taken using a variety of tools such as calipers and tape measures. The measurements are then used to calculate various indices, such as the cephalic index, which is the ratio of the maximum width of the head to its maximum length.
Criticism and Controversy[edit | edit source]
Craniometry has been criticized for its use in justifying racial and ethnic stereotypes. It has been used to support the notion of racial superiority and inferiority, which has led to its association with scientific racism. Despite these criticisms, craniometry continues to be used in certain areas of research, such as forensic anthropology.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
Craniometry Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD