Cranial Modification Among 19Th Century Osages: Admixture And Loss Of An Ethnic Marker

Abstract

Among 19th century Osage full-bloods, a modified cranium, specifically a flattened occiput, was an integral part of ethnic expression. An early archival source documenting this practice is a sculpted bust of Black Spirit, who, along with five other members of the Osage tribe, toured Paris in 1827, where a local artisan skillfully crafted this marble likeness of an exotic visitor from America’s frontier. When viewed in profile this bust clearly depicts a tabular occiput. Comparative study of 124 Osages measured by Franz Boas and colleagues at the close of the 19th century reveals that the majority of mixed-bloods did not possess altered crania, while full-bloods did. It will be demonstrated thatlndian-white marriages created a domestic environment where parents chose not to utilize a cradleboard as part of infant care. Their probable motives for this decision will also be explored. The craniometric data analyzed in this report document an important form of culture change among admixed Osage Indians at the close of the 19th century.