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(Answer a; page 3)
(Answer d; page 6)
(Answer b; page 6)
7. The pace of discovery of new fossil hominids has accelerated. The text states
that this may be attributed to
a. regional political changes
b. the better training excavators are receiving
c. better pay for paleoanthropologists
d. all of these
(Answer a; page 6)
(Answer a; page 6)
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b. biocultural anthropology
c. molecular anthropology
d. osteology
(Answer d; page 7)
(Answer c; page 7)
(Answer a; page 7)
(Answer b; page 7)
13. Because the bones of the body develop along with other tissues such as muscles
and tendons, it is necessary to study the interrelationship of the skeleton and its
surrounding tissue. This study is known as
a. paleopathology
b. forensic anthropology
c. human biology
d. skeletal biology
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Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
(Answer d; page 7)
a. trauma
b. nutritional deficiencies
c. epidemics
d. all of these
(Answer d; page 7)
a. paleopathology
b. cultural resource management
c. ethnology
d. none of these
(Answer a; page 8)
16. You would contact a paleopathologist if the skeleton you just found
(Answer b; page 7)
a. human biologist
b. molecular anthropologist
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Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
c. forensic anthropologist
d. osteologist
(Answer c; page 8)
(Answer c; page 8)
a. primatologist
b. osteologist
c. paleoanthropologist
d. forensic anthropologist
(Answer d; page 8)
a. osteology
b. ethnography
c. primatology
d. none of these
(Answer c; page 9)
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Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.
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the face of the world; a man whose guilt is so black that it may never
be washed away, though they laved him in rivers of water as deep as
those of tears and blood that he has caused to flow.
We hear very little of this potentate. Now and then an adventurous
European will penetrate his awful domains, and give to the world
some account of the horrors he sees and hears; once in a while we
read in the African News that “the King of Dahomey threatens a
massacre on such or such a place,” or that the barbarous “annual
custom” is about to commence, with an enumeration of the victims
already secured, and whose blood is required to “water the late
king’s grave.” Of all Englishmen who have witnessed the
abominations of Dahomey, none have recorded them more
graphically than Commander Forbes, and it is from his account
chiefly that what is here related of Dahomey is derived.
Commander Forbes’s first introduction to the King of Dahomey
was, to say the least, calculated to make a lasting impression on his
memory. Within a short distance of the royal residence Mr. Forbes
and his party halted at the house of a friend, and attired themselves
in full uniforms, and then moved forward to some shady trees to
await the arrival of the carbooceers who were to conduct them to the
royal presence. After the adventurous Europeans came a crowd of
hammock-men and other Dahoman followers. About a quarter of a
mile from the halting place stood a vast assembly of carbooceers
and soldiers with umbrellas of state, flat-topped and ornamented like
those of the Chinese, and banners of every hue and most varied
devices. Beside the Dahoman standards, each of which was
ornamented by a human skull, floated the national flags of France,
England, Portugal, and Brazil, whilst every carbooceer had his own
particular pennon.
The first chief who advanced towards Commander Forbes’s party
from this gay crowd of carbooceers was Boh-peh, the governor of
the capital, dressed in a country cloth wrapped round his body, a
slouched hat, necklaces of coral and other beads, and armed with a
handsome sword. Behind him came a retinue of soldiers, his
standard, his umbrella of state, and his stool of rank; and, lastly, a
band of most discordant music. Arriving in front of Forbes’s party, he
bowed, and then marched from right to left round their seats three
times, completing each circuit with a low obeisance. On his third
round he discharged three muskets, and danced a short measure,
then advanced and shook hands, and seated himself on his stool of
office, which its bearer had placed on the Englishman’s right hand.
Ah-hoh-peh, the king’s brother, and Gaseh-doh, the chief of the
carbooceers of Dahomey, followed, with similar attendants and
ceremonies. When the whole party were seated, a body of the royal
household, having half their heads shaved, took position in front, and
sang a hymn of welcome to the Englishmen. The Dahoman guard
were showily dressed in scarlet, trimmed with beads and other
ornaments, with their heads covered by silver caps, some of which
were distinguished by a pair of small silver horns. In his right hand,
each carried a horse-tail whip, with which he beat time to the air of
the chant. Next advanced Poh-neh-soo (at once a military officer,
court-fool, and headsman) and his party of blunderbuss men, who
likewise fired a salute, and then drank healths with the Europeans;
after which, the latter entered their hammocks, and the entire party
proceeded towards the palace, amid the firing of muskets and short
brass guns.
The travellers found the palace of Dange-lah-cordeh surrounded
at a distance of twenty feet with human skulls, many of which had
crumbled with time, or had blown down. The square of the palace
was filled with armed people sitting on their hams, the polished
barrels of their muskets standing up like a forest. Under a thatched
gateway sat the king surrounded by his immediate wives; while on
each side sat the amazons all in uniform, armed and accoutred; and
in the centre of the square squatted the males. Hundreds of banners
and umbrellas enlivened the scene, and a constant firing from great
guns and small arms increased the excitement.
When near the king’s seat, the European party came to a halt,
while the carbooceers bowed down and kissed the dust. Passing
before the throne, they bowed and made the circuit of the square
three times, the carbooceers prostrating themselves each time. Then
the Englishmen stept from their hammocks and approached the king,
who had been reclining, but now rose, and several discordant bands
struck up a quick step, whilst guns were fired, and all shouted,
except the ministers and carbooceers, who prostrated and threw
dust over their heads, as Mr. Forbes advanced and shook hands
with the king.
King Gézo, of Dahomey, was about forty-eight years of age, good
looking, with nothing of the negro feature, and his face wanting
several shades of being black; his appearance was commanding,
and his countenance intellectual, though stern in the extreme.
Indeed, he is described as being short of positively handsome only
by a slight squint. He was plainly dressed in a loose robe of yellow
silk, slashed with satin stars, and half moons, Mandingo sandals,
and a Spanish hat trimmed with gold lace.
Taking their seats facing the royal mat, the party entered into a
complimentary conversation, after which the ministers were
introduced by name to our countrymen. His Majesty then enquired if
his guests would like to see a review of his amazons, and of course
his guests were delighted at the offer. Three regiments were
paraded, one being distinguished by a white cap ornamented with
the blue alligator, another by a blue cross, and the third by a blue
crown. The officers were recognized by their coral necklaces and
superior dresses; while each carried a small whip which they freely
plied when required. Firing, rushing hither and thither, and advancing
to the throne to address the king, were the chief features of the
review; at the conclusion of which two amazon heralds, bearing long
trumpets, blew a blast and then blazoned forth the numerous names
of Gézo, King of Kings.
The king having asked Commander Forbes to drink, rose, and
with his glass in hand tapped that of each of his guests; then there
thundered forth a salute of guns almost drowned by the shouts of the
multitude. The ministers and carbooceers danced, and the ladies
held clothes before the king. Men must not see the king eat or drink.
On the whole it was Mr. Forbes’ distinct conviction that no king could
have been more civil or more condescending.
The same gentleman had the good (?) fortune to be present at the
ceremony of Ek-bah-tong-ek-bah, or “display of the king’s wealth,”
an exhibition of a perfectly unique character and finding no parallel
throughout the world. The fundamental principle of the King of
Dahomey’s government is profuse generosity to his subjects. His
constant aim is to inculcate the notion that his riches are boundless
and his good nature none the less so. How hollow and fictitious are
both these assumptions was evident enough to Commander Forbes,
although for his head’s sake he dare not express such a conviction
while in the land of “Grand Customs.”
“It was little more than seven o’clock a.m. when we were informed
that a royal messenger had arrived to summon us to witness the
custom to be performed on this day—the Ek-bah-tong-ek-bah, or
“display of the king’s wealth.” At a little distance from our gate the
road was fenced off and a guard set on the temporary gate, so as to
prevent any one entering who was not invited to bear a part in the
proceedings of the day. They who wished to inspect the royal
treasures which were to be shown to the people assembled in the
Ahjahee market-place.
“When we arrived at the palace square at the foot of the ladder
leading to the palace house, on each side were three human heads
recently decapitated, the blood still oozing; on the threshold of the
entrance gate was a pool of blood from six human sacrifices over
which we had to step. In the square was a huge model of an
elephant caparisoned on wheels, on which the king is drawn when
going short journeys. The king never walks, nor rides on horseback,
but is either carried in a hammock, or drawn on this elephant, or in a
carriage or wheeled chair. In the centre of the court-yard stood a
crimson tent or pavilion forty feet high, ornamented with emblems of
human and bullock’s heads, skulls, and other devices equally
barbarous and disgusting. On the top was the figure of a Dahoman
standard-bearer (or half-heads, as they are called, having half their
heads shaved) bearing a standard, having for a device a skull in a
calabash standing on three other skulls. About the yard were many
flags of all colours, some having as their devices men cutting off
other’s heads, and others tying prisoners, and many national flags,
amongst which were several Union Jacks. In and about the pavilion
were the female host of ministers, carbooceers, amazons, wives,
and virgins. The king had not arrived; all were gaily dressed, and
armed, and accoutred.
“On the neutral ground where we stood facing the pavilion (while
the mayo and ce-a-boo-gan grovelled in the dust like mandarins
kow-towing to the royal chair) roamed an ostrich, an emu, several
dwarfs, hunchbacks, and albinoes, besides troops of dogs of almost
every country and variety. All the ministers and carbooceers were
arrayed in red-striped flowing robes laden with necklaces of coral
and other beads. Each wore a scimitar, a short sword, and a club.
“Presently, under a salute fired from musketoons and small brass
pieces within the court and cannon outside, the king arrived, dressed
in a white silk flowing robe flowered in blue and a gold-laced hat, and
took his seat in a sofa under the pavilion. Forthwith the bands struck
up and the heralds proclaimed that Gézo, the Leopard and the
Hawk, had taken his place; fifty-eight ministers and carbooceers at
the same time marched three times in single file, and at the third
time all prostrated and kissed the dust. So soon as this ceremony
was concluded the business of the day commenced. This is a public
display of the monarch’s wealth, carried on the heads of slaves
through the town to the market and back again. The procession
consisted of between six and seven thousand people.”
To enumerate, however, every item of “wealth” carried by these
six or seven thousand individuals would certainly be to weary the
reader, even though she were a lady, loving, next to possessing gold
and gems, to hear and read about them; besides, there is much
among the Dahomey “crown jewels” which the said lady reader could
match in point of value in her wash-house or lumber-room. Let us
take a few notes of the members of the procession:—
52 women carrying white flowered vases.
6 carrying jars.
10 carrying French ornaments under glass shades.
1 carrying a washing pan.
1 carrying a crimson cushioned rocking chair.
1 carrying a box.
1 carrying a washing-stand.
1 carrying a toilette table, drawers, and glass.
2 carrying stools.
3 carrying banners.
1 carrying a skull in a copper pan.
2 carrying calabashes full of skulls.
2 carrying shields.