Researches into the Physical History of Man

by James Cowles Prichard

50 chapters15h 43mEnglish1813

About this book

Prichard’s Researches into the Physical History of Man has been called the most important pre-Darwinian anthropological work in English of the nineteenth century. He is considered by many to be the "Father of Anthropology". The central conclusion of the work is the unity of the human species, which has been acted upon by causes that have since divided it into permanent varieties or races. In his Preface, he writes: "In the course of this essay I have maintained the opinion that all mankind constitute but one race or proceed from a single family". In this summary passage Prichard indicates Africa (indirectly) as the place of human origin: "On the whole, there are many reasons which lead us to the conclusion that the primitive stock of men were probably Negroes, and I know of no argument to be set on the other side." Could this be the first historic recognition that "Black Lives Matter"? Note: Latin, Greek and German passages recorded by Kazbek. (Summary by John Greenman & Wikipedia)

Chapters (49)

1Chapter I - Inquiry whether the human kind contains more than one Species - Section I - Different modes of reasoning adopted on this question - Method proposed to be followed in this Treatise

1684

2Chapter I - Section II - Of the diversities of Colour

883

3Chapter I - Section III - Of the hereditary transmission of the varieties

688

4Chapter II - The same Inquiry continued - Section I - On diversities of Form - Natural Physiognomy, etc.

1350

5Chapter II - Section II - Contiuation - Diversities in the Cranium

2010

6Chapter II - Section III - Continuation - Other diversities of Figure

566

7Chapter II - Section IV - Continuation - Some curious instances of deviation

615

8Chapter II - Section V - Of diversities of Stature

284

9Chapter II - Section VI - Of the Hair

466

10Chapter III - Inquiry whether all mankind are of one race or stock - Section 1 - Method of inquiry

349

11Chapter III - Section II - Of the local relations of genera

1210

12Chapter III - Section III - Of particular species - each species a single race - segment 1

2161

13Chapter III - Section III - Of particular species - each species a single race - segment 2

2377

14Chapter III - Section IV - Of the peopling of distant regions

1017

15Chapter IV - On the Structure of the Parts in which the variety of Colour subsists, and on the nature of this diversity. - Section 1 - General Anatomical Observations

811

16Chapter IV - Section II - Comparison of different Races

252

17Chapter IV - Section III - Physiological observations

664

18Chapter V - On the causes which have produced the diversities of the human species - Section I - Of the opinion of Buffon and his followers

1976

19Chapter V - Section II - Of the production of varieties in the race

1030

20Chapter V - Section III - Of the circumstances which promote the disposition to variation

2657

21Chapter V - Section IV - Primitive stock of men Negroes

743

22Chapter V - Section V - Of the causes of varieties of form

262

23Chapter VI - On the physical history of the most remarkable races of men - Of the South-Sea and Indian Islanders - Section I - General Observations

533

24Chapter VI - Section II - General view of the nations inhabiting the South Sea islands and the Austral countries

713

25Chapter VI - Section III - Of the Eastern Negroes - Of the people of New Guinea - Of the New Hollanders - Of the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, and other Papua Islands

2507

26Chapter VI - Section IV - Of the Islanders of the Pacific Ocean - Of the New Zealanders - Of the Natives of the Friendly Isles - Of Otaheite and the Society Isles - Of the Sandwich Islands - Navigators and Beauman Isles - Easter Island - Ladrones and Caroline Islands

1632

27Chapter VI - Section V - Of the Malays

862

28Chapter VI - Section VI - Of the ancient people of the Indian Islands

875

29Chapter VII - Proofs of the common origin of the ancient Indians and Egyptians - Section I - Of the Political history of the Indians

1473

30Chapter VII - Section II - Of the Political history of the Egyptians

737

31Chapter VII - Section III - Of coincidences in the general principles of the Indian and Egyptian Mythologies

1534

32Chapter VII - Section IV -Of coincidences in the Theogonies

2456

33Chapter VII - Section V - On the Physical characters of the Egyptians

1372

34Chapter VII - Section VI - On the Physical characters of the ancient Indians

913

35Chapter VIII - The same subject continued - Historical inquiries relating to it - General conclusions concerning the origin of the most celebrated Nations of the East - Section I - Examination of the historical conjectures proposed in order to account for the facts above stated

2566

36Chapter VIII - Section II - Of the history of other nations connected with this inquiry - Of the Antiquity of the Egyptians

958

37Chapter VIII - Section III - Of the Antiquity of the Indians

630

38Chapter VIII - Section IV - Of the Antiquity of the Assyrian Empire

585

39Chapter VIII - Section V - Of the ancient inhabitants of Upper Asia - Of the Philistines - Of the Canaanites or Phænicians - Of the Syrians and Assyrians

911

40Chapter VIII - Section VI - Of the Persians

1696

41Chapter VIII - Section VII - Conclusion of this subject

307

42Chapter IX - Concerning the other principal Races of Men and their connexion in origin with the foregoing - Section I - Introductory remark

109

43Chapter IX - Section II - Of the Scythian or Sarmatic tribes

1123

44Chapter IX - Section III - Of the Gothic or German race - 1. Of the Cimmerii - 2. Of the Getæ - 4. Of the Goths - 5. Of the German Tribes in general - 6. Of the connexion of this great family of nations with the ancient Asiatics - 7. Of the Physical characters of the Germans

2286

45Chapter IX - Section IV - Of the Pelasgian race

2017

46Chapter IX - Section V - Of the Celtic race

1033

47Chapter IX - Section VI - Of the Mongoles and other races resembling them in form

1184

48Chapter IX - Section VII - Of the American race

803

49Chapter IX - Section VIII - Conclusion

477

Researches into the Physical History of Man

About this book

Chapters (49)

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