Preservation of Boas' North Amerindian Anthropometric Data

19世纪末，著名人类学家弗朗茨·博阿斯（Franz Boas）对近20万北美原住民进行了一项人体测量学调查。这是迄今为止收集到的关于北美印第安人的最大、最全面的一组数据。鲍亚士甚至记录了大多数部落样本中个体间的家谱关系。但是，从未对这些数据进行过系统的汇编或分析。以目前的形式，这些数据对研究的价值有限。本研究的目的是：(1)将鲍亚士的研究资料输入电脑资料库；(2)以缩微胶片保存资料单张；(3)对数据表、缩微胶片和数据库进行分类和交叉参考，使其成为研究人类生物变异的学生的有用工具。这些数据提供了唯一有历史深度的机会，对北美印第安人在整个大陆范围内的人体测量变化进行综合。

During the late 1800s the eminent anthropologist, Franz Boas, conducted an anthropometric survey of nearly 200,000 native North Americans. This is the largest and most comprehensive set of data ever assembled on North American Indians. Boas even recorded the genealogical relationships among individuals in most of the tribal samples. However, no systematic compilation or analysis of these data has ever been carried out. In their present form the data are of limited value for research. The goal of this research is: (1) to enter the information from Boas' study into a computerized data base; (2) to preserve the data sheets by microfilming; and, (3) to catalog and cross- reference the data sheets, microfilm, and data base so they will be a useful research tool for students of human biological variation. These data offer the only opportunity, with historical depth, for a continent-wide synthesis of anthropometric variation among North American Indians.