Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Anthropology
This article refers to variability of six traits of the neurocranium of human skull and explores its differentiation potential. In this stage of the investigation the variability was tested for two major population groups: European and Asian descent. The analysis was based on the average data from 86 craniological samples from Northern Eurasia. One part of the data has been collected by the author of the article, the second part is based on the reference articles. There are seventeen samples for which individual data were available. The explored characteristics are: minimum frontal breadth and maximum frontal breadth (Mart. 9 and 10), biauricular breadth (Mart. 11) and upper facial breadth (Mart. 43) plus two indexes which were calculated on their basis (the ratio between the minimum frontal breadth and the upper facial breadth and the ratio between the maximum frontal breadth and the biauricular breadth). Previously it was stated that all of the characteristics have a high discriminatory power between the major population groups. The aim of this research was to test this hypothesis using increasing number of material. This work has been done using the methods of one-dimensional statistics. The statistical parameters that were calculated: the mean values, errors of mean and variability ratio. The precision of the calculation of the indexes that are based on the average data also was checked using the individual data. The method of bivariate plots was applied. Analysis have shown the powerful abilities of the tested traits; they clearly distinguish two major population groups. The ratio between the minimum frontal breadth and the upper facial breadth has two vectors of variability among the groups, these vectors in turn correspond to the European and Asian population groups. As such relative variability of the ratio between the maximum frontal breadth and the biauricular breadth as well forms two vectors, however they are separated more clearly. The combination of fronto-malar and a fronto-basilar indexes provides better division of the groups. The individual exceptions that are located in the zone of transgression are groups of mixed origin or ethno-territorial samples with special taxonomic status.
physical anthropology, craniology, craniometry, the biological diversity of human populations, North Eurasia
Цит.: Fedorchuk O.A. Differentiation potential of some human neurocranium dimensions // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2017; 2/2017; с. 94-110
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