Diachronic changes in craniofacial morphology among the middle-late Holocene populations from Hehuang region, Northwest China.
Am J Phys Anthropol
; 169(1): 55-65, 2019 05.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30851067
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
This study analyzes craniofacial shape variation in the Hehuang region of Northwest China within a population genetic framework, and takes a diachronic approach to explore the relationship betwee cultural discontinuity and biological continuity/discontinuity in the Hehuang region during the middle to late Holocene. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
The sample comprises 76 adult skulls from five archaeological sites, ranging from 4,500 to 1,530 BP. 3D geometric morphometrics, multivariate statistics, quantitative evolutionary genetic and biodistance analyses were performed to study the diachronic variation in craniofacial morphology. Analyses were performed on two cranial modules the face and the cranial vault, across three major diachronic groups representing the late Neolithic (LNA), the Bronze Age (BA), and the Han-Jin dynasty (HD).RESULTS:
Average regional FST for both cranial modules was low, indicating relatively greater variation within diachronic groups than among them. While the LNA and BA groups did not show any significant differences in facial and vault shape, significant craniofacial shape changes were detected between the BA and HD groups.DISCUSSION:
The consistent craniofacial morphology during the LNA and the BA, and the shift in morphology between the BA and the HD indicates that cultural discontinuity does not always coincide with biological discontinuity. The Hehuang population evolved in situ with few changes, despite cultural and dietary changes, until the HD when migrations from the Central Plains are associated with extra-local gene flow to the area.Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Traditional Medicines:
Medicinas_tradicionales_de_asia
/
Medicina_china
Main subject:
Skull
/
Asian People
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Am J Phys Anthropol
Year:
2019
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China