Morphometric indicators of a facial skull of the Podontsovya population of 8th-14th centuries.

Abstract

Background. Formation of the anthropological quantitative anatomy data is an important issue which allows obtaining rates and features of physical parameters of anatomic norm in different generations, anatomic features of similarity of population groups, etc. Research objective is to ascertain values of morphometric indicators of skull front department at the Podontsovya population in the 8-14th centuries and features of their variability in the general sample and by sex. Methods. Research was conducted with use of photogrammetry at 63 passported skulls form archeological collections (32 male and 31 female, all skulls belong to the mature age period) with further processing of the obtained data by methods of descriptive statistics and the correlation analysis. Verification of the obtained data on normality was made with use of criterion χ2. The assessment of distinctions between means of each indicator by sex was carried out with use of Student's t-criterion. Results. Means and confidence interval in samples of cranial height (122,7±2,2 mm), length (156,1±2,6 mm) and breadth (126,4±2,2 mm), orbital breadth (37,4±0,8 mm) and height (32,4±0,6 mm), nose breadth (23,9±0,4 mm) and height (49,5±1,2 mm), upper facial height (67,0±1,4 mm), malar diameter (119,7±2,6 mm) and symotical index (8,4±0,4 mm) as well as minimum and maximum value of these indicators in a population, skewness, kurtosis, variation coefficient were ascertained. Existence of sexual dimorphism on indicators of height of a skull, height of a nose, malar diameter and symotical index is ascertained. Existence of strong correlation in the general sample between indicators of a nose height and upper facial height (r = 0,73), moderate correlation between the malar diameter and cranial breadth (r = 0,68), malar diameter and orbital breadth (r = 0,65), malar diameter and nose breadth and height (r = 0,57), nose height and orbital breadth (r = 0,53), malar diameter and upper facial height (r = 0,52). Lack of reliable distinctions between correlation indicators for statistically significant correlations at men and women is noted. Conclusions. Using obtained data about the population of Podontsovya in the 8-14th centuries for comparative anatomical and anthropological researches has to be carried out taking into account features of their variability and the revealed sexual dimorphism. The received results of the correlation analysis are can be considered as autocorrelation.