Nonmetric Traits Research Articles

Bioarchaeological analysis of Bronze Age populations in the Xiaohe cemetery using dental non-metric traits

The archaeological site of the Xiaohe cemetery (3980 to 3540 years cal BP), one of the earliest sites in the Lop Nur Desert of Xinjiang, China, has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to its well-preserved organic materials such as mummified human remains. However, questions of the regional diversity of populations from this time period are still not well understood, as few detailed studies have been undertaken. This study utilizes 17 dental morphological traits to assess the phenetic relationships between Xiaohe (19 males and 17 females) and other ancient populations from northern China and Eurasia. Trait frequencies are determined and biodistances are calculated through Mean Measure of Divergence (MMD) statistics. Based on our MMD results, we suggest that there had already been a certain degree of genetic exchange between people of the Xiaohe area and other parts of Eurasia before the early Bronze Age. These results are consistent with other genetic studies on the Xiaohe cemetery.

Linear dimensions of clavicle in East Indian population of Bihar

The clavicle is a sigmoid-shaped bone that is easily visible in thin people and is palpable in all except the morbidly obese. The atypical asymmetric pattern and varied diaphyseal breadths are results of patterns of an individual, mechanical behaviour and unique developmental pathway of clavicle. The varied diaphyseal breadths are being more sensitive to the effects of loadings than the lengths. This study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, AIIMS, Patna. The sample size was of 30 adult clavicles. Bones showing obvious pathological deformities were excluded from the study. Factors such as mechanical load, pressure and tension created by muscular attachments, and genetic endowments might be responsible for such asymmetries not only in various metric traits of clavicle but also among the non-metric traits of both side human clavicles. The fact of lesser intake of calcium in the form of milk and milk products by the East Indian population and this may have led to decreased thickness of the bone and hence lesser midclavicular circumference.

Hypotrophic Roots of the Upper Central Incisors – a Proposed New Discrete Dental Trait

This paper describes a newly defined nonmetric trait in the human dentition, i.e., Hypotrophic Roots of the Upper Central Incisors (HRUCI). Teeth presenting HRUCI are characterized by abnormally short roots whose crowns exhibit no apparent morphological alterations. The trait was observed in six samples from collective funerary sites in the Iberian Peninsula dated from the Late Neolithic to the Chalcolithic period.

Kinship and morphological similarity in the skeletal remains of individuals with known genealogical data (Bohemia, 19th to 20th centuries): A new methodological approach.

This article proposes a new approach, called the "similarity coefficient" (SC) for verifying family relationships from skeletal remains using nonmetric traits. Based on this method and further analyses, the authors aim to show the degree of similarity between individuals with varying degrees of kinship, including inbred individuals. Our sample includes the skeletal remains of 34 individuals with known genealogical data (four generations, 19th to 20th centuries). A total of 243 skeletal nonmetric traits were evaluated with respect to their anatomical characteristics. The SC was calculated by quantifying the agreement of trait occurrence between individuals. We also identified the traits that support the biological relationships of particular individuals by accounting for their population frequencies. There was a positive correlation between the morphological similarity of biologically related individuals and their biological distance. In some cases, we found greater degree of morphological similarity between first cousins than among other close relatives such as parents and children. At the same time, there was no statistically significant difference in the degree of similarity between inbred individuals and common relatives. Proven family relationships were best reflected by cranial traits, especially bone bridges associated with the courses of blood vessels and nerves. The use of skeletal nonmetric traits for the detection of relatives is possible. There is a relationship between biological distance and the degree of morphological similarity in related individuals. It also appears that inbreeding, despite previous assumptions, does not lead to a significant reduction in morphological variation.

Transverse basilar cleft: Two more probable familial cases in an archaeological context

AbstractTransverse basilar cleft (TBC) is a very rare congenital anomaly representing a coronal fissure completely or partially intersecting the basioccipital at the level of the pharyngeal tubercle. It is usually asymptomatic but can sometimes be part of a syndrome. Population frequencies of this anomaly are no more than 1%, with few exceptions. Two skulls with TBC were found in the Ayrydash 1 cemetery of Altai Mountains nomads, Russia, attributed to the Hunno‐Sarmatian period (2nd c. BC–5th c. AD). In this paper, we test the possibility of a familial relationship between the individuals who shared by this condition, using the Alt and Vach method for nonspatial analysis of skeletal kinship based on cranial and dental nonmetric traits. Results of the study show that the frequency of TBC is significantly higher in the Ayrydash 1 sample than in the rest of the skeletal population from the Hunno‐Sarmatian period (p < 0.05). This suggests that the individuals affected by TBC were most likely genetic relatives. The observed clustering of TBC and some other rare anomalies within local groups of Altai Mountains nomads appears to be due to parental consanguinity in their community.

Middle Stone Age human teeth from Magubike rockshelter, Iringa Region, Tanzania.

In 2006, six isolated hominin teeth were excavated from Middle Stone Age (MSA) deposits at the Magubike rockshelter in southern Tanzania. They comprise two central incisors, one lateral incisor, one canine, one third premolar, and one fourth premolar. All are fully developed and come from the maxilla. None of the teeth are duplicated, so they may represent a single individual. While there is some evidence of post-depositional alteration, the morphology of these teeth clearly shares features with anatomically modern Homo sapiens. Both metric and non-metric traits are compared to those from other African and non-African dental remains. The degree of biological relatedness between eastern and southern African Stone Age hunter-gatherers has long been a subject of interest, and several characteristics of the Magubike teeth resemble those of the San of southern Africa. Another notable feature is that the three incisors are marked on the labial crown by scratches that are much coarser than microwear striations. These non-masticatory scratches on the Magubike teeth suggest that the use of the front teeth as tools included regularly repeated activities undertaken throughout the life of the individual. The exact age of these teeth is not clear as ESR and radiocarbon dates on associated snail shells give varying results, but a conservative estimate of their minimum age is 45,000 years.

Protocol, Potentials, and Limitations of Ancient Teeth 3D Printing

Bioarchaeological analyses of teeth rely traditionally on noninvasive methods that reveal essential information about past individuals and populations. Methodological developments have revolutionized the discipline, but their application is commonly invasive and destructive. The resulting loss of material and information can be buffered through 3D technology applications. Although useful, it is essential that we carefully assess the reliability of these methods, in order to understand what data are preserved and which ones are lost through their application. This study offers a protocol for the implementation of 3D technology in the fabrication of ancient teeth analogs. Analog accuracy was assessed by comparing metric and non-metric traits between the originals and their respective analogs. Results showed that metric traits preserved well, but the preservation of non-metric traits was partially hindered.

A new analysis interpreting Nilotic relationships and peopling of the Nile Valley

The process of the peopling of the Nile Valley likely shaped the population structure and early biological similarity of Egyptians and Nubians. As others have noted, affinity among Nilotic populations was due to an aggregation of events, including environmental, linguistic, and sociopolitical changes over a great deal of time. This study seeks to evaluate the relationships of Nubian and Egyptian groups in the context of the original peopling event. Cranial nonmetric traits from 18 Nubian and Egyptian samples, spanning Lower Egypt to Lower Nubia and approximately 7400 years, were analyzed using Mahalanobis D2 as a measure of biological distance. A principal coordinates analysis and spatial-temporal model were applied to these data. The results reveal temporal and spatial patterning consistent with documented events in Egyptian and Nubian population history. Moreover, the Mesolithic Nubian sample clustered with later Nubian and Egyptian samples, indicating that events prior to the Mesolithic were important in shaping the later genetic patterning of the Nubian population. Later contact through the establishment of the Egyptian fort at Buhen, Kerma’s position as a strategic trade center along the Nile, and Egyptian colonization at Tombos maintained genetic similarity among the populations.

Таджики д. Сичарог: к антропологии населения Центрального Таджикистана. Сообщение I: дискретно-варьирующие признаки черепа

Таджики д. Сичарог: к антропологии населения Центрального Таджикистана. Сообщение I: дискретно-варьирующие признаки черепа

Open sepulchers and closed boundaries? Biodistance analysis of cemetery structure and postmarital residence in the late prehispanic Andes.

In the Late Intermediate Period Andes (AD 1100-1450), the proliferation of above-ground sepulchers reconfigured social boundaries within and between communities engaged in protracted conflict. However, the biosocial dimensions of these mortuary practices, and their implications for conflict and alliance formation, remain unexplored. This study examines patterns of phenotypic variation to: (1) evaluate if open sepulchers were organized on the basis of biological relatedness, and (2) explore if sex-specific phenotypic variability conforms to models of postmarital residence. Cranial nonmetric traits were recorded in five skeletal samples from two cemeteries in the Colca Valley, Peru. Biological distances between burial groups were calculated using the Mean Measure of Divergence (MMD) statistic. Postmarital residence was explored by calculating and bootstrapping the ratio of male-to-female mean pairwise differences (MPD) at the within-group level. The MMD analysis yields greater than expected between-group distances for burial groups with a minimum sample size of 20 individuals. In contrast, a prevailing pattern of sex-specific, within-group phenotypic variability is not apparent from the analysis of MPD. The use of 12 or 24 dichotomous traits produces similar results. Greater than expected biological distances suggest that above-ground mortuary practices reinforced biosocial boundaries between corporate household groups. Intracemetery heterogeneity persisted even as cranial vault modification, a correlate of social identity, became more homogenous, revealing how corporate group organization was negotiated at multiple scales. Sex-specific variation does not conform to traditional migration models. If migration occurred, it did not have a homogenizing effect on phenotypic variation. These results should be viewed with caution in light of the smaller sample sizes of sex-specific groupings.

Evaluating Nubian Population Structure from Cranial Nonmetric Traits: Gene Flow, Genetic Drift, and Population History of the Nubian Nile Valley

Paleolithic archaeological and skeletal remains from the Nile Valley have yielded a complex picture of life along the river. Sociocultural and sociopolitical events during this time frame shaped population structure, while gene flow and genetic drift further developed it. In this study, we took a population genetics approach to modeling Nubian biological relationships in an efffort to describe how an accumulation of events formed Nubian population structure. A variety of Nubian samples were utilized, spanning the Mesolithic-Christian time periods and geographically from just above the fijirst through the third cataracts. Population genetics statistics were employed to estimate and depict biological afffijinities (Mahalanobis D2 with a tetrachoric matrix, principal coordinates analysis, FST, and Relethford-Blangero residuals), supplemented by spatial-temporal modeling (Mantel tests and PROTESTs). Variation was high among these groups, indicating an intricate pattern of relationships in their population history where similar levels of gene flow probably stemmed from extensive cultural contact with Egypt and other populations in a variety of contexts. Genetic drift was also apparent in some of these sites, which is consistent with social and political histories of these groups. Traditional modeling of spatial-temporal patterning was not successful, which may be attributed to the nonlinear, loose clustering of Nubian groups by site. Collectively, the archaeological, biological, and environmental evidence supports the ideas of multiple populations living in Lower Nubia during the Paleolithic and/or a new population entering the area and shaping Nubian population structure.

Late Pleistocene hares of the Japanese archipelago: Paleobiogeographic implication at the Last Glacial Maximum

AbstractThe Tsugaru Strait is often referred to as Blakiston's Line in biogeography. Although this strait is thought to have become narrower during the Last Glacial Maximum, it did not close completely to form a land bridge. Sea‐level drawdown associated with cooling nevertheless weakened the influence of the Tsugaru Strait as a barrier to faunal migration. The currently accepted hypothesis is that only some large and highly mobile ungulates were able to migrate to Honshu over this strait to the exclusion of small mammals. However, this remains problematic as very few fossils corroborate this idea, and quantitative identification methods for use with tiny fragments of teeth have not been developed. In this study, we determine which of the species Lepus timidus (now distributed on Hokkaido and to the north) and Lepus brachyurus (now mainly distributed on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu) can accurately be identified within a sample of Late Pleistocene Lepus sp. fossils recently unearthed from the Shitsukari‐Abe cave to the immediate south of the Tsugaru Strait. This is because we are unable to exclude the possibility that these fossils are referable to L. timidus on the basis of site location alone. Thus, utilising images of mandibular third premolar teeth obtained via microcomputed tomography scanning, we report (a) linear measurements, (b) a survey of the frequency of appearance of nonmetric traits, and (c) principal component analysis using landmark methods. The results show that fossil representatives of the genus Lepus can be differentiated from extant L. timidus and closely resemble L. brachyurus. Considering the past allopatric distribution of the 2 species suggested by other studies as well as fossil records around the Tsugaru Strait, this result corroborates the existing hypothesis that only large and highly mobile ungulates were able to navigate the Tsugaru Strait.

Результаты изучения молочных зубов с верхнепалеолитической стоянки Юдиново (Среднее Подесенье)

Population affinities of the Timonovka-Yudinovo Upper Paleolithic people are reconstructed on the basis of three isolated deciduous teeth––a lower lateral incisor, lower and upper second molars, likely representing three individuals––from Yudinovo in the middle Desna basin (15–12 ka BP), found in 1987–1996. Based on measurements and descriptive traits and computed microtomography, the teeth were compared with those from other Upper Paleolithic sites in northern Eurasia. The principal component analyses of metric and nonmetric traits revealed similar patterns. To minimize random variation, results of both analyses were integrated. Results indicate affi nity with Pavlov people in Central Europe. The diagnostic trait combination includes weak expression of the Carabelli cusp on the upper second molar, accessory sixth cusp on the lower second molar, large bucco-lingual diameter of both molars, and moderate mesio-distal diameter of the lower second molar. These results support the view that the Timonovka-Yudinovo tradition is related to eastern Gravette.

Evaluation of Dental Non-Metric Traits in Ethnic Tamil Population: An Aid in Forensic Profiling

Evaluation of Dental Non-Metric Traits in Ethnic Tamil Population: An Aid in Forensic Profiling

Protocolo de observação de morfologia dentária: sistematização de observações em contexto profissional e de formação académica

Em bioarqueologia, a morfologia dentária centra-se em variáveis da coroa e da raiz que podem estar presentes ou ausentes e, quando presentes, frequentemente exibem variação na expressão, de ligeira a pronunciada (p. ex.: incisivos em pá, carácter de Carabelli). Estudos em gémeos e famílias demonstram que estes caracteres são predominantemente determinados por fatores genéticos. Numerosos estudos de populações demonstraram que os caracteres não-métricos dentários são ferramentas poderosas para ferir afinidade biológica entre amostras ao nível local, regional, continental e global. O objetivo deste trabalho é providenciar a profissionais (p. ex.: quem escreva relatórios de contexto arqueológico) ou estudantes (p. ex.: que preparem projetos de teses) uma lista de 27 caracteres essenciais que constituem o número mínimo de variáveis para caracterizar amostras esqueléticas ou vivas. Recomendações adicionais para além da ‘lista de caracteres não-métricos essenciais’ focam-se em (a) métodos de registo de desgaste oclusal, (b) o formato da base de dados de morfologia dentárias, (c) as bases do método de contagem individual e (d) a importância de avaliar o erro de observador (ou precisão no registo).

Nasal morphology assessment of the three predominant South African ancestral groups

Introduction Forensic anthropologists routinely apply metric and non-metric methods to aid in ancestry estimation of unknown skeletal remains. Within the South African (SA) context, legislation implemented during the 20th century may have affected the genetic makeup of population groups to such an extent that differentiation of ancestral groups is a distinct possibility. This study aimed to assess whether trait analysis of the nasal region, using metric and non-metric methods, is an effective approach to differentiation between the three dominant (coloured, black, and white) SA population groups, which is of importance for forensic purposes. Methods Analysis was conducted on crania (n = 196) of known sex, age at death and ancestry. Crania were obtained from two osteological collections in SA. Metric traits measured include the interorbital breadth, nasal height and interaperture width, while the non-metric traits include the extent of the anterior nasal spine, the nasal bone contour, inferior nasal aperture, nasal aperture shape and nasal overgrowth. Results Results showed that four of the five non-metric traits yielded statistically significant differences between the three examined groups. For the three metric traits, significant differences were found between all groups for all traits assessed. Discussion The SA coloured population showed the most intra-population variation and was more closely related to the SA black group with regards to the non-metric traits. The white population group had limited intra-population variation, which provides a basis for differentiating this group from the other groups assessed. In conclusion, differentiation of these three groups is possible, despite the extent of overlapping population variation, when all traits are looked at in combination rather than conducting individual trait analysis.

A Morphometric Outline Analysis of Ancestry and Sex Differences in Cranial Shape.

Forensic anthropological techniques that utilize nonmetric cranial traits to estimate sex and ancestry have historically been criticized for their subjectivity and qualitative nature. Nonmetric traits, however, continue to be valuable tools in identifying remains in forensic investigations. In this study, geometric morphometric analyses of cranial outlines were performed to quantitatively assess population and sex variation in modern human cranial shapes and to verify group differences in previously reported qualitative traits. Elliptical Fourier analysis was conducted on two-dimensional images of the left lateral, posterior, and superior cranial views from 198 U.S. Black and White crania. Results reveal significant sex and population differences in cranial shape that generally coincide with traditional qualitative descriptions. Although sex classification was relatively low (70.2%), ancestry classification was higher (92.4%), indicating that outline analyses that incorporate multiple nonmetric traits into a single statistical analysis may provide a more objective and accurate means of ancestry classification.

HIDDEN MESSAGES FROM TEETH OF THE PAST REVEALED; PALAEODONTOLOGY IN THE HOLY LAND

To scholars who are concerned with biblical archaeology, the Late Bronze Age (LBA)–Early Iron Age (EIA) transition in the Southern Levant indicates the emergence of a new ethnicity. This would suggest an invasion of foreigners (i.e., Israelites) into the land of Canaan, in particular their settlement in the highlands surrounding Jerusalem.1 The settlement of the foreigners has long since raised the question whether it can be proven that the settlers were indeed Israelites. Variation in population would be explained by the existence of population differences in phenetic relationships, gene flow and genetic drift between different sites that are known to belong to this period (Ullinger et al. 2005:466). Various research models have been employed to validate the differences, if any. The utilisation of dental non-metrical traits is suggested to secure a scientific answer to prove or controvert this theory. This paper will highlight the morphological traits and precursors that teeth possess. It will also evaluate certain unswerving and/or anomalous morphological characteristics (traits) and the odontometrics of permanent teeth. This will suggest methods that can measure phenetic relationships between different communities, ethnic groups, nationalities and even racial physiognomies, as well as migratory trends. And lastly, the age at death of an individual can be determined from the development and/or extent of wear of their teeth.

Are the western water shrew (Sorex navigator) and American water shrew (Sorex palustris) morphologically distinct?

Recent phylogenetic studies applying the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) gene and nuclear genes revealed divergent cordilleran and boreal lineages in western populations of the Sorex palustris complex that are now recognized as distinct species: Sorex navigator (Baird, 1858) (western water shrew) and Sorex palustris Richardson, 1828 (American water shrew). Their distributions in western Canada are parapatric with a potential contact zone in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Using 80 specimens including 69 of known genotype, we assessed morphological differentiation in metric and nonmetric traits among S. navigator, S. palustris, and Sorex bendirii (Merriam, 1894) (marsh shrew), a sister species of S. navigator. Multivariate analyses revealed discrete morpho groups concordant with their genetic lineages and species-level divergence. Three individuals from northwestern British Columbia and one from southwestern Alberta with discordant mitochondrial and nuclear DNA aligned with the S. navigator morpho group showing no evidence for morphological intergradation with S. palustris. Although differentiated in genotype, S. navigator and S. palustris are cryptic species that can only be discriminated from morphology with metric cranio-dental data. We developed diagnostic morphometric criteria to identify specimens lacking genetic data.

Correlation of ten non-metric dental traits between deciduous and permanent molars of three ethnic colombian groups.

Summary
 Objective: To determine correlations of ten non-metric dental crown traits NMDCT (Carabelli, hipocon2, enamel bridge, metaconule, protostylid, deflecting wrinkle, pattern cusp, cusp number and 6 and 7 cusp) between deciduous second upper (um2) and low (lm2) molars, permanent first upper (UM1) and lower (LM1) molars and permanent second upper (UM2) and lower (LM2) molars were studied. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study determines the correlation of ten NMDCT through of the frequency and variability, observed on 201 dental casts of Cali racially mixed population, 84 dental casts of Puerto Tejada African-Colombian population and 60 dental casts of Colombian Amazons natives. Results: The Colombian Amazon natives showed high correlation in Carabelli and cusp number between um2/UM1; and very high in metaconule and pattern cusp. Cali racially mixed population showed moderated correlation in Carabelli, deflecting wrinkle and pattern cusp between um2/UM1; and high in 6 cusp. And between UM1/UM2/LM1/LM2 moderate in deflecting wrinkle; and high in protostylid, pattern cusp and 6 cusp. Puerto Tejada African-Colombian population showed moderated correlation between UM1/UM2/LM1/LM2 in deflecting wrinkle; and high in protostylid, pattern cusp and 6 cusp. Conclusions: Findings support the proposal of morphogenetic field theory, which exposes that the key tooth in deciduous and permanent molars is um2/lm2 because it retains the basic configuration of contact and number of cusps pattern, so UM1/UM2/LM1/LM2 will vary according to ethnic origin and to the environmental influence of each ofn three studied ethnic groups. Key words: Dental anthropology. Dental morphology. Non-metric dental traits. Deciduous dentition. Permanent dentition. Correlations.