Morphological change in cranial shape following the transition to agriculture across western Eurasia.

ABSTRACT: The Neolithic transition brought about fundamental social, dietary and behavioural changes in human populations, which, in turn, impacted skeletal morphology. Crania are shaped through diverse genetic, ontogenetic and environmental factors, reflecting various elements of an individual's life. To determine the transition's effect on cranial morphology, we investigated its potential impact on the face and vault, two elements potentially responding to different influences. Three datasets from geographically distant regions (Ukraine, Iberia, and the Levant plus Anatolia) were analysed. Craniometric measurements were used to compare the morphology of pre-transition populations with that of agricultural populations. The Neolithic transition corresponds to a statistically significant increase onl

SUBMITTER: Cheronet O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5020731 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature