Differentiation of modern sub-Saharan African populations: craniometric interpretations in relation to geography and history
In order to explore the biological effects on skull morphology of both geography and history, craniomandibular variation was re-evaluated in modern African populations, using the largest sample of metrical data available so far. This work focused on a both large-scale and long-term event such as the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Société d'Anthropologie de Paris
2004-12-01
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| Series: | Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/bmsap/3873 |
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| Summary: | In order to explore the biological effects on skull morphology of both geography and history, craniomandibular variation was re-evaluated in modern African populations, using the largest sample of metrical data available so far. This work focused on a both large-scale and long-term event such as the Bantu-speakers expansion that probably shaped, during last 5,000 years, the present biological diversity within sub-Saharan Africa. It was attempted to see whether, despite geographical diversification, there has been any traces left from this major dispersal such as a homogenization due to a founder effect phenomenon. The sample was subdivided into four geographical units (Western Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa) and two historic foraging groups (Pygmies, KhoiSan). Multivariate statistics were performed using up to twelve metric traits. Multiple discriminant function analyses showed that geographical differentiation of populations appeared to be quite variable (41% up to 80.1% individuals correctly classified into their group of origin), depending on the number of groups included and parts of the skull analysed. Patterns of variation also revealed that it was possible to observe slight traces of a homogenization process due to a common origin resulting from the Bantu-speakers expansion. However, craniometric results remained difficult to interpret in relation to the effects of only one historical event, as the latter is probably superimposed by other sources of diversity (geographical barriers, recent population admixtures, nature and size of sample). |
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| ISSN: | 1777-5469 |