Dr. T. Tóth szerk.: Studia historico-anthropologica (Anthropologia Hungarica 20. Budapest, 1988)

method (WOO 1937; TÓTH 1968). The nasal spine angle was calculated on the basis of PACHER's data (1961). The platyprosopy index was also calculated by the present author. Finally, we have to mention a short summary concerning the facial flatness metric analysis carried out in 1880-1960 (TÓTH 1961). INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS Of the components of the facial flatness the nasomalar angle significantly differs from the Europoid mean in the male as well as in the female group (142. 6° and 145. 3°, respectively). The same is true for the group-values of the zygomaxillar angle (132.0° and 131.4°, respectively) (Table 1). On the basis of group-values of the dacrial and simotic height it can be concluded that both the male and female subpopulations had a very low nasal root (8. 1 and 7. 5 mm as well as 1. 1 and 0. 7 mm, respectively). The nasal spine angle has the value of 6.9° in the male, and 3. 8° (! ) in the female group. Both values are lower than the minimal category values known up to present (ALEKSEEV & DEBETS 19 64). It is the amplitude (Min-Max) of these main morphometric components which deserves a special attention. The nasomalar angle of the horizontal profile is characterized by the values 133. 7- 153.2° in the male, and 135.8- 150.9° in the female group (Table 1). The zygomaxillar angle is 126.2138.7° and 119.3-138.3°, respectively. Dacrial subtense varies in the male group between 6.0 and 12.0, in the female one between 5.0 and 10.0. The simotic subtense of males is characterized by values from -0.7 to 3.0, that of females by values from -1.0 to 2. 4. The variation of the nasal spine angle is in the male - 6 to 20, and -5 to 20 in the female groups. On the basis of the values of the nasomalar and zygomaxillar angles the studied bushman population is characterized by a disharmonous configuration (heteroplatyprosopy

) of the facial skeleton. This is well expressed by the values of the platyprosopy-index: 92 . 5 in the male, and 90.4 in the female group (Tables 2 and 3). As it can be seen in the numerical tables the flatness of the facial skeleton characterizes the recent human populations from circumpolar and continental North Asia as well as from South Africa. Thus, it cannot be regarded as characteristic only for the Mongoloid groups, because the bushmen of South Africa, being subequatorial peoples, oecumenically are very far of them. It is well known that the living bushman groups have been studied according to a wide-ranging anthropological and genetical programme (TOBIAS 1966, 1970b, 1972). In connection with the bushmen's origin - among others - their similarity to the finds from Fish Hoek, dated for Holocene periods, was noted (TOBIAS 1971). This becomes evident from the flatness data, too (Table 2). Since the data of the nasomalar and zygomaxillar angles show a heteroplatyprosopy in the European Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic human groups was also present (ALEKSEEV 1978, 1979, 1981; TÓTH 1984); the flatness expressing itself moderately in some prehistoric or living tribal populations can.be regarded rather as a morphological trait than as a taxonomical one. In all certainty, the development of flatness has been affected by multifactorial effects. Recently the role of climate has repeatedly been stressed. An analysis of the evolution of human cranial measurements has been carried out by GUGLIELMINO-MATESSI & al. '(19 79) according to warm-dry, warm-humid, cold-humid and cold-dry climate. Facial flatness was observed in the case of recent populations living in warm-dry (bushman) and cold-dry zones (circumpolar northern Asiatic groups); it means that this morphological trait is well developed inspite of differences existing in climate. We have to pay attention to the fact that the pneumatization observable in the craniofacial massivum which was analysed on fossilic human finds does not show any groupcharacteristic, but rather a significant individual variability (TILLIER 1977a, b). Concerning the structural variation of the facial skeleton there are quite different opinions. According to STEEGMAN (1972 cit. FORSIUS 1973) in the comparative analysis of the Polynesians, Japanese and Europeans inhabiting the Hawai islands the effect of cold climate cannot be denied on the maxillo-malar region of the human cranium. Nevertheless, according to BÚNAK (1960, 1972; FORSIUS 1973), the structure of the facial skeleton does not reveal a significant correlation with the climate. These osteomorphic variations are the results of differences in the growth intensity of the facial bones (BUNAK 1960). Further, from the factors of the development of the flatness of the facial skeleton the sensu lato environmental influences cannot also be left out of consideration (e.g. intrauterine osteopoesis). The role of the diet in the development of bone structure was also referred to (FEREMBACH 1973). Be-