Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 63. (Budapest 1971)

Tóth, T.: On the morphological modification of anthropological series in the Lithic and Paleometallic [sic] Ages II.

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 63. PARS ANTHROPOLOGICA 1971. On the Morphological Modification of Anthropological Series in the Lithie and Paleometallie Ages II. Ry T. TÓTH, Rudapest In this second part of our subject matter, a further analysis of the diagnostic importance of morphological modification is necessary. In the first part (TÓTH, 1970), the data of series deriving mainly from the Neolithic and Paleometallie Ages have been discussed; the findings originated chiefly from East Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Another fundamental synthesis was also published recently (RIQTJET, 1967), wherein the author examined the very rich osteologic material of the period between the Mesolithic and the Neometallic Ages, deriving regionally from West and Central Europe and the Western Mediterranean. This made it possible to undertake other extensive comparisons in the present study. On the problem of gracilization In the first part of our theme, we have attempted to trace morphological modification by the application of the preauricular facio-cerebral index, as worked out by DEBETS (1962, 1964, 1968). The data of 43 series have been used in the analysis. In the course of the rather extensive comparisons, inferences suggested that, accroding to the rate of gracilization, the combined index mentioned above indicates the differences between the Proto-Europoids and the Proto-Mediterranoids. In the present study, we have analysed the data of the preauricular facio-cerebral index on 44 further series. In a later comprehensive study, RIQTJET (1969) divided the findings of the European Upper Paleolithic into early and late chronological groups. According to his diametric data, the respective values of the combined index applied herein differ, insofar as a decrease appears in the late group (Table 1). On the other hand, of the Mesolithic findings only those of the Moroccan Taforalt display agreement with the findings of the early period of the European Upper Paleolithic (Table 1). It is worthy of note that the value of the applied combined index is essentially smaller in the other North African Mesolithic series (Afalou-Bou-Rhummel; cf. Table). It is known that DEBETS (1961) analysed, with respect to the possible causes of gracilization, not only climatological effects but also the importance of social and economic changes. FEREMBACH, however, while acknowledging the possibility of gracilization in the Mesolithic (1969a), came to the result in evaluating the two North African series (1959, 1969b) that the findings from Afalou-BouRhummel are comparatively more massive (at least according to certain morphoscopic features). These comparisons imply that in certain cases the morphometric data render a more expressive spectrum of the osteologic findings of a given population, in group averages of the diverse series. In any case, it is noteworthy that the 26 TT. Múzeum Évkönyve 1971