Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 65. (Budapest 1973)

Tóth, T.: On the morphological modification of anthropological series in the Central Danubian Basin

their great majority originating from the temperate zone of Europe. It is worthy of note in this connection that the phenomenon of gracihsation in the Central Danubian Basin is observable not only in the first half of the Bronze Age (Tiszafüred) and in the Copper Age group (Baden Culture), but also in the Late Neolithic series of Kisköre-Gát. This process was strongly advanced in the Early Bronze Age group from Mokrin. This process is similarly strongly expressed in the Sarata-Monteoru and Uneticean groups, dated to the first half and the middle of the Bronze Age, respectively (Table 2). The gracihsation observable on the findings originating from the outern confines of the Carpathians, and relatively considerable on RumaFig. 5. Epochal changes of bizygomatic breadth nian Late Tripolye and the Aeneohthic Bilcze-Zlote series, is no less important in the comparison. This phenomenon appeared at even earlier times on the prehistoric groups of the neighbouring regions, palpably illustrated by the values of the Late Neolithic Zlota (South Poland), Central European Altendorf, and the Middle Neolithic Rössen-Hinkelstein Culture groups (Table 2). It can accordingly be estabhshed that in the Central Danubian Basin the proportion of components of a Mediterranean Origin, and with a hypomorphous structure, was very considerable not only in the Copper Age but also during the Neolithic, at least in its second hah. This in itself does not mean yet that on this basis the sole (southern) direction of Neolithic immigration to the Central Danubian Basin could be established. Suffice it to refer to the examples cited above, namely that the rate of gracihsation was rather considerable also on the series deriving from regions more to the north of the Central Danubian Basin. Stih, it may be remarked, independently of the possible population density, that steady isolates could not have existed during the Neolithic and Paleometalhc either. It is enough to refer to the fact that in the social history periods mentioned above the duration of the given (early, middle, late) phases fluctuated between 200-400 years, equalling the life-span of 7-14 generations. It is impossible to presume that during such comparatively long spaces of time the populations of the Central Danubian Basin and the neighbouring areas could have permanently existed, that is, isolated, without intertribal connections. In the given case, there is no presumption of trade connections, or even of large-scale migrations, but of relatively frequent mutual infiltrations which played an