Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 79. (Budapest 1987)

Tóth, T.: Men and nutrition in the Carpathian postglacial millenia

Bronze Age, 37 from the Iron Age and 482 individuals from the Medieval Age (both males and females) ; all of them excavated at 36 localities of the hydrogeographic zone of the rivers Dnube and Tisza (Tables 1 and 2). Significant part of the contingent has been analysed craniologically by BARTUCZ (1961), DEZSŐ (1966), FARKAS (1972-73, 1974, 1975, 1976), FARKAS & LIPTÁK (1971, 1975), LIPTÁK & FARKAS (1967), MARCSIK (1971, 1979), NEMESKÉRI (1951, 1956), TAJTI & TÓTH (1976-1977), TÓTH (1972, 1973, 1974, 1982, 1984), ZOFFMANN (1971, 1974, 1980, 1983, 1986a, 1986b), The analysed parameters offer a possibility for drawing conclusions mainly in connection with the documented contingents, but we have to restrain ourselves from generalizing the results for the whole population of a given chronological period. Interpretation of results In some of the Neolithic populations which lived in the hydrogeographic zone of the rivers Danube and Tisza, the variability of stature as well as that of body weight is clearly expressed both in the skeletal remains from men and women. Inspite of the number of individuals being small, men's body weight often varied between the values of 70 and 85 kg in the population of the Körös and Tisza culture, and these values agree with the respective minimum and maximum ones of the WHO standards. On the other hand it deserves attention that in the male population of the Middle-Tisza ecozone stature and body weight were higher than in the Neolithic male population from the South-Transdanubia (Herpály—Kisköre— Vésztő versus Ágostonpuszta—Villánykövesd—Zengővárkony) (Table 1). Similar observations could be made in respect of the Neolithic female groups, too (Table 2). Sexual dimorphism is well expressed in both the stature and the body weight data. Comparing the Cooper Age groups beside the congruence with the WHO standard values the male group from Alsónémedi reveals a small divergence from the mentioned standard minimal body weight value, whereas the female groups have a more uniform somatostructure. On the other hand the Cooper-Age female population has a lesser body weight than that in the Neolithic period (Table 2). A decrease in body weight can be observed in relation to both chronological periods according to the male groups, too (Table 1). Inspite of having a single find before us, the data of a skeleton excavated in CsongrádKettőshalom seems to be especially worth mentioning, because the somatostructure of this man may be ranked as megaloform (stature nearly of two meters!) (Table 1); for lack of circumference data his body weight could not be estimated. However some information may be given by JELLIFFE'S standard table in which as maximal body weight 90.7 kg is given, but for a stature of 186 cm (1966, p. 239). In the Bronze-Age population the data of the male series from Morkin and Tápé are the same, whereas their body weight is equal to the minimum values of the WHO standard. These male groups are of heavier body weight than that of the Copper-Age Alsónémedi population. The female group from the Bronze Age also had a heavier body weight than that of the Copper-Age Alsónémedi group, on the other hand between the groups from Morkin and Tápé only a small difference can be observed (Table 2). In the Iron Age difference can be found between the male and female groups originating from the early and late periods (Mezőcsát versus Sarmatians) (Tables 1 and 2), as at the end of this Age body weight seems to have decreased. This does not concern the stature, because the Sarmatian period males were of higher stature and they had a lesser body weight (Table 1). From the analysed Medieval series particularly representative seems to be that one of Halimba (Middle-Transdanubia) in which the variation of stature and body weight is clearly revealed according to the main age-groups. Furthermore, the data from the two other Medieval sites (Boly, Nagyharsány) are in agreement with minimum and maximum values of the WHO standard. In the chronological cross-section of the group-data it can be established that according to the two parameters of the somatostructure (stature and body weight) first