Geographic patterns of craniofacial variation in prehispanic populations from the southern cone of South America

FABRA, MARIANA; DEMARCHI, DARIO ALFREDO

HUMAN BIOLOGY

WAYNE STATE UNIV PRESS

Año: 2011 p. 491 - 507

0018-7143

In this study we analyzed the relationships and patterns of spatial variation in 17 population samples representing the ancient inhabitants of the central territory of Argentina (archaeologically known as ?Sierras Centrales?) and other pre-Hispanic populations from different ecological and geographic regions of the Southern Cone of South America (Argentina and Uruguay), based on the analysis of 10 craniofacial measurements. Results obtained from D2 distances can be interpreted as evidence of a similar biological history for the populations that inhabited the Sierras Centrales and the population of Santiago del Estero. Matrix correlation analysis demonstrated that craniometric variation is significantly influenced by geography, suggesting that populations that lived at lower geographical distance share more biological similarity. Global spatial autocorrelation analysis suggests a clinal pattern for the the biological variation, although Moran´s I estimates calculated for each variable demonstrate that only nasal height and breadth show this spatial pattern of variation. Multiple regression and partial correlation analyses demonstrate high association between environmental variables such as temperature and altitude and nasal height and breadth. These relationships probably reflect adaptation to altitude and temperature.