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Craniometric variation among modern human populations

J H Relethford1

  • 1Department of Anthropology, State University of New York College at Oneonta 13820.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|September 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Human variation is limited across geographic groups. Craniometric data analysis shows levels of variation comparable to genetic studies, supporting a unified view of Homo sapiens origins.

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Area of Science:

  • Anthropology
  • Human Evolution
  • Population Genetics

Background:

  • Previous genetic studies indicate low variation among major human geographic groups (approx. 10%).
  • This finding influences models of human origins and variation.
  • It is often assumed that morphological traits exhibit higher among-group variation than genetic markers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the level of among-group variation for morphological traits using craniometric data.
  • To compare craniometric variation estimates with those from genetic studies.
  • To assess the implications for understanding human variation and origins.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 57 craniometric variables from 1,734 modern human crania (Howells collection).
  • Application of a multivariate method based on quantitative genetics to estimate FST (a measure of among-group variation).
  • Data analyzed across six geographic regions (Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Australasia, Polynesia, Americas, Far East) and a three-region subset.

Main Results:

  • Minimum FST estimates for craniometric data ranged from 0.065 (three-region) to 0.085 (six-region), assuming complete heritability.
  • These minimum FST values are lower than average FST estimates from genetic studies (0.10-0.11).
  • Using literature estimates for heritability, FST estimates for craniometrics were 0.112 (three-region) and 0.144 (six-region), aligning with genetic findings.

Conclusions:

  • Craniometric and genetic data show agreement in quantifying human variation among geographic groups.
  • Both datasets indicate limited variation within Homo sapiens across major regions.
  • The findings support a unified perspective on human variation and origins, challenging assumptions of significantly higher morphological variation.

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