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Microevolution and the Skeletal Traits of a Middle Archaic Burial: Metric and Multivariate Comparison to Paleoindians and Modern Amerindians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Marjorie Brooks Lovvorn ,
George W. Gill ,
Gayle F. Carlson ,
John R. Bozell  and
Terry L. Steinacher
Marjorie Brooks Lovvorn
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
George W. Gill
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
Gayle F. Carlson
Affiliation:
Archaeology Division, Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE 68501
John R. Bozell
Affiliation:
Archaeology Division, Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE 68501
Terry L. Steinacher
Affiliation:
State Historic Preservation Office, Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE 68501
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Abstract

Skeletal remains recovered and analyzed from Archaic and Paleoindian periods demonstrate less pronounced Asiatic/Sinodont features that distinguish them from present day Amerindians. This paper describes the metric and nonmetric traits that link a Middle Plains Archaic male (radiocarbon dated to 2220-2500 B. C.), found near Sidney, Nebraska, to Sinodonts, Sundadonts, and Paleoindians. Metrically, the Sidney male differs from Late Prehistoric and Historic Mandan and Arikara males (1500 to 1830 A.D.) from the same region in cranial vault height (auricular height p ≤ .02 basion-porion height p ≤ .07). His cranium is longer and higher (acrocranic Cranial Breadth-Height Index) than that of the more highly derived Mandan and Arikara males. Several of the Sidney male’s cranial and femoral traits show a blend of Amerindian and earlier protomongoloid traits, distinguishable from recent Amerindian populations. These traits suggest affiliation to a common Eurasian progenitor for Sinodonts, Sundadonts, and Paleoindians, and support the hypothesis that Plains Amerindians descended from the earliest wave of Paleoindians who crossed the Bering Straits. Tracing microevolutionary changes across time is a challenging, incremental process, not yet resolved by the limited Paleoindian and Archaic skeletal remains discovered to date. However, the intermediate skeletal characteristics of the Sidney male indicate gradual adaptation and suggest that natural selection most strongly influenced the adaptation of Plains peoples. Information presented here increases the database needed for future investigations of microevolution, gene flow patterns and the cultural history that may someday link early Archaic populations and Paleoindians to specific tribes among the modern Plains Amerindians.

Résumé

Résumé

Restos humanos de los perídos Arcaico y Paleoindio demuestran rasgos Asiático/Sinodonte menos pronunciados que los distill guen de los Amerindios modernos. Este artículo describe los atributos métricos y no-métricos que conectan a un esqueleto masculino del período Arcaico en los Llanos Centrales (lafecha de 14C es 2220-2500 B.C.), encontrado cerca de Sidney, Nebraska, con los Sinodontes, Sundadontes, y Paleoindios. Metricamente, el esqueleto de Sidney difiere de aquéllos pertenecientes a los peníodos prehistórico tardío e histrico Mandan y Arikara (1500 to 1830 AD) de la misma región. Diferencias incluyen la altura de la bóveda craneal (altura auricular p<.02, altura de la bóveda basion-porion p < .07). Su cráneo es más largo y alto (índice de anchura/altura craneal acrocránica) que los de los hombres Mandan y Arikara, quienes son más evolucionados. Varios de los rasgos craneales y femorales del esqueleto de Sidney demuestran una mezcla de rasgos Amerindios y Mongoloides antiguos que se distinguen de las poblaciones recientes de Amerindios. Estos rasgos indican afiliación con un progenitor común eurasiático para los Sinodontes, Sundadontes, y Paleoindios, y apoya la hipótesis de que los Amerindios de los Grandes Llanos descienden de los primeros pobladores que cruzaron el Estrecho de Bering. Los cambios microevolutiovos son dificiles de trazar a través del liempo, dada la escasez. de restos humanos tempranos. Sin embargo, las características intermedias del esqueleto de Sidney indican una adaptación gradual y sugieren que la selección natural influenció fuertemente la adaptación de las poblaciones de los Grandes Llanos. La información presentada aquí incrementa la base de datos necesarios para investigaciones futuras en microevolución, patrones de flujo genético, e historia cultural, los que algún día podrían conectar las poblaciones arcaicas y paleoindias con los Amerindios modernos.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , July 1999 , pp. 527 - 545
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1999

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