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Cited by 66Morphological variations and asymmetryForensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesPleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

The contribution of subsistence to global human cranial variation

Noback, Marlijn L., Harvati, Katerina·2015·Journal of Human Evolution
DOI 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.11.005
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Abstract

Diet-related cranial variation in modern humans is well documented on a regional scale, with ample examples of cranial changes related to the agricultural transition. However, the influence of subsistence strategy on global cranial variation is less clear, having been confirmed only for the mandible, and dietary effects beyond agriculture are often neglected. Here we identify global patterns of subsistence-related human cranial shape variation. We analysed a worldwide sample of 15 populations (n = 255) with known subsistence strategies using 3-D landmark datasets designed to capture the shape of different units of the cranium. Results show significant correlations between global cranial shape and diet, especially for temporalis muscle shape and general cranial shape. Importantly, the differences between populations with either a plant- or an animal-based diet are more pronounced than those between agriculturalists and hunter-gatherers, suggesting that the influence of diet as driver of cranial variation is not limited to Holocene transitions to agricultural subsistence. Dental arch shape did not correlate with subsistence pattern, possibly indicating the high plasticity of this region of the face in relation to age, disease and individual use of the dentition. Our results highlight the importance of subsistence strategy as one of the factors underlying the evolution of human geographic cranial variation.

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  • The main mode of subsistence in modern human populations is recognized as playing an important role in shaping the face, with masticatory stress particularly affecting the mandible and lower face.

    “The main mode of subsistence in modern human populations (i.e.agricultural vs non-agricultural diet; plant-based vs meat-based diet) is recognized as playing an important role in shaping the face, with masticatory stress particularly affecting the mandible and lower face 6,69,70”

    From The evolutionary history of the human face (2019) · cites this paper as [70]

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Authors
Noback, M. L., & Harvati, K.
Affiliations
Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (DE)
Corresponding author
Noback, Marlijn L.
ORCID
Harvati, Katerina
Venue
Journal of Human Evolution
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-03
Volume
80
Pages
34-50
ISSN
0047-2484 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.11.005
OpenAlex
W2079621693
Cited by
66
References
135
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI
12.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Human Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Leakey Foundation
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Geometry and Topology › Morphological variations and asymmetry
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
Keywords
cranial shape variation, subsistence strategies, diet, dental arch form, agricultural transformation, hunter-gatherers, plant-based diet, animal-based diet, regional variation
MeSH terms
Agriculture, Climate, Dental Arch, Diet, Biological Evolution, Geography, Humans, Mandible, Meat, Population Dynamics, Skull, Diet, Vegetarian

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