The morphometric affinities of the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids.

Abstract

In the arguments on modern human origins, the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids, based on skeletal analyses, are accepted as anatomically modern or given the lofty title of Proto-Cro-Magnons. However, their modernity has been questioned in the literature. In this research, 41 dimensions were measured on the crania and 21 dimensions were measured on the femora, tibiae, and innominates of Qafzeh, Skhul, Cro-Magnons, Neanderthals, and other archaic, early, and recent modern samples from Africa, Western Asia, Europe, and East Asia (total crania, N = 400 and total postcrania, N = 1191), to test the null hypothesis that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids are 'Proto-Cro-Magnons.' Three alternate hypotheses were also tested: (1) the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids have morphometric affinities to one, some, or none of the regional sample groups in this research; (2) the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids are not the same sample; and (3) the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids have morphometric affinities to more archaic sample groups in this research. Canonical variate analysis based on log size/shape and shape <italic> D</italic><super>2</super> for male and female crania show quite clearly that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids are distant from the Cro-Magnons but closer to African and Levantine sample groups. For females, analysis of the craniofacial variables show that Qafzeh 9 has strong morphometric similarities to the African, Mumba 2. For males, analysis of craniofacial variables show that Qafzeh 6, Skhul 4, and Skhul 5 have respectable morphometric similarities to several archaic moderns but much stronger morphometric similarities, in terms of facial variables, to the North African, Jebel Irhoud 1. Hierarchical cluster analysis presented similar results. Analysis of the male and female postcrania samples show that Qafzeh and Skhul are morphometrically distant from all modern sample groups. Based on the data in this research, the hypothesis that states that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominids are Proto-Cro-Magnons is rejected. Instead, the data support the alternative hypotheses that the Qafzeh and Skhul have strong morphometric affinities to archaic and early modern Africans and Levantines and that postcranially, they are morphometrically distant from all sample groups. Together, Qafzeh and Skhul show strong evidence of mosaic evolution.