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An American researcher examining ancient human remains has made a potentially groundbreaking discovery. The expert has discovered a large number of anomalies and defects that seem to indicate significant consanguinity in primitive hominids. Discovery is very important because it allows researchers to understand the life of our ancestors and their social organization.
Anomalies in Pleistocene humans
Erik Trinkaus, a paleoanthropologist working at Washington University in St. Louis, USA, has been studying early human remains for many years. He had come to believe that there was a high incidence of abnormalities in primitive humans. Deformities among early human remains have been observed for a long time, but they were supposed to be typical mutations that also occur in modern humans. The sample of specimens analyzed by Trinkaus came from the last 200,000 years (Pleistocene period) and included women, men and infants who once lived in an area ranging from central Europe to China.
Statistical analysis
The paleoanthropologist performed a statistical analysis of his sample of ancient human remains. This was the first investigation of this type. He found that in 66 bones, 75 features could be classified as deformities. According to Cosmos Magazine, it's "hypophosphatemia, hydrocephalus, dwarfism, abnormal bone growth and a wide variety of skull, jaw and other problems." dental problems ".
The enlarged skull of a person with hydrocephalus. ( CC BY 2.0 )
Trinkaus found that the frequency of deformities was amazing among our ancestors. He thinks he has found proof that the anomalies were much more common in the ancient man than in modern man. According to the Daily Mail, "two-thirds of the abnormalities occur in less than one in every 100 men." He also established about two dozen anomalies that were unparalleled in modern people. Cosmos Magazine reports that "the chances of finding the few are as low as 0.0001%".
Skeletal abnormalities of development in Pleistocene people: Tianyuan 1, Sunghir 3 and Dolní V stonice 15 abnormal femurs. (Erik Trinkaus)
Mixing in early humans
The American concluded that a large number of disfigurements were attributable to cultural, environmental and social factors. He came to believe that consanguinity was one of the most likely causes of the high number of birth defects and malformations. It has been proven that mating between close relatives can significantly increase the risk that children are born with birth defects and developmental deficits, which are then passed on to the next generation.
Trinkaus rejected the idea that those with malformations were more likely to be buried than valid humans, thus distorting the fossil record and its discoveries. However, he admits that the high number of deformations may also be related to the brutal and precarious lifestyle of former hunter-gatherer societies. He does not think that miscegenation is the only cause of the high incidence of anomalies in his study.
Skeletal remains of women with severe scoliosis. She died between 1350 and 1450 at the age of about 35 years. (CC BY 2.0)
The large number of faults shows that many of the same group had children with close relatives. There is other empirical evidence to support this theory. According to the Science Mag website, there was "low genetic diversity among Pleistocene humans, based on old DNA analyzes". This would support the view that early humans tended to marry those who shared the same genetic material, in other words, their close relatives.
Trinkaus' findings were published in PNAS and were generally well received. Many experts believe that the theory that these malformations are mainly the result of miscegenation is the most plausible explanation. However, some argue that the American's research methodology was not rigorous enough and, as a result, his conclusions are unreliable.
Insights on early humans
The discovery of so many deformities and development deficits among the ancient peoples of Eurasia provides an interesting insight into the early human groups. Those born with some deformation could not really feed and hunt and needed the support of others to survive in the harsh Pleistocene environment. This would indicate that they were helped by their family and loved ones and that the early humans were much more complex and organized than previously thought. It also contradicts traditional stereotypes that early humans were brutal and insensitive.
Top image: examples of skeletal abnormalities of development in Pleistocene people. From left to right: Tianyuan 1, Sunghir 3 and Dolní V stonice 15 abnormal femurs, center, from top to bottom: the mandibular "collar" of Palomas 23, the cranial gap of Rochereil 3, the long clavicle of Sunghir 1, the 39, agenesis of Malarnaud 1, incisor agaresis of Malarnaud 1. On the right, from top to bottom: sacral hiatus Shanidar 1, polygenesis Pataud 1 and cleft palate Dolní V stonice 16. Source: Erik Trinkaus
By Ed Whelan
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