Prehistoric cranial variation in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This thesis is an investigation of recent prehistoric cranial variation in Papua New Guinea. It presents for the first time metric, non-metric and anatomical data recorded on crania from the Central Highlands and Highlands Fringe regions, as well as data for a number of regions from the North and South Coasts. The majority of the data have been recorded in the field from skeletal remains located in ossuaries. Supplementary data from a number of museum collections -isalso presented. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses of the metric data indicate that the populations of the Central Highlands and Highlands Fringe have been biologically isolated from coastal and lowland regions for a substantial period of time. The demonstration of craniometric homogeneity throughout the Central Highlands further indicates an original genetic unity for these populations. Factors of craniometric size and shape are both identified as contributing to the morphological pattern throughout Papua New Guinea, and it is shown that extraction of significant environmental effects clarifies the assessment of phylogenetic relationships. The potential for a cultural component in the morphological pattern of the Papuan Gulf is also raised.