06-04-2006, 09:38 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->'Out of Asia: Dental Evidence for Affinities and Microevolution of Early Populations from India/ Sri Lanka.'
Dental morphology technique used by Dr. Hawkey
Dr. Dane Hawkey used the new technique of dental morphological analysis to reach her astounding conclusions. It works on the basis that the form and structure of human teeth are determined overwhelmingly by genetic factors rather than environmental influences. This method is certainly more reliable than anthropometrical measurements like height, head form, nose form or cranial capacity as such characteristics could be altered by environmental factors over a long time period.
Says Director General, Archaeology Department, Dr. Siran Deraniyagala, "Dental morphology is an excellent tool to assess physical affinities between different human groups."
For her research, Dr. Hawkey analysed skeletal remains of the so-called 'Balangoda Man' dating back 5000-40,000 years. These were excavated from the caves of Fa-Hien Lena, Batadomba Lena and Beli Lena, as well as the open air burial site at Bellanbadipallassa.
She also studied the remains of the community that occupied the megalithic (or early iron age) site at Pomparippu, near Puttalam. Also analysed were the teeth of Veddas collected during the 19th and early 20th century, southern Sinhalese, and Tamils mostly from the North.
Dr. Hawkey however concedes that her sample of dental material may be too small, and therefore her affinity assessments are tentative. She says more research needs to be conducted using a larger sample.
Dental morphology is considered a credible technique, along with analyses of Gm and HLA blood systems, mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome DNA. Such methods should be used concurrently with archaeological, natural historical/environmental and linguistic studies. This approach would lead to a more reliable reconstruction of the origin and evolution of the different populations in the Indian sub-continent and Sri Lanka.
Dr. Deraniyagala asserts that biological anthropological analyses of present day populations are essential for future comparative studies.
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Dental morphology technique used by Dr. Hawkey
Dr. Dane Hawkey used the new technique of dental morphological analysis to reach her astounding conclusions. It works on the basis that the form and structure of human teeth are determined overwhelmingly by genetic factors rather than environmental influences. This method is certainly more reliable than anthropometrical measurements like height, head form, nose form or cranial capacity as such characteristics could be altered by environmental factors over a long time period.
Says Director General, Archaeology Department, Dr. Siran Deraniyagala, "Dental morphology is an excellent tool to assess physical affinities between different human groups."
For her research, Dr. Hawkey analysed skeletal remains of the so-called 'Balangoda Man' dating back 5000-40,000 years. These were excavated from the caves of Fa-Hien Lena, Batadomba Lena and Beli Lena, as well as the open air burial site at Bellanbadipallassa.
She also studied the remains of the community that occupied the megalithic (or early iron age) site at Pomparippu, near Puttalam. Also analysed were the teeth of Veddas collected during the 19th and early 20th century, southern Sinhalese, and Tamils mostly from the North.
Dr. Hawkey however concedes that her sample of dental material may be too small, and therefore her affinity assessments are tentative. She says more research needs to be conducted using a larger sample.
Dental morphology is considered a credible technique, along with analyses of Gm and HLA blood systems, mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome DNA. Such methods should be used concurrently with archaeological, natural historical/environmental and linguistic studies. This approach would lead to a more reliable reconstruction of the origin and evolution of the different populations in the Indian sub-continent and Sri Lanka.
Dr. Deraniyagala asserts that biological anthropological analyses of present day populations are essential for future comparative studies.
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