Morphological Characteristics of Cherkasy Male Inhabitants (The 17th–18th Centuries)

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Pages: 157-177
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/ZXFX6563

Abstract:

This study examines the morphological characteristics of the 17–18th centuries male inhabitants of Cherkasy based on craniological analysis of skeletal remains from two cemeteries. The research utilized various statistical methods to compare the Cherkasy sample with over 100 other groups from Eastern and Central Europe. Key findings include that the Cherkasy males had on average brachycephalic skulls with moderately high cranial vaults, low and narrow orthognathic faces with sharp profiling, moderately high orbits, and medium-wide noses with strong nasal protrusion. The group showed significant morphological heterogeneity. Multivariate analyses revealed similarities with populations from northeastern Ukraine (Sumy) and northwestern Ukraine (Vinnytsia, Kyiv), indicating diverse origins. The results support Cherkasy’s history as a frontier city settled primarily by European peoples, with no evidence of North Caucasian elements, thus refuting theories of Circassian origins. This craniological data provides valuable insights into the demographic composition and ethno-cultural connections of early modern Cherkasy’s population.

Keywords:

Cherkasy, craniology, 17–18th centuries, bioarchaeology, skull, burial, population.

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