Articles

Introduction. Hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) is a thickening of the frontal bone associated with metabolic and hormonal disorders. While prevalent among elderly women in modern populations, archaeological studies have documented male-dominated HFI cases in certain groups. This study examines the frequency of HFI in Mesolithic/Neolithic craniological series fr om the Dnieper region.

Materials and methods. Eight craniological series (107 skulls) from the collections of the Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, were analyzed. The overall prevalence of HFI and its developmental stages (4-point scale) were assessed.

Results and discussion. A high HFI frequency (20.6%) was identified in Mesolithic/Neolithic groups of the Dnieper region, suggesting a link to chronic metabolic stress during transitional periods. Notably, HFI types A, B, and C were equally represented (1:1:1 ratio), contrasting with typical patterns wh ere type A dominates. Elevated frequencies of types B and C likely indicate metabolic/hormonal imbalances. Although no statistically significant sex or age differences were observed, a trend of increased HFI prevalence in older individuals aligns with prior research. Associations with periodontitis, trauma, and cribra orbitalia point to environmental stress influences.

Conclusion. The identified HFI cases represent the earliest known instances in prehistoric Eastern Europe. Results underscore HFI’s role as a stress marker in transitional historical periods. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The study of the population living on both banks of the Kuban river in the period before the invasion of the Golden Horde and after its retreat has a long tradition. Knowing from historical sources about the existence of such tribal formations as the Zikhs, Kasogs, Adyghes, etc., who inhabited the territory of the Northern Black Sea region and the Ciscaucasia in the Middle Ages, modern researchers still cannot separate the representatives of these tribes either by the features of their funeral rites or by their morphological appearance. Studied in 2024 the burial ground “Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka Vostochnoye” gave us the extensive archaeological and paleoanthropic data that shed light on the economy of the North-Eastern Black Sea region in the 11^th–13^th centuries. The main goal of this study was to describe the paleodemographic indicators of medieval Circassians who were buried at the burial ground of “Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka Vostochnoye”, located near the city of Novorossiysk in the Krasnodar Region.

Materials and Methods. During the initial processing of the collection, we determined the sex and age of 71 buried individuals, which were used as the materials for this study. We used classical methods of modern paleoanthropology to study the skeletons. The analysis of paleodemographic indicators was carried out using the method recently suggested by D.V. Pezhemsky.

Results and discussion. The analysis revealed an almost complete absence of children under 1-year-old and a violation of the sex ratio. In the studied sample, there were 1.5 times more men than women. Most men died at the age of 45–55, while the majority of women died in their reproductive years. Only 7% of the population survived the age of 55. Comparing the discussed sample with the population of the 13^th–14^th centuries and the series of Adyghe-Natukhaevtsy of the 19th century, significant differences in demographic indicators were noted for all series involved in the analysis.

Conclusion. An important conclusion of the work can be considered the revealed special burial rituals of children under 1 year old, common to medieval Circassians and, apparently, preserved even after the adoption of Islam by the Adyghe. High average values of life expectancy of the adult part of the population, which amounted to 41.3 years, do not agree with the high infant and adolescent mortality. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Introduction. The dopaminergic system of the brain plays an important role in the formation of eating and other aspects of behavior. It has been shown that disturbances in dopamine neurotransmission are associated with both eating behavior and the formation of excess body weight and obesity. VNTR polymorphism in exon III of the dopamine receptor DRD4 gene presumably affects eating behavior through environmental perception, but studies on this topic are few. This study was conducted due to the lack of information on the association of DRD4 gene polymorphism with excess body weight.

Materials and methods. The work used the materials of a comprehensive anthropogenetic examination of 309 males and 298 females aged 17 to 30 years. Morphological parameters were measured using traditional anthropometric methods. Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) were used to determine the level of depression and aggression, respectively. Genomic DNA isolated from the buccal epithelium served as the material for the genetic analysis. The reliability of intergroup differences was assessed using the Mann-Whitney criterion.

Results and discussion. In this study, some differences in morphological characteristics were found in carriers of different genotypes of the DRD4 exon III locus. Carriers of the 4- genotype (females who do not have the allele with four repeats) are somewhat larger in build, they have higher values for body length and weight, as well as hip circumference, than carriers of the 4+ genotype (p<0.05). For males, no statistically significant differences in morphological characteristics were found between carriers of different genotypes. The results of the study showed that males with the 4+ genotype have comparatively higher scores on the physical aggression and hostility scales (p<0.05), as well as on the anger scale (p>0.05; tendency).

Conclusion. The obtained data suggest further study of the influence of VNTR polymorphism of the dopamine receptor DRD4 gene on the formation of food preferences and the tendency to excess fat deposition, together with a detailed study of the socio-economic status of individuals. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The body's ability to absorb vitamin D is determined, among other factors, by the activity of the vitamin D cellular receptor, which is encoded by the VDR gene. We considered intergroup differences in the carriage of VDR polymorphisms as the results of selection aimed at reducing the population frequencies of maladaptive variants. According to the literature, alleles A*TaqI (rs731236), G*BsmI (rs1544410), C*ApaI (rs7975232), and A*FokI (rs2228570) are identified as conditionally "risky" alleles associated with a decrease in bone mineral density and the development of osteoporosis. We hypothesized that the formation of the population specificity of VDR frequencies could be influenced by the traditional nutrition of the group, which was determined by belonging to the type of traditional economy (TTE).

Purpose of the study: to compare the frequencies of the A*TaqI, G*BsmI, C*ApaI, and A*FokI alleles of the VDR gene in indigenous groups with historically established economy systems oriented to the predominant use of products of agriculture, animal husbandry, or hunting in combination with fishing.

Materials and methods. Population VDR polymorphism was studied using 3463 DNA samples from 76 populations of indigenous Europeoid and Mongoloid populations of Eurasia. The populations were grouped into three categories based on their subsistence economy: "agriculturalists" (n = 49), "herders" (n = 13) and "hunters" (n = 14).

Results. The agricultural category contains both Mongoloid and Europeoid groups. The Mongoloid groups showed higher carriage of A*TaqI and G*BsmI alleles than the Europeoid groups (p=0.008; p < 0.0001). Since the herders and hunters categories consist only of Mongoloid populations, further comparisons of allele frequencies by TTE were made between the Mongoloid groups. The TTE affiliation factor was significant for the frequencies of G*BsmI and A*FokI polymorphisms (p=0.02). Carriage of G*BsmI was lower in herders than in hunters (p=0.02). The frequency of A*FokI in the herders and hunters groups did not differ, but in both groups it was significantly (p<0.05) lower than in the agriculturalists group.

Conclusion. The distribution of VDR polymorphisms was related to race. In Mongoloid populations, TTE affiliation is a significant factor that affects the distribution of VDR polymorphisms. The frequencies of VDR polymorphisms in the herders and hunter-fisherman groups of Europeoid origin are yet to be studied. There are no sufficient data on the frequency of VDR polymorphisms in the herders and hunter-fisherman groups of Europeoid origin. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The article presents the results of the anthropological expedition to Petrozavodsk (Northwestern Federal District), conducted in April 2024, in order to study the long-term (secular) dynamics of total body size, changes in body proportions over the past 60 years, and morphological characteristics of modern youth in this region.

Materials and methods. The study group consisted of 470 young men and women aged 18–23, mainly (more than 90%) Russians by nationality, born and living in Petrozavodsk. Subjects were examined according to a comprehensive anthropometric program including measurement of total body sizes, shoulder and pelvic breadths, trunk and limb circumferences, skinfolds, and grip strength on right hand.

Results and discussion. The average height of young men born in Petrozavodsk increased by 7.7 cm across birth cohorts from the 1936-49s to the 2001–2006s (2024 survey). The rate of secular increase is about 1.1 cm per decade. Intergroup comparisons of body length in female samples from Petrozavodsk demonstrated an increase in height in modern women by 6.3 cm compared with the cohorts born in the 1936-49s (about 0.9 cm per decade). Along with the secular increase in total body size over the past 60 years, a tendency towards a relatively narrow build and an increase in andromorphic proportions of the body build in modern young women of Petrozavodsk has been noted. Long-term changes in anthropometric parameters in Petrozavodsk are comparable with the general secular trend in Russia and are consistent with the hypothesis of the dominant influence of socio-economic factors on intergenerational transformation of the physique of children, adolescents and young adults.

Conclusion. Based on the materials of an anthropological survey of young men and women in Petrozavodsk aged 18-23, conducted in 2024 by the research team of the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, using comparable data obtained from literature sources, long-term changes (secular trend) in total body size have been established. The regional features of the physique of young men and women surveyed in Petrozavodsk, compared with youth from other cities in Russia, were revealed. Based on the most informative body dimensions, spider web charts are created to illustrate the unique aspects of the physical condition of young men and women in Petrozavodsk. These charts can be employed to track physical development and enhance the adaptability and physical well-being of today's young population. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. Studying the ethnogenesis of Tuvans through the prism of the gene pools of their ancestral groups makes it possible to highlight the problem of the Mongolian influence on the formation of their gene pool: Tuvans are characterized by close ethno-cultural ties with Mongol-speaking tribes of Central Asia; Tuvans have an increased contribution of the Mongoloid anthropological variant; the Tuvan language ranks first among Turkic languages in terms of the number of Mongolian loanwords.

Materials and methods. A total sample of representatives of 12 Tuvan tribal groups (N=498) was studied using 60 SNP markers of the Y chromosome, characteristic of Northern Eurasian populations. 24 Y-haplogroups have been identified in the Tuvan gene pool. A comparison of the genetic differences between the tribal groups and between the territorial groups of Tuvans has been carried out. A generalized anthropological portrait of the Tuvan tribal groups Dongak and Sat has been created. A multidimensional statistical analysis 12 of Tuvan tribal groups in the genetic space of South Siberia and Central Asia was carried out.

Results. The «Paleosiberian» haplogroup Q1b-L56 is characterized by a clinal variability of increasing frequency from west to east; the direction of variability of haplogroup N1-F963 is opposite – its frequency increases from east to west. The maximum frequencies of the «Central Asian» haplogroups C2-M217, O1-F492, and O2-M122 were found in the southern Tuvan tribal groups, while the minimum frequencies were found in the western and northeastern tribal groups. The position of Tuvan tribal groups in the genetic space of the populations of Southern Siberia and Central Asia demonstrates the multicomponent nature of the formation of the gene pools of Tuvan tribal groups on a single Samoyed-Ket substrate connecting them with other populations of Southern Siberia. Interaction with Mongolian-speaking tribes is reflected in the gene pool of only individual Tuvan clans (most strongly in the tribal group Kyrgys). Generalized anthropological portraits of the Dongak and Sat ancestral groups are consistent with the results of Y-chromosome analysis: the increased frequency of "Central Asian" haplogroups is characteristic of the Sat. The differences between gene pools of tribal groups are more significant than between territorial groups of Tuvans.

Conclusion. The analysis of gene pools in 12 tribal groups has shown that for ethnic groups preserved the memory of the ancestral structure, the most informative is a study of gene pools of their tribal groups, rather than territorial entities. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The goal of the article is to compare different algorithms for calculating the frequencies of dental nonmetric traits.

Materials and methods. The experiment was conducted on the materials of a modern group of Tuvinians (Eastern Siberia), the sample size 135 individuals. The frequencies of 11 traits have been calculated using several methods common for paleophenetic studies. The obtained values were tested using a 2-tailed exact Fisher criterion.

Results. It has been established that the frequencies of traits obtained by different methods are in good agreement with each other. The exception is the increased values obtained with one of the calculation options «per individual»: namely, when the calculation includes cases of the presence of only one tooth, the anti-mere, on which the feature is only positive. In addition, two sample size 25 and 10 observations were randomly generated from individuals who possess the trait on both sides. The frequencies in the sample size 25 individuals turned out to be stable, and the data are in good agreement with the full series, regardless of the method of calculation. A sample of 10 individuals does not agree with the characteristics of the full series.

Discussion. It is most preferable to calculate the frequencies «per individual» when observation is possible from both sides, but this is problematic with a small group of fragmentary materials. For small series, an individual calculation is applicable, when the feature can be observed on both or on one of the sides (all cases are taken into account, regardless of the presence of the trait). The results obtained are valid for a specific series and traits. This work begins a series of articles on feature calculating methods in dental anthropology. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The present study is devoted to the assessment of the association of two indicators of biological age (menarche age and peak height velocity) through the upward segment of ontogenesis and their joint informativeness.

Materials and methods. The analysis involved a block of samples of female adolescents (N=43) from the territory of the Russian Federation and neighboring countries, as well as the archival materials (N=4) collected as part of the work of the Laboratory of Applied Anthropology with the direct participation of one of the authors in the 1980s. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship between growth rates (PHV) and associated indicators with menarche age.

Results and discussion. It has been shown that the age of menarche is significantly positively associated with both the age of onset of peak height velocity and the maximum increase in body height during this peak. Statistically significant negative associations were recorded for the age of menarche and the year of the survey, which once again confirms the existence of a secular trend in the development of the adolescent population of our country and neighboring territories (the former USSR bloc). This is also evidenced by the positive relationship between the year of examination and the maximum increase in average body height during the peak height velocity. In the secular aspect, there is a tendency towards a gradual convergence of the parallel decreasing timing of the onset of menarche and the peak height velocity in Moscow girls examined over a period of more than 80 years. The transition to the onset of earlier puberty is smooth, whereas for the peak of the growth rate, this process is more intense in the interval from 1928 to 1956 (and the difference between them is maximal), which may indicate a greater sensitivity of the latter to the social cataclysms detected at this stage.

Conclusion. Our results on the correlation of the ages of menarche and peak height velocity allow us to make a cautious conclusion about the possibility of using the latter as an indicator of the chronobiological status of the population. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The article presents the results of mathematical analysis of the dynamics of body length of the male population of Russia aged 17 years and older in 1901–2005. The novelty of the article is that the largest anthropometric data base on Russians of the 20th century is studied using the methods of multivariate correlation and regression analysis of dynamic series.

Materials and methods. The study used individual data on the height of 1,519,037 men aged 17 years and older, born between 1901 and 2005, 91% Russians, examined mainly during recruitment into the army under a program that included measuring total body dimensions. Dynamic series of body length and factor variables were analyzed using correlation and regression analysis in order to identify factors explaining the dynamics of growth in the 20th century and to construct a multiple regression model.

Results. Multiple correlation and regression analysis of body height dynamics depending on 16 economic, social, demographic and environmental factors by annual (with and without lag), by average 5-year and
20-year indicators yielded results that are important in terms of method and content. Four regression models were constructed for each type of data. The most interesting results were obtained by the model of variability of annual growth indicators taking into account the lag and the model of variability of average 5-year growth indicators. The first explains 51% of the variation in male height across years, and the second explains 78% of the variation in male height across five-year periods in 1950–2005.

Conclusion. The results of the mathematical-statistical and theoretical analysis largely coincide, which confirms the reliability and relevance of both. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. During the fourth season of the Nubian Archaeological and Anthropological Expedition, organized by the Moscow State University Research Institute and the Museum of Anthropology, research was conducted in the Deraheib site in Sudan, from February to March 2022. A 2×2 m test trench with a depth of 2.2 m was opened during the season underneath the opening in the wall in order to clarify the structural features of the northwestern wall and determine the construction phases of the Fortress.

Materials and methods. The excavated soil was meticulously sieved. The archaeological material consisted mainly of pottery and animal bones. Their analysis allows us to draw basic conclusions about the nature of the layer in which the trench was laid and to date the time of its formation. The light green soil was also analysed. Architectural analysis also allowed us to draw some important conclusions about the site.

Conclusions. Based on the results of studies in the test trench and the data from the engineering and architectural survey of the Northern Fortress, we are able to propose a chronology for the early stages of its usage. We believe that the northwestern and northeastern walls built in the first construction phase were weakened by mudflows, and more powerful walls were built to reinforce them during the second construction phase. The northwestern wall from the second construction period was built on a layer of debris left from the first stage of fortress’s usage. This layer, consisting of lustre ware fragments, dates back to the 10^th century. The space between the northwestern walls, which belonged to the first and second construction phases, respectively, i.e. the 10^th and 11^th centuries or possibly later, was used as a dump for household garbage, toilet waste, or even as an outhouse. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Introduction. The publication continues the series of articles devoted to the description of the collection of photographs of representatives of the peoples of the Kuban region, and is devoted to the study of photographic images of the Abaza. The method of anthropological photography is not only a visual way to preserve information over time, but also plays a significant role in shaping scientific heritage.

Materials and methods. The work was based on a collection of photographs collected by E.D. Felitsyn (1848-1903), presented by him at the Anthropological Exhibition of 1879 in Moscow and stored in the collections of the D.N. Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Results. Describe and analyze the photographic images of the Abaza people who lived in the Batalpashinsky district of the Kuban region in the villages of Loovo-Kubansky and Dudarukovsky.

Discussion. The authorship of the studied Abaza photographs has been established: A.K. Engel, a famous photographer in the Caucasus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries made them. The article presents literary information on the problems of studying the origin, ethnic history, and cultural traditions of this nationality, as well as data on the study of the anthropological features of the Abaza.

Conclusion. The first published photographic images of Abaza, which are part of the collection provided by E.D. Felitsyn at the Anthropological Exhibition in 1879, are unique and have scientific, historical and documentary value and significance as visual material. With the development of modern society, photographs, along with museum exhibits, become the only witnesses of past times and events, an essential addition to the study of the indigenous peoples of the North Caucasus, which requires persistent joint efforts by anthropologists, ethnographers, geneticists, historians and linguists. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Introduction. The research is devoted to the study of an archival photographs' collection of the Tungus and Orochons of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, stored in the collections of Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology. In this article some photographs from the collection are published for the first time. In the work examines the possibilities of using archival photographic materials of the Tungus and Orochons to obtain a composite photographic portrait, and its comparison with composite photographic portraits of the modern Evenks.

Materials and methods. The material for the study was a collection of photographs of the Tungus and Orochons, collected at the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries, which is currently stored in the funds of the Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University. Moreover, to the photographs examined in the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, supplementary sources of archival photographs were used to create a composite portrait. A composite portrait of increased clarity was obtained using the faceONface software (combining images at three reference points). A comparative analysis of composite portraits obtained from archival and modern photographs was carried out.

Results and discussion. As a result of a comparative analysis of composite portraits of young and mature Tungus, constructed from archival materials, their significant similarity was revealed. Similarities were also noted between the portrait of the Tungus, obtained from archival data, and the portrait of modern Amur Evenks.

Conclusion. As a result of the analysis of the archival photo collection, the places of origin of some photographs were clarified, and new persons who participated in the creation of the photo collection were discovered. Based on the results of this study, it was shown that the composite photographic portrait method turned out to be the most correct tool for extracting anthropological information from archival photographic materials. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Introduction. Mahalanobis distances (D²) are used in craniological studies to provide a generalised assessment of differences between samples, taking into account trait variances and correlations. However, sample distances tend to be biased upwards compared to the true D² value, especially in the case of small sample sizes. An adjustment for the number of observations, proposed by D. Rightmire, is one way of compensating for this bias. However, the conditions for its application and even the methods for calculating the variables may vary according to the characteristics of the sample. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effective impact of the adjustment on Mahalanobis distances and to explore approaches to reduce bias in sample estimates.

Materials and methods. The analysis was based on three aggregated series of male skulls fr om Bashkirs, Chuvash and Latvians. D² was calculated using an averaged covariance matrix. Three methods of calculating Mahalanobis distances were considered: with no adjustment for the number of observations, with Rightmire's adjustment applied to all distances, and with an adjustment that considers only statistically significant distances. In addition, alternative approaches to adjustment were tested in cases wh ere there were large differences in the number of observations for individual traits: using the harmonic mean of the sample sizes and calculating D² separately for linear and angular traits, followed by summation.

Results. Rightmire's correction, when applied to all distances, generally provides accurate and unbiased estimates of D². When adjustments are applied, the D² value may approach zero or even become negative, even in cases where there are significant differences between populations. Since the medians of the sample D² values are closest to the true D² values, all negative D² values can be safely transformed to zero without compromising the calculations. A D² value of zero does not imply that there are no morphological differences between samples. To approximate the true distance between samples, confidence intervals can be calculated, e.g. using bootstrapping procedures.

Conclusion. Rightmire's correction allows for unbiased Mahalanobis distance estimates when using an averaged covariance matrix and small sample sizes. However, the choice of a specific correction method should take into account the sample size and the variability in the number of observations for different traits. When working with poorly preserved cranial series, it is advisable to use the harmonic mean of the sample sizes or separate distance calculations for angular and linear traits. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Introduction. The reproductive parameters of the Tatar population of Siberia were studied, specifically: the Siberian Tatars, the Siberian Bukharans, and the Kolyon Tatars. A comparative analysis was conducted using a unified set of indicators to assess differences among these groups, and in relation to the Volga-Ural Tatars. The results are interpreted within the context of analyzing contribution of biological and non-biological factors to reproductive processes.

Materials and methods. The study encompassed seven ethno-territorial subgroups of the Tobol-Irtysh, Baraba, and Tomsk Siberian Tatars; the Bukharan Tatars, residing compactly in the Tyumen and Omsk regions; and the Kolyon Tatars, descendants of migrants from the Volga region. A total of 667 questionnaires filled out by women over the age of 45 were analyzed; the study examined age-related parameters and vital statistics, including the number of pregnancies and their outcomes.

Results and Discussion. The average number of children surviving to reproductive age enabled the classification of the reproductive type as expanded among the Tobol-Irtysh and Baraba Siberian Tatars, and simple among the Bukharan Tatars, Kolyon Tatars, and Tomsk Siberian Tatars. The ethnoterritorial subgroups of Tobol–Irtysh Siberian Tatars exhibited the lowest rate of prenatal losses compared with other Siberian Tatar groups – the Baraba, Tomsk, and Siberian Bukharan Tatars. The primary contributor to the structure of prenatal losses among the Siberian Tatars comes from medical abortions, with the highest average number observed among the Tomsk Tatars and Siberian Bukharan Tatars.

The Crow index and its components were as follows: for the Siberian Tatars – I_m = 0.040, I_f = 0.355, I_tot = 0.409; for the Bukharan Tatars – I_m = 0.013, I_f = 0.242, I_tot = 0.258; and for the Kolyon Tatars – I_m = 0.038, I_f = 0.184, I_tot = 0.229. And within the ethnoterritorial groups of the Siberian Tatars: Tobol-Irtysh Tatars: I_m = 0.031, I_f = 0.372, I_tot = 0.414; Baraba (Baraba-Turash) Tatars: I_m = 0.037, I_f = 0.327, I_tot = 0.377; Tomsk Tatars: I_m = 0.091, I_f = 0.303, I_tot = 0.421.

Conclusions. The analysis of the obtained data on the reproductive parameters of the Siberian Tatars revealed that, during the studied time period, reproductive processes in the Tatar population of the Siberian region are predominantly determined by non-biological factors. In the studied populations, a low level of natural selection pressure, operating through differential fertility, was observed. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Introduction. For the first time, we present the results of the odontoglyphics applied to the analysis of the upper molars of Homo erectus from the Zhoukoudian. In general, the odontoglyphical pattern of the studied molars demonstrates greater complexity compared to the known characteristics of modern human teeth.

Materials and methods. Copies of Homo erectus teeth from Zhoukoudian and fossil teeth of the Early and Middle Pleistocene from the localities of Hexian, Yiyuan, Meipu and Tongzi. Methodology of odontoglyphics according to the monographs of A.A. Zubov and N.I. Khaldeeva.

Results and discussion. On the teeth of Homo erectus, a large number of third-order furrows were observed, for example, the 5th groove of the paracone and protocone (5pa, 5pr) and the 3rd groove of the paracone (3pa); we consider the latter as a result of bifurcation of the main crest of the paracone near the central fossa on the upper molars. As a result of the analysis, a new odontoglyphical trait - “unifeather grooves” in the anterior fovea on the occlusal surface of the upper molars - was identified and described. The relationship between the pattern at the enamel-dentin junction (EDJ) and the occlusal enamel surface (OES) is discussed. A correlation between mesial marginal accessory tubercles and odontoglyphic features in this region of the teeth is addressed. In this context, we discussed the primitiveness of the accessory tubercles, in particular, the lingual paracone tubercle (LPT), which can be traced back to the late Early-Pleistocene of Asian Homo erectus.

Conclusion. The results may be useful for identifying and understanding the phylogenetic origin of additional cusps and grooves on the molars of early Homo. © 2025. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license