The fluctuating asymmetry of mediaeval and modern human skulls

Gawlikowska, Aleksandra; Szczurowski, Jacek; Czerwiński, F; Miklaszewska, Danuta; Adamiec, Ewa; Dzieciolowska, E

doi:10.1016/j.jchb.2006.10.001

Cited by 28 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Modern humans, for example, have greater cranial asymmetry than Medievals from Cedynia and Grózdek in Poland [318,319]. Modern humans also have greater dental asymmetry than the great apes (Pan, Gorilla, Pongo) [320].…”

Section: Anthropology and Evolutionary Psychologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluctuating Asymmetry: Methods, Theory, and Applications

et al. 2010

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Fluctuating asymmetry consists of random deviations from perfect symmetry in populations of organisms. It is a measure of developmental noise, which reflects a population's average state of adaptation and coadaptation. Moreover, it increases under both environmental and genetic stress, though responses are often inconsistent. Researchers base studies of fluctuating asymmetry upon deviations from bilateral, radial, rotational, dihedral, translational, helical, and fractal symmetries. Here, we review old and new methods of measuring fluctuating asymmetry, including measures of dispersion, landmark methods for shape asymmetry, and continuous symmetry measures. We also review the theory, developmental origins, and applications of fluctuating asymmetry, and attempt to explain conflicting results. In the process, we present examples from the literature, and from our own research at "Evolution Canyon" and elsewhere.

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Section: Anthropology and Evolutionary Psychologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluctuating Asymmetry: Methods, Theory, and Applications

et al. 2010

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“…An experimental attempt of reflecting the right side of the face and fitting it to the left was not successful as the remains of the left orbit and the reflection of the right orbit did not fit together. The mismatch may have occurred as a result of the deformation or as normal bilateral asymmetry of the human face [37][38][39]. Given the poor preservation of the left side of the face, there was no possibility to recreate the original facial structure that would account for the natural bilateral asymmetry.…”

Section: Reconstruction Of the Missing Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Geometric morphometric methods for three-dimensional virtual reconstruction of a fragmented cranium: the case of Angelo Poliziano

et al. 2009

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The process of forensic identification of missing individuals is frequently reliant on the superimposition of cranial remains onto an individual's picture and/or facial reconstruction. In the latter, the integrity of the skull or a cranium is an important factor in successful identification. Here, we recommend the usage of computerized virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometrics for the purposes of individual reconstruction and identification in forensics. We apply these methods to reconstruct a complete cranium from facial remains that allegedly belong to the famous Italian humanist of the fifteenth century, Angelo Poliziano (1454-1494). Raw data was obtained by computed tomography scans of the Poliziano face and a complete reference skull of a 37-year-old Italian male. Given that the amount of distortion of the facial remains is unknown, two reconstructions are proposed: The first calculates the average shape between the original and its reflection, and the second discards the less preserved left side of the cranium under the assumption that there is no deformation on the right. Both reconstructions perform well in the superimposition with the original preserved facial surface in a virtual environment. The reconstruction by means of averaging between the original and reflection yielded better results during the superimposition with portraits of Poliziano. We argue that the combination of computerized virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometric methods offers a number of advantages over traditional plastic reconstruction, among which are speed, reproducibility, easiness of manipulation when superimposing with pictures in virtual environment, and assumptions control.

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“…Numerous structures of skulls, especially the neurovascular foramina, are located asymmetrically, and they present many variations (Berry and Berry, 1967;Gawlikowska-Sroka, 2006;Gawlikowska et al, 2007;Gawlikowska-Sroka et al, 2013;Hashiba et al, 2008;Kilic et al, 2010;Prośba-Mackiewicz and Mackiewicz, 2005;Rösing, 1982;Srijit and Rajesh, 2004;Vasconcelos et al, 2008). Studies carried out globally have shown that the location of the openings of the mandibular canal is also variable (Agthong et al, 2005;Angel et al, 2011;Lotric, 1955;Uchida et al, 2007;Usta et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%