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Population continuity or population change: formation of the ancient Egyptian state

Population continuity or population change: formation of the ancient Egyptian state
Population continuity or population change: formation of the ancient Egyptian state
The origins of the ancient Egyptian state and its formation have received much attention, through analysis of mortuary contexts, skeletal material, and trade. Genetic diversity was analyzed by studying craniometric variation within a series of six time-successive Egyptian populations in order to investigate the evidence for migration over the period of the development of social hierarchy and the Egyptian state. Craniometric variation, based upon 16 measurements, was assessed through principal components analysis, discriminant function analysis, and Mahalanobis D2 matrix computation. Spatial and temporal relationships was assessed by Mantel and Partial Mantel test. The results indicate overall population continuity over the Predynastic and early Dynastic, and high levels of genetic heterogeneity, thereby suggesting that state formation occurred as a mainly indigenous process. Nevertheless, significant differences were found in morphology between both geographically pooled and cemetery specific temporal groups, indicating that at least a certain degree of migration occurred along the Egyptian Nile Valley over the periods studied.
egypt, craniometric variation, biodistance, population history, phenotypic diversity
0002-9483
501-509
Zakrzewski, Sonia R.
d80afd94-feff-4fe8-96e9-f3db79bba99d
Zakrzewski, Sonia R.
d80afd94-feff-4fe8-96e9-f3db79bba99d

Zakrzewski, Sonia R. (2007) Population continuity or population change: formation of the ancient Egyptian state. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 132 (4), 501-509. (doi:10.1002/ajpa.20569).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The origins of the ancient Egyptian state and its formation have received much attention, through analysis of mortuary contexts, skeletal material, and trade. Genetic diversity was analyzed by studying craniometric variation within a series of six time-successive Egyptian populations in order to investigate the evidence for migration over the period of the development of social hierarchy and the Egyptian state. Craniometric variation, based upon 16 measurements, was assessed through principal components analysis, discriminant function analysis, and Mahalanobis D2 matrix computation. Spatial and temporal relationships was assessed by Mantel and Partial Mantel test. The results indicate overall population continuity over the Predynastic and early Dynastic, and high levels of genetic heterogeneity, thereby suggesting that state formation occurred as a mainly indigenous process. Nevertheless, significant differences were found in morphology between both geographically pooled and cemetery specific temporal groups, indicating that at least a certain degree of migration occurred along the Egyptian Nile Valley over the periods studied.

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More information

Published date: April 2007
Keywords: egypt, craniometric variation, biodistance, population history, phenotypic diversity

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 12075
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/12075
ISSN: 0002-9483
PURE UUID: 8ad2eb08-2389-4c57-b062-4fd7ce75187c
ORCID for Sonia R. Zakrzewski: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1796-065X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 28 Feb 2005
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:32

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