Cranial morphology of the
first South Americans
Implications for the settlement of
the New World
Walter Neves
Mark Hubbe
Laboratório de Estudos Evolutivos Humanos
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva
Instituto de Biociências – Universidade de São Paulo
Models for the Settlement of the Americas

Molecular Biology:


genetic variation of extant Native Americans
indicates that a single human biological
population entered the New World
Cranial Morphology:


late prehistoric, recent and present Native
Americans tend to exhibit a cranial morphology
similar to late and modern Northern Asians
earliest South Americans tend to be more
similar to present Australians, Melanesians,
and Sub-Saharan Africans
Aim

In this study morphological affinities of
early South Americans are investigated
using the largest sample of early American
skulls ever studied. All recovered from the
Lagoa Santa Karst.
Geographic Location of
the Lagoa Santa Karst
The Sample
Site
N
Males
N
Females
Institutions
Chief archaeologist
Lapa da Amoreira
1
-
MNRJ
Padberg Drenkpol
Lapa de Carrancas
2
-
MNRJ
Bastos d`Ávila
Lapa Mortuária
(Rockshelter)
2
2
MNRJ
Padberg Drenkpol
Santana do Riacho
2
4
MHN-UFMG
André Prous
Cerca Grande 6
2
3
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Cerca Grande 7
-
1
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Lapa Mortuária
(Cave)
1
-
MHN-UFMG
Harold Walter
Escrivânia 3
-
1
ZMUC
Peter Lund
Sumidouro
17
14
ZMUC / MNH
/ IHG
Peter Lund
Cerca Grande 2
1
-
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Cerca Grande 5
2
-
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Lapa do Caetano
1
1
MNRJ
Lapa D’Água
-
1
MNRJ
Padberg Drenkpol
Harold Walter
Collection
11
11
MHN-UFMG
Harold Walter
Lapa Vermelha IV
-
1
MNRJ
Annete Emperaire
Total
42
39
Padberg Drenkpol
and Cássio
Lanari
Fieldwork at Lagoa Santa
Archaeological excavation at Lapa
do Santo (Rockshelter) during this
month
Paleoindian Burial exhumated last
week at Lapa do Santo (Lagoa
Santa)
One of Sumidouro’s skulls,
recovered by Lund at Sumidouro
Cave, Lagoa Santa
Chronological Context of Lagoa Santa
human skeletons

Peter Lund (1843) & Harold Walter (1935)


Coexistence between humans and
megafauna
Wesley Hurt & Oldemar Blasi (1969)

Radiocarbon dates for the human
occupation at Cerca Grande Rockshelter 6:
9720+/-128 and 9028+/-120

French-Brazilian Mission (1970s)

Excavations at Lapa Vermelha IV: charcoals
found above and below the skeleton of
Luzia were dated to between 11 and 11,5
BP, respectively
Peter W. Lund
(1801-1880)
Danish
naturalist
Chronological Context of Lagoa Santa

Recent efforts (1994-present)






Direct dating of human skeletons by AMS
Generation of minimum ages through the
dating of calcite layers
Excavation of new archaeological sites
Visit to key sites looking for remnants of the
original stratigraphy
Poor collagen preservation in Lagoa Santa
22 human skeletons directly dated by AMS to
between 8,5 and 7,5 BP
Radiometric dates for human skeletons from Lagoa Santa area,
Minas Gerais (all human bones by AMS).
Site
Sample
Material dated
Lab number
C12/C13
Conventional
C14 age
(uncalibrated)
Cerca Grande 6
MN-1369
Human bone
Beta 161668
-25,7 ‰
8240 ± 40 BP
Cerca Grande 6
MN-1329
Human bone
Beta 161666
-28,0 ‰
8230 ± 50 BP
Cerca Grande 7
MN-1384
Charcoal
Beta 84446
-25,0 ‰
9130 ± 60 BP
Lapa da Amoreira
MN-815
Human bone
Beta 161657
NA
7070 ± 40 BP
Lapa da Lagoa Funda
MNH-HW294
Human bone
Beta 165379
-25,3 ‰
7870 ± 40 BP
Lapa de Boleiras
BL-K10 No.12
Charcoal
Beta 159242
-25,0 ‰
8820 ± 150 BP
Lapa de Boleiras
MN-1389
Human bone
Beta 155658
-17,9 ‰
8420 ± 100 BP
Lapa de Boleiras
BL-K12 No.14
Charcoal
Beta 159244
-25,4 ‰
8360 ± 50 BP
Lapa de Boleiras
MN-1390
Human bone
Beta 155659
-20,8 ‰
8300 ± 50 BP
Lapa de Boleiras
BL-K10 No.13
Charcoal
Beta 159243
-25,0 ‰
7560 ± 110 BP
Lapa de Carrancas
MN-627
Human bone
Beta 161656
-21,8 ‰
7970 ± 40 BP
Lapa de Escrivânia 3
ZMUCESC3HS
Human bone
Beta 174734
-19,6 ‰
7740 ± 80 BP
Lapa do Baú 2
ZMUC 2358
Human bone
Beta 174735
-19,2 ‰
8830 ± 50 BP
Lapa do Braga
ZMUC 4725
Human bone
Beta 174736
-19,2 ‰
9780 ± 70BP
Lapa do Sumidouro
ZMUCBR789C
Charcoal
Beta 172187
-29,5 ‰
7650 ± 50 BP
Lapa do Sumidouro
ZMUCBR789S
Shell
Beta 172187
-9,1 ‰
8960 ± 50 BP
Lapa do Sumidouro
ZMUCBR247C
Charcoal
Beta 174730
-26,4 ‰
7680 ± 40 BP
Lapa do Sumidouro
ZMUCBR321S
Shell
Beta 174732
-9,5 ‰
7590 ± 80 BP
Lapa do Sumidouro
ZMUCBR789A
Calcite
-
-
>8150 ± 450 BP
Lapa do Sumidouro
ZMUCBR789B
Calcite
-
-
>7674 ± 456 BP
Lapa Mortuária
MN-834
Human bone
Beta 161658
-18,6 ‰
8810 ± 50 BP
Lapa Mortuária
MN-928
Human bone
Beta 161663
-19,4 ‰
8350 ± 40 BP
Lapa Mortuária
MN-923
Human bone
Beta 161662
-19,2 ‰
8290 ± 40 BP
Lapa Mortuária
MN-847
Human bone
Beta 161659
-19,1‰
7190 ± 50 BP
Lapa Mortuária (Cave)
MN-Confins
Human bone
Beta 174680
-33,4 ‰
11990 ± 50 BP
Santana do Riacho
Sep XIII
Charcoal
Gif 4508
NA
9460 ± 110 BP
Santana do Riacho
SR1-XX
Human bone
Beta 162014
-24,9 ‰
8280 ± 40 BP
Santana do Riacho
Sep XXIII
Charcoal
Gif 5088
NA
8230 ± 150 BP
Santana do Riacho
Sep IV
Charcoal
Gif 5087
NA
8150 ± 150 BP
Chronology of the human occupation at
Lagoa Santa





11,5 kyr – 10,0 kyr – Scarce human
presence, without formal occupation of
the rockshelters.
10,0 kyr - 7,5 kyr – First signs of
permanent occupation of the rockshelters.
8,5 kyr – 7,5 kyr – Peak of burials in the
rockshelters.
7,0 kyr – 2,5 kyr – Scarce human
presence in Lagoa Santa, with no burial
found (Archaic Gap).
2,5 kyr – Arrival of ceramists at the
region.
Chronology assumed
Site
N
Males
N
Females
Chronological Range
(years BP)
Institutions
Chief archaeologists
Lapa da Amoreira
1
-
7000
MNRJ
Padberg Drenkpol
Lapa de Carrancas
2
-
 8000
MNRJ
Bastos d`Ávila
Lapa Mortuária
(Rockshelter)
2
2
7000 to 9000
MNRJ
Padberg Drenkpol
Santana do Riacho
2
4
8000 to 9500
MHN-UFMG
André Prous
Cerca Grande 6
2
3
8000 to 8500
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Cerca Grande 7
-
1
 9000
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Lapa Mortuária
(Cave)
1
-
11000 to 12000
MHN-UFMG
Harold Walter
Escrivânia 3
-
1
 7700
ZMUC
Peter Lund
Sumidouro
17
14
> 8000
ZMUC / MNH
/ IHG
Peter Lund
Cerca Grande 2
1
-
8000 to 8500
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Cerca Grande 5
2
-
8000 to 8500
MNRJ
Wesley Hurt and
Oldemar Blasi
Lapa do Caetano
1
1
8000 to 8500
MNRJ
Lapa D’Água
-
1
8000 to 8500
MNRJ
Padberg Drenkpol
Harold Walter
Collection
11
11
8000 to 8500
MHN-UFMG
Harold Walter
Lapa Vermelha IV
-
1
11000 to 11500
MNRJ
Annete Emperaire
Total
42
39
Padberg Drenkpol
and Cássio
Lanari
Material and Methods

Comparative Samples

Howells’ samples representing 6 global regions







Asia
Recent America
Europe
Africa
Polynesia
Australia/Melanesia
Two late archaic Brazilian samples (shellmounds)


Base Aérea
Tapera
Material and Methods

Multivariate Analyses presented here





Principal Coordinates Analyses assuming heritability
0,55 (size and shape, and shape alone) – 55 best
preserved skulls.
Principal Components Analyses with heritability 1,0
(size and shape, and shape alone) – centroids of the
81 skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 0,55 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 1,0 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Principal Components Analyses taking into account the
individual dispersion of the sample (size and shape,
and shape alone) - 55 best preserved skulls.
Females Shape alone
Females size and Shape
Males Shape alone
Males size and Shape
Principal Coordinate Analysis (h2=0,55)
Material and Methods

Multivariate Analyses presented here





Principal Coordinates Analyses assuming heritability
0,55 (size and shape, and shape alone) – 55 best
preserved skulls.
Principal Components Analyses with heritability 1,0
(size and shape, and shape alone) – centroids of the
81 skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 0,55 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 1,0 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Principal Components Analyses taking into account the
individual dispersion of the sample (size and shape,
and shape alone) - 55 best preserved skulls.
Females Shape alone
Females size and Shape
Males Shape alone
Males size and Shape
Principal Components Analyses (h2=1,0)
Material and Methods

Multivariate Analyses presented here





Principal Coordinates Analyses assuming heritability
0,55 (size and shape, and shape alone) – 55 best
preserved skulls.
Principal Components Analyses with heritability 1,0
(size and shape, and shape alone) – centroids of the
81 skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 0,55 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 1,0 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Principal Components Analyses taking into account the
individual dispersion of the sample (size and shape,
and shape alone) - 55 best preserved skulls.
Females Shape alone
Females size and Shape
Males Shape alone
Males size and Shape
MDS based on Mahalanobis Distance (h2=0,55)
Females Shape alone
Females size and Shape
Males Shape alone
Males size and Shape
MDS based on Mahalanobis Distance (h2=1,0)
Material and Methods

Multivariate Analyses presented here





Principal Coordinates Analyses assuming heritability
0,55 (size and shape, and shape alone) – 55 best
preserved skulls.
Principal Components Analyses with heritability 1,0
(size and shape, and shape alone) – centroids of the
81 skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 0,55 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to
Mahalanobis Distance assuming heritability 1,0 (size
and shape, and shape alone) - 55 best preserved
skulls.
Principal Components Analyses taking into account the
individual dispersion of the sample (size and shape,
and shape alone) - 55 best preserved skulls.
Females Shape alone
Females size and Shape
Males Shape alone
Males size and Shape
Principal Components Analysis (h2=1,0)
Discussion and Conclusions


the first South Americans exhibit a cranial
morphology very different from late and
modern Northeastern Asians and
Amerindians
Two competing hypothesis

local microevolutionary process mediated by
selection and/or drift transformed the
Paleoamerican morphology into that prevailing
today among Native Americans
the New World was successively occupied by
two morphologically differentiated human
stocks, with the Paleoamerican morphology
entering first
Discussion and Conclusions
the New World was successively occupied by
two morphologically differentiated human
stocks, with the Paleoamerican morphology
entering first
“The two main biological components model”
Cranial morphology of
early Americans from
Lagoa Santa
Implications for the settlement of
the New World
Walter Neves
Mark Hubbe
Laboratório de Estudos Evolutivos Humanos
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva
Instituto de Biociências – Universidade de São Paulo