Microevolution in prehistoric Andean populations: Chronologic nonmetrical cranial variation in northern Chile

Abstract

Multivariate distance statistics were computed from 14 nonmetrical cranial variables among five prehistoric samples representing steps in the microevolutionary history of a coastal population in northern Chile. Roughly 70% of nonmetrical cranial variation was found to be explained by chronologic distance covering a period of 6,500 years. This estimate is similar to a previous one derived from craniometric data. Implications of these findings are briefly discussed. Copyright © 1984 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company