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The dentition of New Britain West Nakanai Melanesians. VIII. Peopling of the pacific
Author(s) -
Turner Christy G.,
Swindler Daris R.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330490309
Subject(s) - polynesians , dentition , geography , southeast asia , crown (dentistry) , archaeology , ethnology , demography , dentistry , history , population , medicine , sociology
Abstract The dental crown morphology and size of 48 male West Nakanai, New Britain, Melanesians is described and compared with other Pacific and Asian dental samples. The West Nakanai dentition is like those of other Melanesians, much less like those of Polynesians and Micronesians, and very dissimilar to teeth of modern and Neolithic Southeast Asians. It is suggested that the origin of the modern Melanesian dental pattern (large but simplified teeth) was probably in Melanesia, not Southeast Asia as the orthodox view of a Hoabinhian‐Australmelanesian relation claims.