Medieval migrations and the birth of modern British peoples: A craniometric approach

Abstract

Abstract Craniometric characteristics can be used to reconstruct among-group variation, potential migration routes and ancestral origins. This study presents the results of the comparison of 946 individuals from 16 British medieval sites using craniometric analyses. The purpose is to determine if: 1) observable craniometric variation among British medieval groups exists, 2) it can be detected from neurocranial or facial measurements, and 3) the potential causes of these differences. Craniometric data were analyzed with multivariate statistical analyses. A selection of 18 variables recorded on each crania was used for comparison among pooled males and females. Principal component analysis was carried out on the mean measurements for each pooled group to detect differences among the samples. The results support previous work by other authors indicating a difference in craniometric measurements among British samples. Male and female samples follow the same discrimination pattern, indicating the validity of the statistical analysis. Both neurocranial and facial measurements contribute to the variability of the groups analyzed. The differences in craniometric measurements are likely determined by the migration of people from other European areas. The samples from the British cities where migration occurred more frequently during and before the Middle Ages (i.e. Hythe, London and Scarborough) confirm this difference. These towns were major ports in medieval times, and the movement of people was frequent, with different nationalities in each area (e.g. Scandinavian, Icelandic, Flemish, French). The hypothesis is further supported by correspondence of the results with historical and archaeological records.