Modern Human Origins: Midfacial Prognathism, 3D Approach

Neanderthals exhibit a unique midfacial morphology that distinguishes them from their non-Neanderthal contemporaries and from the generalized hominid face. Neanderthal zygomatic and maxillary regions are more sagittally oriented than those of modern people, so the midface projects in a manner, and to an extent, not found in modern humans. This is known as midfacial prognathism (MFP). A decrease in the expression of MFP is a significant point of distinction between Neanderthals and modern humans, and some consider it an important aspect of morphological ‘modernity’ in general. This research assesses the degree of resemblance in the midfacial region of Upper Pleistocene European hominids including Neanderthals and Upper Paleolithic people. To assess the degree of midfacial resemblance, a new method called Geometric Morphometric 3-Dimensional Analysis (GM3DA) is developed. A computer program transforms morphological raw data into comparable curves that can be analyzed statistically to assess the degree of similarity and difference in the midfaces of different hominids. Using these methods, the results indicate a clear morphological difference in the midfacial region when Neanderthals are compared with Upper Paleolithic Europeans. The results suggest that European Neanderthals constitute a distinct morphological population, at least so far as the midface is concerned.