English
PolskiPROJEKT
WHAT?
The project investigates how the structure of the human skull has changed from the Middle Ages to the present in the Polish population. We analyze whether an increasingly softer diet and the decline in chewing force may have influenced the shape and variation of the modern human skull. The main aim is to better understand the direction of these changes in the context of ongoing transformations.
WHY?
We still know relatively little about changes in cranial structure that have occurred over the past few centuries, even though they have important medical implications. The faster reduction in the size of the maxilla and mandible compared with tooth size leads to malocclusion, dental crowding, and problems with “wisdom teeth.” These changes also contribute to breathing and sleep disorders. The prevalence of such problems is sometimes described as a modern epidemic.
HOW?
The analysis will be carried out in a 3D environment on three populations: a medieval sample from Cedynia, an early modern sample from Radom, and a contemporary population. These groups differ in diet, which has gradually become softer over time and required less chewing effort. The research will include measurements of elements of the masticatory system as well as the application of geometric morphometrics, a advanced method for analyzing shape.
WHO?
The research is conducted by a team of anthropologists from the Institute of Human Biology and Evolution AMU
