A COMPARISON OF THE MEDIEVAL AND MODERN POPULATIONS OF THE NOVGOROD REGION, BASED ON FACIAL RECONSTRUCTION

Sculptural and graphic craniofacial reconstructions of Russians who lived in the village of Katunki, Nizhni Novgorod Province, in the 14th–17th centuries are used to assess variation and adaptation in this group and to compare the group with modern Russians of the same territory. Apart from the actual reconstructions, verbal portraits were compiled, matching the descriptions of the modern population and suggesting biological continuity. The asymmetry of the facial skeleton and within-group variation are evaluated. From the Middle Ages to recent centuries, craniofacial dimensions have decreased in conformity with a general tendency toward gracilization.