Influence of the Silk Road Trade on the Craniofacial Morphology Of
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City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2018 Influence of the Silk Road rT ade on the Craniofacial Morphology of Populations in Central Asia Ayesha Yasmeen Hinedi The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2893 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] INFLUENCE OF THE SILK ROAD TRADE ON THE CRANIOFACIAL MORPHOLOGY OF POPULATIONS IN CENTRAL ASIA by AYESHA YASMEEN HINEDI A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2018 ©2018 AYESHA YASMEEN HINEDI All Rights Reserved ii Influence of the Silk Road trade on the craniofacial morphology of populations in Central Asia. by Ayesha Yasmeen Hinedi This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _____________________ ____________________________ Date Ekatarina Pechenkina Chair of Examining Committee _____________________ _____________________________ Date Jeff Maskovsky Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: William Harcourt-Smith Felicia Madimenos Rowan Flad THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Influence of the Silk Road trade on the craniofacial morphology of populations in Central Asia. by Ayesha Yasmeen Hinedi Advisor: Ekaterina Pechenkina, Vincent Stefan. Large-scale human migrations over long periods of time are known to affect population composition. In the second century B.C the demand for silk threads in the West opened trade opportunities between China and the Europe. This allowed for new pathways to be established and old ones reinforced across the vast region of Central Asia; a network of overland and sea routes linking East with West for sixteen hundred years that became collectively known as the Silk Road. Populations living along these routes were affected by a constant influx of traders, merchants, and invading armies attempting to control the region. Although Central Asian populations have always exhibited some degree of admixture, genetic, archaeological, socio- cultural and linguistic evidence indicate an increase in admixture within these populations during the period when the Silk Road was active. Very little work has been done to confirm these findings from a morphological perspective. This study investigates the craniofacial variation seen in populations living during the time of the Silk Road and analyses the patterns of admixture as a result of population migrations during this time. This was accomplished using 3D geometric morphometric analysis to assess the differences in craniofacial morphology of Central Asian populations living along the Silk Road iv before the opening of the trade routes with those living in the same region at the height or the close of the trade routes. Cranial series were selected from three locations: China/Mongolia, Central Asia, and Western Europe. Specimens were chosen to correspond with the time period and geographic span of the Silk Road. The data collected was analyzed using multivariate statistical methods and the results offer a morphological explanation for the population diversity seen in the region during that period. The craniofacial morphology of this Central Asian sample fell between those examined from European and East Asian contexts, with a mosaic of traits that marked them as part of a statistically significant group distinguishable from those to the east or west, within the broader Eurasian human population. In this framework, they were considered an admixed group. Large cranial breadth, broad zygomatic area, a prominent glabella, and a specific nasal configuration (i.e., wider, long, and projecting) are characteristic of this population sample. Admixture in this population was found to have increased over the time span of the Silk Road, with the most pronounced jump observed in the early to middle period of the Silk Road from around the 5th to the 15th Century AD. This rapidly evolving craniofacial morphology cannot be characterized as secular change, but rather was strongly influenced by large migrations of people through the region mixing with the local population. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all the people who helped me through these long years of study. My advisor Professor Vincent Stefan who was essential in guiding me through the research, analysis, and writing processes; I wish he could have seen the final result. I would also especially like to thank Professor Ekatarina Pechenkina who stepped up and filled Vince’s place as my advisor. Her counsel was crucial to my advancement and persevering through the final steps. Thank you to Professor William Harcourt-Smith and Professor Felicia Madimenos who led me through the phases of this project and gave me constructive feedback along the way, as well as Professor Ryan Raaum who was kind enough to review my work early on. I also would like to thank Professor Rowan Flad for his advice and extensive comments. I thank them all for the time and energy they spent on this endeavor I would like to acknowledge NYCEP and CUNY for funding this project, my travels, and more broadly my entire learning experience. The staff members at the museums where this research was conducted were absolutely invaluable in directing me to the right materials and allowing me access to the collections: Dr. Hunt from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Monge from UPENN Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Dr. Mirazon Lahr and Ms. Bellati from Cambridge University’s Duckworth Collections. A special thank you to the staff at Moscow State University primarily Dr. Buzhilova for allowing me complete access to these hard to find cranial specimens from Central Asia, Natalia Berezina for her generosity and constant translation help, and Olga for gathering and putting away the requested crania so patiently. For giving me a fantastic introduction to Russia and access to great contacts and collections I must thank Natasha Kharlamova. vi I would be remiss if I did not thank Professor Eric Delson who pushed us students along through each phase of learning and oversaw it all, and Ellen DeRiso who made every semester and administrative process a breeze to get through. Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart my husband, my family, and closest of friends who supported me throughout this entire journey. Your unfailing encouragement got me to the finishing line. vii Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 PRESENT RESEARCH .............................................................................................................. 4 STRUCTURE OF DISSERTATION .......................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: Cultural, Historical, and Geographical Context ............................................................ 8 GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT .................................................................................................. 8 HISTORICAL CONTEXT ....................................................................................................... 10 Neolithic to Iron Age ............................................................................................................. 10 Early trade and Alexander the Great .................................................................................... 12 The Empires ........................................................................................................................... 14 Early Medieval to Middle Ages ............................................................................................. 15 Mongol Invasions to the Closing of the Silk Roads ............................................................... 19 CULTURAL CONTEXT .......................................................................................................... 21 CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 3: Genetic, Linguistic, and Archaeological Evidence ..................................................... 26 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 26 GENETICS OF REGION AND CURRENT RESEARCH ...................................................... 26 Early Bronze and Iron Ages .................................................................................................