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Some pages may have indistinct La qualite d'impression de print especially if the original certaines pages peut laisser a pages were typed with a poor desirer, surtout si les pages typewriter ribbon or if the originales ont 6te university sent us an inferior dactylographiees a I'aide d'un photocopy. ruban us6 ou si I'universite nous a fait parvenir une photocopie de qualit4 inferieure. Reproduction in full or in part of La reproduction, mBme partielle, this microform is governed by de eette microforme est soumise the Canadian Copyright Act, la Loi canadienne sw le droit R.S.C. 1970, c. C-30, and d'auteur, SRC 1970, c. C-30, et subsequent amendments. ses amendements subsequents. BIOMECHANICS OF THE HOMlNlNE CRANIUM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HOMQ ERECTUS AND THE ARCHAIC HOMO SAPIENS Christopher John Kniisel B.A.(Hon.) University of Wisconsin-Madison 1984 M.A. University of York, York, England 1986 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Department of Archaeology O Christopher John Knijsel Simon Fraser University June, 1991 Ail rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the autt-tor. National Library Bibliotheque nationale ISIof Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Direction des acquisitions et Bibliographic Services Branch des services bibliographiques 395 Well~ngtonStreet 395, rue Well~ngton Onawa. 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ISBN 0-325-78214-5 Name: Christopher John Knijsel Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Title: Biomechanics of the Hominine Cranium with Special Reference to Homo erectus and the Archaic Homo sa~iens Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. D. Erie Nelson, Professor Dr. Mark F. Skinner, 8sociate Professor, Senior Supervisor C___________-___---_------ - - !~r.Jonathan C. Driver, Associate Professor --- ------ Dr. ~ichardShutler, Jr., Professor, Em&r,itw Dr. Arthur E. Chapm#n, Prcfessor, School of Kinesiology l_lO1____l__l_----l__l-----ll-- Dr. Alton S. Harestad, Internal External Reader, Professor, Department of Biological Scimes e -L -TI Dr. '~eoffre~G. Pope, External Reader, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Champagne-Urbana PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENSE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis or dissertation (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/Dissertation: Biomechanics of the Horninine Cranium with Special Reference to Homo erectus and the Archaic Homo sapiens - Author: Signaturie Christopher John ~ncsel Name June ,3, 1991 Date Abstract: The adult cranium has traditionally been used to construct hominine phylogenies. This approach, however, disregards the acquired, functional components resulting from cranial growth and development. Such phylogenies are thus open to questions of validity. in order to remedy this situation a biomechanical analysis of the cranial first-class lever system was performed to interpret cranial shape, and a series of osteological observations made which identify anterior dental loading as an habitual behaviour of the earliest hominines. A quantitative analysis employed craniometric measurements of the size, shape, and lengths of the load and lever arms of a series of crania drawn from a mixed horninine cast co9lection, a very robust Northwest Amerindian sample, and a gracile Calcuttan sample. Statistical comparisons of the . attachment area of M, ~lnalis demonstrated strong correlations between cranial thickness and the lengths of the load and lever arms. A photoelastic analysis, which allowed recording of both the magnitude and direction of strains, was carried out to determine how differing cranial shapes influence the transmission of applied forces. The results indicate that the cranial vault of each specimen experiences differential deformation in response to loads of identical magnitude. The Hom~ cranium demonstrates a unique directional strain pattern different from that of the Cro-Magnon and Skhul crania, whose strain patterns were more similar. The magnitude iii recordings reveal that the Skhut cranium is most well-designed to perdorm anterior dental loading and C~Q-Magnon,the least. The . .. LQluS- iransversus and seeipital bun (chignon) act to prevent transmission of forces to the interparietal portion of the occipital. It is concluded that the shape of these early hominine crania may be interpreted to result from the commencement of stw~uocsanterior dental loading at an early age when the greatest hpact is made on bone morphology. It is suggested that some of the assumed diagnostic occipital structures used to identify palaeospecies in the hominine fossil record may not be of genetic origin, but rather of an acquired nature, resulting from anterior dental loading and likely other behaviours involving strenuous head movement. This suggests that a re-appraisal of the palaeosoecies may be in order. "Morphology is not only a study of material things and sf the forms of material things, but has its dynamical aspect, under which we deal with the interpretation, in terms of force, of the operations of Energy" (p.19).- D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson in Qn Growthandm "But, Parmenides, said Socrates, may it not be that each of these forms is thought, which cannot properly exist anywhere but in the mind. In that way each of them can be one and the statements that have just been made would no longer be true of it." Plato in Parmenides 132b Acknowledgements In completing this dissertation I learned many things through the efforts of others, and it is here that these individuals should be recognised and thanked for their invaluable contributions to this document. Foremost among these individuals is Mr. Don McLeod of the Department of Physical Chemistry, British Columbia Institute of Technology, who prepared an ideal working space, allowed me access to sophisticated equipment for material testing, offered much needed advice on the photographs which appear herein, and provided the means by which to see strain in objects through a well-maintained polariscope. I can candidly write that without Don's expertise, technical support, and patience this project would have ended not far int~the two and a half years we worked together. Early in my efforts to understand cranial morphology, Gary Nswer, Manager of the C14 Laboratory, Simon Fraser University, and John Breffit, graduate student at the same institution and Gary's successor, played important rbles and I am grateful for their friendship and the many conversations I had with them over the last five years. John helped me solve many construction and design problems I encountered early on and showed interest in my results later. It was in conversations with Gary that I realised that this project could be accomplished, these often accompanied by a fine "course dans le bois" and a resplendent pint afterwards. Gary's friendship and aid is much appreciated, as is that of Laurie Milne, who provided sensible answers upon many an occasion. I would also like to acknowledge the contribution made by my Ph.D. cornmitee members. It was under the tutelage of Dr. Arthur Chapman of the School of Kinesioiogy that I learned about stress and strain and through whom I was introduced to a field of which I had little previous knowledge. Dr. Chapman also provided much of the enthusiasm I profited from throughout the course of this work. Drs. Jonathan C. Driver and Richard Shutler, Jr. helped me to remain current in the discipline through many illuminating conversations about things archaeological and provided needed editorial advice. My Senior Supervisor, Dr. Mark F. Skinner, helped me to hone my ideas and to express them in a mare meaningful and clear manner. He also provided a much appreciated and pleasant space in which to carry out a portion sf this work.