Origins and Interactions of the Ethnic Groups of Greater Dardistan I

A Tooth Size Allocation Analysis of the Khow of Chitral District

Abstract

This study has two objectives. The first is to assess allocation of tooth size across the permanent dentition of Khow females and males. The second is to investigate Khow biological origins in light of three models offered for the population history of Greater Dardistan. Mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions of the permanent teeth were measured among 209 Khow volunteers. Principal component analysis was used to assess variation in the patterning of tooth size among Khow females and males. Discriminant function analysis was used to determine the accuracy of identifying Khows odontometrically by sex. Khows were compared to members of six living peninsular Indian ethnic groups and 12 sex–pooled prehistoric samples. Group centroids from canonical variates were plotted in three dimensions to assess similarities among samples. Principal components analysis identifies tooth size allocation differences between Khow females and males. Discriminant functions identify sex correctly in 74-83% of Khows. Canonical variates identify Khows as possessing closer affinities to prehistoric Central Asians than to prehistoric inhabitants of the Indus Valley or living peninsular Indian ethnic groups. Tooth size allocation analysis identifies systemic differences among females and males of living South Asian ethnic groups. Khows possess tooth size allocation patterns most similar to Central Asians, but not to BMAC samples. Hence, the Aryan Invasion model is not supported. Affinities between Khows and Namazga III inhabitants of Geoksyur provide weak support for the Indo-Iranian model, but long-standing residence within Greater Dardistan, expected under the Indigenous model, is also supported.