Non-metric dental characteristics of the Cis-Olkhon Glazkovo population (based on the materials of the Tuakhane IX burial ground)¹

The new updated cultural and chronological periodization of the Cis-Baikal region, suggesting the absence of continuity between the Kitoy and Serovo–Glazkovo culture, actualizes the problem of the origin of the late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age populations of the region. The purpose of this study is to reveal the biological affinities of the Cis-Olkhon Glazkovo population from the Tuakhane IX burial ground based on the analysis of non-metric dental morphology data. The original data set includes dental characteristics of 12 individuals from the Tuakhane IX burial place, including 2 males, 3 fe­males, 4 children and 3 individuals whose sex and age could not be determined. In the study both the extended battery of dental traits generally accepted by Russian researchers and ASUDAS scale were used. The results of the analysis reveal that while the Tuakhane IX Glazkovo group morphologically undoubtedly belongs to the Eastern mongoloid population and its morphological specificity is similar to the Late Neolithic Serovo and Early Bronze Ages Glazkovo populations of the Cis-Baikal area. Significant differences between the Serovo–Glazkovo groups from the Kitoi groups were demonstrated. This confirms the results of the archaeological and genetics studies which argued for a lack of continuity between Early Neolithic and Late Neolithic–Early Bronze Age populations in the Cis-Baikal region. The dental data indicate the migration of Far Eastern groups from Primoye to the Cis-Baikal area and their significant influence on the dental morphology of the Late Neolithic Serovo people. Remarkably, the Glazkovo sample from Tuakhane IX is characterized by the similar morphologic specificity. Also the specific trait combination that differentiates Glazkovo people from the Neolithic Baikal and Far East groups was identified and which, apparently, can be the result of a gene flow from the Ymyyakhtakh Early Bronze Age populations of Yakutia to the Glazkovo people. In addition, dental data support the hypothesis about possible migration of the Cis-Baikal tribes to the Western Siberian forest-steppe, which has been repeatedly put forward on the basis of results of archaeological and anthropological studies.