The Population of the Lower Don Region in the Early Iron Age and Its Location on Phenegeographical Maps of Eastern Europe: A Dental Study

This paper presents original dental data from 14 craniological series representing both nomadic and sedentary population of the Early Iron Age in the Lower Don Region. The data is analyzed and interpreted within the context of dental varia­bility in Eastern Europe, using the authors’ phenegeographical approach to reconstruct population history. The results highlight the prevalence of the longitudinal variability across Eastern Europe during the Early Iron Age. Clines of this variability, associated with migrations, are linked to major rivers routes, including the Volga and Dnieper. Within this system, the steppe belt of the region is divided into eastern and western areas, while the Don basin serves as a contact zone.