En forskningsgruppe undersøgte skeletrester fra neolitisk tid og fandt, at menneskelig højde blev påvirket af kulturelle faktorer. Kvinder var lavere end forventet, hvilket tyder på kønsdiskrimination. Resultaterne viser, at både kulturelle og miljømæssige forhold påvirker kroppens størrelse over tid.
Titel på undersøgelse:
Was Human Height in the Neolithic Period Influenced by Cultural Factors?
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Hele abstrakt på originalsprog:
The University of Bonn article “Was Human Height in the Neolithic Period Influenced by Cultural Factors?” investigates how cultural shifts during the Neolithic era, around 12,000 to 6,500 years ago, may have shaped human stature. Analyzing skeletons from the Near East to Europe, researchers found that the transition from foraging to farming—marked by cereal cultivation and sedentism—often led to reduced height, likely due to poorer nutrition and disease in early agricultural societies. Yet, a striking exception emerged: in the Levant, taller statures persisted into the Late Neolithic, tied to cultural practices like varied diets or social structures, despite farming’s rise. Genetic data paired with archaeological evidence suggests height was not solely a biological outcome but reflected cultural choices—diet, mobility, and community organization. This interplay, varying by region, challenges simplistic narratives, hinting that Neolithic height was a complex dance of environment, genes, and human culture.