Assessment of Ancestral Background from the Skull: Case Studies from Greece

The assessment of ancestral background from human remains is an important aspect in biological and forensic anthropology. In the human skeleton, craniofacial morphology is considered the most reliable indicator of ancestral phenotype. In addition to craniofacial traits, anthropometric measurements may be employed in the assessment of ancestry. According to these, skeletal remains can be attributed to one of three population groups: Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid. In this study the authors present examples of these population groups that they have encountered while working with human remains in Greece. The examples presented came from a forensic context and a human skeletal collection.