Craniofacial morphology of Jews from the Hellenistic period

Nineteen skulls of an ancient Jewish population from Ein-Gedi, were studied cephalometrically. The material dated to the 1st century AD and most skulls showed some damage. Thus, only eleven parameters could be measured. The results were compared with those obtained from a later local Arab population from the 17th to 18th centuries and with contemporary population standards. Significantly different measurements were obtained for almost all the linear parameters for the three groups: the highest values were found in the contemporary population, followed by the Ein-Gedi population with the smallest values in the Arab sample. The dimensional linear differences can best be explained by different levels of environmental stress leading to growth retardation. Unlike the linear measurements the differences in the angular parameters were less marked, probably reflecting similar growth patterns.