RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PROPORTIONS OF THE HEAD AND THE HARD PALATE IN NAMIBIAN KUNG-SAN AND KENYAN TRIBES

The proportions of the head and the hard palate, described by 10 cepha lic and 7 palatal indices, as well as the correlation patterns between these two trait systems of 110 !Kung San males from Namibia and 138 A frican black males from Kenya are compared in order to test group diff erences with respect to their statistical significance. Nearly all cep halic and palatal indices show marked differences between the two popu lations. This is also true for the significance of the correlations be tween the head and the palatal indices. These results are explained by the differentially delayed growth of the San which results in their p edomorphous trait combination. Especially the significantly higher rel ative ridge field extension in the !Kung San can be interpreted as a t ypical feature in the framework of their general pedomorphy.