How do archaeologists really know a certain skull belongs to one species when...

Question

few people actually conform to the standard head shape we see on those model skeletons. think about it, asian skulls, african skulls, caucasian skulls all have really different shapes so how do we really know if one skull belongs to a particular species group?

Answer 1

An excellent point, that's been made by respected anthropologists like Miford Wolford and C Loring Brace about Neanderthals.

If we found a Pygmy from 200,000 years ago we'd cheerfully call them a subspecies or different species.

Answer 2

There are certain features that are diagnostic like teeth or something like a sagittal ridge on erectus.  They can't really know if it belongs to a single species because two different closely related species could have the very same diagnostic feature.  There aren't enough fossils to give much confidence in the number of species but when certain features are maintained over time, it is thought to be a separate species.

Answer 3

The changes in skull shape from person to person are not very drastic, they only seem that way because we spend so much time (as a species) together and notice differences from our own image quicker than we would notice subtle differences in the shape of a pair of newts' (or other animal) skull. When looking at the skulls of our ancestors there is usually a feature (such as a sloped forehead) or two that set its skull/skeleton apart from the other species. That being said, Archeology is also not an exact science. The bones of certain dinosaurs, such as the Iguanodon (first discovered in1822, first put together correctly {or so we think} in1852), were put together incorrectly for years. There was also a case where three separate dinosaurs were put together as a result of deadly brawl between a pregnant ceratopsid and a raptor. So therefore I suggest you believe whatever you want to believe on the topic, or you go out and do some research on it to help clarify this aspect of archeology.

Answer 4

Well, I'm going to try and give an educated answer. There are a few ways they can tell when examining bones that have been dug up. One way is taking measurements of a skull, they can take up to seventy different measurements, another way is examing the teeth and the bones in the skull, and how the bones are shaped. I had wondered how they could tell if the bones belonged to a male or female, well one way is to look at the chin, the males chin is a lot more robust, while the females chin is more smaller.  Another way are its features, you may notice not everyone is the same build, some may have bigger brow ridges and that would be compared to other bones and or skulls from different areas.  

Answer 5

The correct term for the methods they use to figure things of that nature out is Craniofacial Anthropometry. There are 'trademarks' that each ethnic/cultural group has that will be very helpful in showing the race.

Caucasion people usually have a tear shaped nasal cavity with a towr looking nasal bone with a sloped eye socket shape.

African people have a rounded and broad nasal cavity and noteable projection in the jaw and mouth area.

Asians have basically no nasal dam and a very oval haped nasal cavity with tent shaped bones with a rounded and sloping eye.

It's a science, being able to tell race from race by bones alone. Hope I helped. =]