Intergroup variability of cranial special features of the Northern Samoyeds and Kets

Indigenous population of Northern Eurasia consists of various ethno-linguistic entities (Samoyeds, Finno-Ugric, Turkic, Kets, Paleo-Asiatics). Historical anthropology, studying stages of formation of special characteristics of their physical appearance, attaches great significance to classification of anthropological communities, as it reflects common elements and differences in the genesis and historical background of populations. Therefore, systematics of anthropological communities receives much attention. As to the territory of Northern Eurasia, the most famous taxonomy was made by I. Deniker, which was later supplemented and specified. He separated northern populations of the region into the Ugric community, later V.V. Bunak allocated them into the Ural anthropological community. However, accumulation of new significant data on the anthropology of the population of the Ural community in the XX century has significantly increased the level of its inter-group variability. It was suggested to specify a number of variants within this community in order to remedy situation (Subural, Lapponoid, Sublapponoid, West Siberian, Ural, Northern Altai). However, the overall variability has not diminished, but increased. In this regard, the author suggested to abandon the notion of the Ural community as a combination Subural, Northern Altai, West Siberian populations and Kets. Variability of new taxa decreased to a comparable level, but taxonomic positions of the Northern Samoyeds and Kets remained uncertain due to the lack of data about their variability. New materials on these groups specified the location of the Northern Samo-yeds and Kets in the system of superpopulational communities of Northern Eurasia. One and the same factor determines their anthropological specificity, as well as the specificity of all Western Siberian populations, especially of the Ural type, which serves as an indicator of preceding genetic unity. Therefore, Northern Samoyeds and Kets are suggested to be considered as the third anthropological type within the West Siberian anthropological formation and to be called Yamal-Yenisei along with the Ob-Irtysh and Ural types. Respectively, it is necessary to allocate an additional tertiary center (Yamalo-Yenisei) within the West Siberian secondary center of morphogenesis.

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