modern variation and evolutionary change in the hominin eye orbit

1.8 Post-Pleistocene craniofacial change in Homo sapiensModern human populations are characterized by disparate craniofacial features(Bastir et al. 2008; Bruner & Manzi, 2004; Hanihara, 1996, 2000; Hennessy & Stringer,2002; Howells, 1973, 1989; Kuroe, Rosas, Molleson, 2004), however a general shifttoward brachycephaly and facial orthognathism has occurred ubiquitously among nearlyall human groups (Brown, 1989, 1992; Carlson, 1976; Carlson & Van Gerven, 1977; Wuet al. 2007). Although the pattern of craniofacial change is similar across humanpopulations, few studies have focused on orbital and midfacial change and to what degreethis feature varies in association with a shift toward brachycephaly and facialorthognathism.Two recent investigations have examined diachronic change in the orbits and theirassociation with neighboring craniofacial traits among Chinese groups dating to theHolocene (Brown & Maeda, 2004; Wu et al. 2007). These and other studies echo areduction in overall cranial and facial size in which brain volume, the cranial vault, theoro-facial skeleton, and general skeletal robusticity are reduced following the Pleistoceneperiod (Brown 1987; Brown & Maeda, 2004; Carlson, 1976; Carlson & Van Gerven,1977; Henneberg, 1988; Lahr & Wright, 1996; Smith et al. 1985, 1986; Wu et al. 2007).This reduction likely began slightly earlier than the Holocene however, as it is estimatedthat since the Upper Paleolithic in Europe, cranial and facial dimensions have beenreduced by 10-30% (Kidder et al. 1992).While these changes occur in Europe and China, reduction during this period wasnot accompanied by brachycephalization in Sub-Saharan African groups (Henneberg &Steyn, 1993). In the Nubian region of northern Africa however, an overall increase in19