Budapest 1982 - Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS
T o m u s 74.
Budapest, 1982
HUNGARICI
p . 351-357.
The odontological aspect in the ethnogenesis of Hungarians, II.
by T. T Ó T H , Budapest
Abstract — Odontological data from different ethnogeographic groups of Hungarian people have
been evaluated regarding some ethnogenetical problems. With 3 tables and 1 figure.
P r o l e g o m e n a . I n this part of the series one of the morphological features of the molar
chewing surface has been analyzed, which has only slightly been taken into account in the general
literature. The distal trigonid crest was first described by WEIDENREICH (1937) in his monograph about
the comparative odontography of the Hominids. A definition of this phenomenon is given by him in
connection with analysis of the lower deciduous molars from Sinanthropus (p. 112-117). The tips of
the metaconid and protoconid are connected by the distal trigonid crest, which at the same time divi­
des the molar chewing surface into two parts (trigonid and talonid). The occurrence of this crest on
the lower premolars was established by REMANE (1952), whereas HANIHARA (1961, after ZUBOV 1967)
found it to be present on deciduous molars. In his second paper HANIHARA (1963) briefly commented
upon this crest, but he did not consider the presence of this crest as an element of the Mongoloid den­
tal complex (HANIHARA 1966, 1970, 1976; HANIHARA et al 1975). It was ZUBOV (1967, 1968 a, b) who
first analyzed the occurence of the distal trigonid crest on the permanent molars ; he emphasized the
differential diagnostic importance of this trait in ethnogenetical investigations. The same morpholo­
gical phenomenon was studied by KIRVESKART (1974, 1978) on the Lapps of Finland. ZUBOV (1973),
comparing 34 Europoid and Mongoloid groups, provided numerous important data on the inter­
continental distribution of this crest, by analysing several thousand permanent molars ; his investiga­
tions resulted in the first comprehensive monograph on ethnical odontology (ZUBOV & HALDEEVA
1979) including the results of studies considering the distal trigonid crest as well.
Material and methods
It is the first occasion that the first lower molar has been studied with regard to the distal trigonid
crest on adult males belonging to a number of different ehtnogeographical groups of Hungarians.
The period of the investigations lasted from November to March inthe years 1969/1970 and 1970/1971,
respectively. For visual evaluation of the chewing surface, a dentistic speculum was used. As generally
accepted, recent populations are to be characterized by the presence or absence ( + viz. O) of the distal
trigonid crest (ZUBOV 1973). Our findings are presented in tables. Data about the above-mentioned
odontomorphoscopic trait have been sampled from 3310 men (aged between 20 and 60) living in 28
different localities. The localities were as follows: Őriszentpéter, Szalafő, Bajánsenye (all from the
Őrség), Csonkahegyhát, Kustánszeg, Becsvölgye, Milejszeg, Petrikeresztúr (all from Göcsej), Karcag,
Kunmadaras, Kunhegyes (all from the Middle-Tisza region). Jászapáti, Jászárokszállás, Jászfény­
szaru (all from Jászság), Taktaharkány, Taktakenéz, Taktabáj (all from Taktaköz), Gacsáj, Rozsály,
Matolcs (all from Szamoshát), Aszaló, Szikszó, Szendrő, Boldva (northeastern group of the so-called
Palócság), Gyöngyöstarján, Mezőkövesd (southern group of the so-called Palócság and Matyós),
Himód, Kisfalud (from Rábaköz). Thus the study material consists of the ethnogeographical groups
of the Hungarian people living i n the Transdanubian as well as i n the Middle- and Upper-Tisza
regions. Data were taken from the same persons on whom the lingual surface of the upper incisors has
been investigated as well (TÓTH 1981).
INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS
The pattern o f the chewing surface o f the first lower permanent molar was analyzed
in 1239 men (Table 1). Comparing our findings with the whole contingent o f the local
groups (3310 individuals), we have obtained interesting information about the clinical
state of the dentition of the studied groups : i n more than 6 0 % of the adult men this molar
was missing. This may be connected w i t h the social hygienic conditions experienced during
postnatal ontogenesis.
While analysing the odontoscopical data of Hungarian men it was found that the frequ­
ency of the presence of the distal trigonid crest on the first lower molar seemed to be very
Fig. 1. Topography of some ethnic groups (after Table 2-3)* — M o n g o l o i d s and V e d d oA u s t r a l o i d s . 1: Mongols from Mongolia, 2: Kazakhs, 3: Koreans, 4: Santals (East India),
5 : Munda (East India), 6 : Oraons(East India). - F i n n i s h-U g o r s. 1 : Upland Mari, 2: Mea­
dow Mari, 3: Komi (Izhem district), 4: Komi (southerns), 5^Khantis (northerns), 6: Mansis (nort­
herns). - E u r o p o i d s . 1: Hungarians (summarized), 2 : Őrség, 3 : Göcsej, 4 : Rábaköz, 5 : Nagy­
kunság, 6: Jászság, 7: South-Palócság with Matyó, 8: North-East Palócság, 9: Taktaköz, 10: Szamos­
hát, ll:Tadjiks (Tshust) 12:Tadjiks (summarized), 13:Tadjiks (Ghantshi), 14:Tadjiks (Sanghardak),
15: Osset :Dzhava, 16: Gudjars (North India), 17: Radjputs (North India), 18: Tshamars (North India)
*Shovel-shaped incisors data are given in the I . part of this paper ( T Ó T H 1981) and also in ZUBOV ( 1 9 7 3 ) .
different in the studied local groups. The lowest frequency characterized the north-eastern
group of the so-called Palócság (Szendrő, 1.1%), whereas the highest one was found in men
from the south-western part of the Transdanubian region (Petrikeresztur, 31.9%) (Table
1). Relatively high frequency values were characteristic for one of the local groups from the
Middle-Tisza region (Kunmadaras, 31.6%). I t deserves special attention that the frequency
values o f the distal trigonid crest are mostly connected with a low number of cases. Taken
as a whole, this odontoscopical phenomenon could be established only on 153 individuals
in the studied local groups of Hungarian men (Table 1). It is probably connected with the
fact that in more than 2000 individuals o f the studied contingent this molar was missing
the dentition. This situation indicates an integration of the local groups according to the
given ethnogeographical regions. This makes clearer the outlining o f a tendency for the
taxonomic diagnostical effectiveness o f the distal trigonid crest. Evaluating our data in this
way the lowest frequency seems to be characteristic also for the north-eastern groups living
in the so-called Palócság, whereas the highest one for the groups inhabiting the south-western
part o f the Transdanubian region (Göcsej) (Table 3). This odontoscopical trait seems to be
very rare in the region of R á b a k ö z as well as in the southern group of the so-called Palócság
and among the Matyós. According to earlier findings ( Z U B O V , 1973) the frequency of this
trait is 5% among Europoids, whereas among Mongoloids its frequency values are usually
as high as 28-33%. Nevertheless, among the people of the Indian subcontinent belonging
to the south-eastern region of the Europoids area the frequency o f this trait established for
the Veddo-Australoid groups is higher (Oraons, 46.3%) than among Mongoloids (Table 2).
It deserves attention that the frequency values of the distal trigonid crest characterizing
Westsiberian Ugors are significantly lower than the values for Hungarians living in Göcsej,
N a g y k u n s á g , Jászság and T a k t a k ö z . The frequency values found for these ethnogeographical
regions seem to be very similar to those which are characteristic not only for East Fins, but
for the recent groups of N o r t h India (Tables 2, 3). This fact finds a clear expression in the
topographical nearness o f the studied ethnogeographical groups of Hungarian people to the
population contingent o f N o r t h India (Fig. 1). Representatives of the Mongoloid racial
stock are in this respect very far from the groups of Hungarian men. The observation accor­
ding to which the differential diagnostic value is determined by the absence of whatever
functional correlation between the different traits, seems for us to be. o f great importance.
This could be established by ZUBOV (1973) with respect to the distal trigonid crest and the
shovel-shaped upper incisors. For the whole dental system the differential diagnostic sig­
nificance of these two patterns proved to be very high (ZUBOV 1968 a , b ; 1973). Concerning
these two odontomorphological patterns the ethnogeographical groups of Hungarian men
are very close not only to the East Fins, but to a number of Central-Asiatic and Caucasian
groups as well (Table 2, 3; Fig. 1). According to the results of recent investigations, relatively
high frequency values (15-40%) have been found not only in the hybrid groups of EuropoMongoloids, but in the southern subcontinental area of.the Europoid racial stock (including
Veddo-Australoids). Continental comparisons led Z U B O V (1979) to the conclusion that the
distal trigonid crest represents one o f the determining components especially that of the
southern gracilic odontological type. Supposing the objectivity of the frequency values
found i n the different groups of Hungarian people, the distal trigonid crest shows clearly
— within the scope of the morphological systems—the considerable share of the SouihernEuropoid subcontinent complex in the anthropological composition o f Hungarians (Table
3).
Acknowledgements — The author wishes to express his appreciation to professors Y A . Y A .
ROGHINSKY and A. A. ZUBOV for their consultative advice about odonto-anthropological problems
as well as to the leaders and leading corporations of the counties and villages in the mentioned terri­
tories for their administrative help.
23
Természettudományi Múzeum Évkönyve 1982
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Author's address: D R . T I B O R T Ó T H
Anthropological Department
Hungarian Natural History Museum
1062 Budapest, Bajza utca 39
Hungary
Table 1. - Frequency of the distal trigonid crest in Hungarian males
~~
-
—
L
e
f t
——_
Present
lower Mi
Localities
(n)
—
Öriszentpéter
Szalafő
Bajánsenye
Csonkahegyhát
Kustánszeg
Becsvölgye
Milejszeg
Petrikeresztúr
Karcag
Kunmadaras
Kunhegyes
Jászapáti
Jászárokszállás
Jászfényszaru
Taktaharkány I +11
Taktakenéz
Taktabáj
Gacsáj
Rozsály
Matolcs
Aszaló
Szikszó
Szendrő
Boldva
Gyöngyöstarján
Himód
Kisfalud
Mezőkövesd
Mean % (sample size) :
_
—
16.7
12.9
16.3
21.9
17.4
31.9
19.6
31.6
16.7
15.6
16.4
23.7
16.1
11.7
6.6
12.2
—
(2)
(4)
(7)
(14)
(4)
(15)
(10)
(6)
(10)
(5)
(10)
(14)
(13)
(9)
(4)
(5)
—
—
12.8
3.9
5.4
1.1
(5)
(2)
(3)
(D
—
—
-
-
12.3
(153)
5.7
3.8
15.9
Total number
Absent
(2)
(D
(7)
%
100
100
83.3
87.1
83.7
78.1
82.6
68.1
80.4
68.4
83.3
84.4
83.6
76.3
83.9
88.3
93.4
87.8
100
87.2
96.1
94.6
98.9
100
100
94.3
96.2
84.1
87.7
(n)
left M i present
(5)
(8)
(10)
(27)
(36)
(50)
(19)
(32)
(41)
(13)
(50)
(27)
(51)
(45)
(68)
(68)
(57)
(36)
(28)
(34)
(49)
(53)
(88)
(29)
(67)
(33)
(25)
(37)
(5)
(8)
(12)
(31)
(43)
(64)
(23)
(47)
(51)
(19)
(60)
(32)
(61)
(59)
(81)
(77)
(61)
(41)
(28)
(39)
(51)
(56)
(89)
(29)
(67)
(35)
(26)
(44)
(1086)
(1239)
individuals
examined
(30)
(30)
(55)
(76)
(130)
(215)
(75)
(138)
(152)
(84)
(151)
(81)
(120)
(136)
(174)
(147)
(127)
(101)
(55)
(155)
(129)
(152)
(157)
(101)
(165)
(111)
(137)
(126)
(3310)
Table 2. - Some comparative data of distal trigonid crest in different ethnic groups (males)
L eft lower Mi
Groups, authors, years
Hungarians (summarized; T Ó T H 1977)
Mongols (Mongolia; ZOLOTARYEVA; ZUBOV 1973)
Kazakhs (ZUBOV 1973)
Koreans (ZUBOV 1973)
Ukrainians (DIATSHENKO; ZUBOV 1973)
Boulgars (DIATSHENKO; ZUBOV 1973)
Finns from Helsinki (ZUBOV 1973)
Lituanians (Kretinga; ZUBOV 1973)
Russians (Kalininsk; DONINA; ZUBOV 1973)
Khakhassians (ZUBOV 1973)
Osset-Digors (DIATSHENKO; ZUBOV 1973)
Osset-Irons (KOTSHIEV 1979)
Osset-Dzhava (KOTSHIEV 1979)
Osset-Digors (KOTSHIEV 1979)
Armenians (Goris; KOTSHIEV 1979)
Azherbaidjans (summarized; GHASHIMOVA 1979)
Azherbaidjans (Shamhor; GHASHIMOVA 1979)
Lezghin-Samours (Daghestan; GHADZHIYEV 1979)
Rutuls (Daghestan; GHADZHIYEV 1979)
Uzbekhs (summarized; ZUBOV et al. 1979)
Tadjiks (Ghantshi; ZUBOV ct al. 1979)
Tadjiks (Sanghardak; ZUBOV et al. 1979)
Tadjiks (Tshust; ZUBOV et al. 1979)
Tadjiks (summarized; ZUBOV et al. 1979)
Uzbekhs (Namangan; ZUBOV et al. 1979)
Upland Mari (ZUBOV 1973)
Meadow Mari (ZUBOV 1973)
Komi-Zyrians (Izhem-district ; AKSIANOVA 1979)
Komi-Zyrians (Southerns; AKSIANOVA 1979)
Khantis (Northerns; DAVIDOVA; AKSIANOVA 1979)
Mansis (Northerns; DAVIDOVA; AKSIANOVA 1979)
Gudjars (North India; ZUBOV 1973)
Radjputs (North India; ZUBOV 1973)
Tshamars (North India; ZUBOV 1973)
Djatis (North India; ZUBOV 1973)
Akhirs (North India; ZUBOV 1973)
Kannára (South India, Lower casts; ZUBOV 1973)
Bengals (Lower casts; ZUBOV 1973)
Santals (East India; ZUBOV 1973)
Munda (East India; ZUBOV 1973)
Oraons (East India; ZUBOV 1973)
153
212
317
79
141
123
91
150
219
118
103
101
94
99
107
2030?
2030?
79
71
401
76
73
129
717
166
95
93
53
43
31
70
101
96
100
96
88
81
44
72
27
69
12.3
32.1
22.6
44.4
0.0
5.5
2.2
3.3
0.4
32.2
0.0
3.9
5.3
7.0
1.9
7.2
6.2
3.8
10.0
8.7
4.0
4.0
9.2
4.0
12.8
13.8
18.2
1.9
2.3
3.2
7.1
5.9
12.5
19.0
11.5
9.1
20.3
25.0
31.9
37.0
46.3
Table 3. — Comparison of the frequency distributions of different morphological systems in
Hungarian males
Characteristics
Distal trigonid crest, M *
N
Territorial groups
(n)
%
^""-"---^^
Shovel-shaped
upper medial
incisors (2+3)
N
%
Somatoscopic
index
N
M**
South-West, Őrség
South-West, Göcsej
North-West, Rábaköz
Tisza-Basin, Nagykunság
Tisza-Basin, Jászság
South Palócság ( +Matyó)
North-East Palócság
North Hungary, Taktaköz
N-E Hungary, Szamoshát
25
208
61
130
152
111
225
219
108
(2)
(44)
(3)
(26)
(29)
(7)
(6)
(26)
(10)
8.0
21.1
4.9
20.0
19.1
6.3
2.7
11.8
9.2
4
50
28
33
61
58
79
51
30
6.8
11.4
20.0
15.2
26.1
27.9
22.4
14.8
15.5
115
634
247
387
337
291
540
448
311
9.2
18.5
7.1
12.3
17.4
9.9
13.9
12.2
10.8
Total of samples, mean %
1239
(153)
12.3
394
17.8
3310
13.4
For sample size of N and (n) see Table 1.
•From the manuscript of author of the present paper ( T Ó T H , 1 9 7 4 ) .
••Summarized means from ten morphoscopic characters ( T Ó T H , 1 9 7 9 ) .