Asymmetries on the skulls of the early nomads of Tuva

The results of designing and testing of the technique for recognition of the asymmetries of bilateral anatomical features on the human skull are presented. The craniological collections related to the archeological cultures of the early Iron Age of the Turano-Uyuk Basin - Aldybelskaya (Arzhan-2 and Kopto) and Uyuksko-Saglynskaya (Doge-Baary-2) - were studied. The study was based on a complex of features relevant to functioning of the muscles of the cervical, spinal and facial parts as well as the features of their innervation and blood supply. An algorithm for applying statistical procedures for differentiating characteristics with fluctuating (FA) and directed (DA) asymmetry is proposed. The analytical data showed that the asymmetries of the same characteristics can manifest themselves differently in various groups, i.e. vary as FA or DA. Intergroup and gender differences in the FA integral index were established.