The positon of beaver ( Castor fiber L.) from medieval Novgorod the Great among ancient, autochthonous and reintroduced populations of Eastern Europe: comparative craniometry

The morphometry of the beaver’s skull, found on the course of archaeological excavations in medieval layers of Novgorod the Great, is provided. The comparative analysis with ancient and modern autochthonous and reintroduced populations suggests the race of large beavers, once inhabiting Volkhov basin. Further studies are necessary to accept or discharge this hypothesis.