Paleo-population genetics

Abstract Two levels of population-genetic problems can be distinguished: (1) Distribution and population differences of monofactorial characters. In this connection, prehistoric physical anthropology is still very poor. (2) The study of processes which change the genetic structure of population. In this field also polyfactorial characters are important and may be used for analysis. Metric-morphological differentiations between and within skeletal populations are able to point at the following population genetic processes: migration and population mixture; genetic isolation and its effects; selection; social assortment, social stratification and assortative mating.