Secular change in the stature of populations in the Basin of Mexico in pre-Hispanic times

Abstract

 Several studies suggest a decrease in stature tendency according to agriculture dependency in different populations. In the present research, we analyzed the variation of human stature patterns in populations that inhabited the Cuenca de Mexico since early periods. A sample of 532 adult skeletons were analyzed (43.7% females and 56.3% males); and based on anova and Relethford-Blangero model, results show a negative secular trend in stature, decreasing by up to three centimeters in the late epochs. The discussion of the results revolves around the effect of the demographic arrangement and the developmental canalization in respect of height changes trends during the Classic to Postclassic transition of the Cuenca de Mexico.