Final answer:
Features of human skulls, such as the occipital bun and teeth wear patterns, provide insight into historical human behavior and evolution. Forensic anthropology and paleoanthropology utilize these characteristics to investigate past cultures and identify species. The treatment of skulls in various cultures offers clues to religious and societal practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Human skulls carry various features that provide significant information about our ancestors and can help determine historical context. For instance, the occipital bun, a bulge at the back of the skull, was present in early hominins like Homo antecessor and Neanderthals and is thought to balance the weight of the front of the skull. The forensic anthropology field uses such skull characteristics to hypothesize about the diet and behavior of historical populations, as seen in evidence of cannibalism in the Jamestown colony or the wear patterns on Neanderthal incisors from the habitual use of teeth to chew on leather.
Moreover, cultural practices can also be deduced from skull treatments, such as in Neolithic Jericho, where a human skull was plastered over and decorated with shells, suggesting veneration of ancestors. Skulls offer vital information in paleoanthropology, providing a framework for understanding human evolution and distinguishing between species, especially where other postcranial evidence is limited or confusing. The physical morphology of skulls, alongside other artifacts, aids in constructing timelines and hypotheses about ancient human cultures and behaviors.