In situ protection of underwater archaeological sites: protective cages

Podmorje istočnog Jadrana obiluje arheološkim nalazištima i olupinama iz svih povijesnih razdoblja, počevši od prapovijesti pa do novog vijeka. Međutim, bez obzira na postojanje zakona i pravilnika koji jasno definiraju tko i pod kojim uvjetima smije pristupiti podvodnoj kulturnoj baštini, kao i na propisane prekršajne odredbe za nedozvoljene radnje, brojna su podvodna arheološka nalazišta devastirana, a s njih je ilegalno odnesen vrijedan arheološki materijal. Kako su se postojeći pravilnici pokazali nedostatnom metodom zaštite, pristupilo se fizičkoj zaštiti in situ, koja se i prema UNESCO-voj Konvenciji o zaštiti podvodne kulturne baštine ističe kao prvi izbor. Metalni se kavezi u hrvatskom podmorju u ovu svrhu primjenjuju od 1990. godine, a do danas je na ovaj način zaštićeno osam arheoloških nalazišta: Za Planiku i Saplun u arhipelagu Lastovskog otočja, Koromašno na otoku Žirju, otok Supetar ispred Cavtata, Klačine na otoku Mljetu, Vlaška Mala na otoku Pagu, Sorinj na otoku Rabu i Buje u blizini Umaga. U radu će se dati pregled spomenutih nalazišta i metoda izrade samih kaveza koje su se tijekom godina značajno unaprijedile. Naglasak će biti na definiranju prednosti i nedostataka ovog načina zaštite, imajući na umu razinu ugroženosti pojedinih nalazišta s obzirom na njihovu lokaciju, problem održavanja kaveza te njihovu primjenu u turističke i promidžbene svrhe.The seabed of the eastern Adriatic is full of archaeological sites and shipwrecks from various periods, from prehistory to modern history. But even though there are laws and regulations that clearly define who may, and under what conditions, access underwater cultural heritage, as well as prescribed provisions for illegal activities, many underwater archaeological sites have been devastated, and valuable archaeological material has been stolen. In situ physical protection, the primary choice according to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, is now being used, since existing regulations have proved to be an insufficient method of protection. In Croatia, metal cages were first used in 1990, and so far eight archaeological sites have been protected: Za Planiku and Saplun in the Lastovo archipelago, Koromašno off the island of Žirje, the island of Supetar near Cavtat, Klačine off the island of Mljet, Vlaška Mala off the island of Pag, Sorinj off the island of Rab, and Buje near Umag. The earliest cages were solely intended to prevent access to archaeological finds, and were made out of construction nets that were attached to the seabed with concrete blocks. Despite the use of this type of protection, the Za Planiku site was again ravaged. Afterwards, the construction of cages was changed so that the load-bearing structure was constructed first, and it was then lined with specially-made nets of appropriate size. The paper will provide an overview of archaeological sites where protection cages have been used so far. The advantages and disadvantages of this method will be defined, bearing in mind the issue of cage maintenance, the threat to individual sites with regard to their location, and their use for tourism and promotional purposes. The reasons why cages will not be used for some newly-discovered ancient shipwrecks will also be explained

Students’ Loneliness: The Role of Social Relations in the Online and Offline Life

The aim of this study was to investigate whether support in the offline world and some aspects of social network use predict loneliness in students. A cross-sectional online study was conducted in March 2023 on a sample of 211 (80.6% female) students aged 18 to 26. Participants provided information on the social support they receive in the offline world (tangible support, evaluative support, self-esteem support, and belonging support), some aspects of their social network use (intensity of use, number of friends, and number of likes and comments), and loneliness. The data was analysed using a hierarchical regression analysis. As expected, the analysis showed that stronger appraisal, stronger self-esteem, and stronger belonging support in offline life were associated with lower loneliness in students. Surprisingly, none of the measured aspects of social network use significantly predicted students’ loneliness. These results provide valuable insight into understanding loneliness in the context of offline and online social relationships

Methods of the ancestry estimation

Temeljna funkcija forenzičke antropologije je utvrđivanje identiteta ljudskih koštanih ostataka nepoznatog podrijetla, što podrazumijeva procjenu dobi, određivanje spola, visine i populacijske pripadnosti, kao i dokumentaciju ante, peri i postmortem trauma te patoloških promjena. Procjena populacijske pripadnosti smatra se jednim od najzahtjevnijih aspekata biološkog profila, u prvom redu zbog kompleksne veze između skeletne morfologije i društvenih konstukata. Metode koje se danas koriste u procjeni etničke pripadnosti oslanjaju se na vezu između skeletne morfologije, geografskog podrijetla i društvene “rase“ pojedinca. Premda postoje opravdani razlozi za prestanak upotrebe određenih zastarjelih metoda u procjeni etničke pripadnosti, pojedini ih istraživači koriste i dalje. Pokušaj da se poboljša metodologija unutar koje se analiziraju podaci zahtijeva validaciju i ponovnu procjenu svake dostupne metode uz razvoj novih pristupa koji koriste moderna tehnološka dostignuća. Danas je dostupan niz računalnih programa dizajniranih za pomoć u procjeni etničke pripadnosti. Budućnost procjene populacijske pripadnosti trebala bi se usmjeriti na napuštanje upotrebe Hootonovog Harvardskog popisa, odbijanje klasifikacije u samo tri moguće grupe (u slučaju SAD-a), uspostavljanje većih i reprezentativnijih referentnih uzoraka, validaciju upotrebe kombiniranih metoda umjesto samo jedne te razvoj novih statističkih pristupa uz ažuriranje trenutnih statističkih alata.The fundamental function of forensic anthropology is to establish the identity of unidentified skeletal remains of unknown origin, which includes the estimation of age, assessment of sex, height, and ancestry, as well as the documentation of ante, peri and postmortem trauma and pathological changes. Ancestry assessment is considered one of the most demanding aspects of biological profiling, primarily due to the complex relationship between skeletal morphology and social constructs. The methods used today to assess ancestry rely on the link between skeletal morphology, geographic origin and the social "race" of the individual. Although there are legitimate reasons for discontinuing the use of certain outdated methods in the assessment of ancestry, some researchers continue to use them. Attempt to improve the methodology within which the data is analyzed requires validation and re-evaluation of each available method while developing new approaches that use modern technological advances. A number of computer programs are available today, and are designed to assist in the assessment of ancestry. The future of ancestry assessment should focus on abandoning the use of Hooton's Harvard list, rejecting classification into only three possible groups (in the case of the USA), establishing larger and older representative reference samples, validating the use of combined methods instead of just one, and developing new statistical approaches, and updating current statistical tools

Social Relations in the Online and Offline Life: The Loneliness of the Modern World

Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati u kojoj mjeri spol, podrška u offline svijetu i neki aspekti korištenja društvenih mreža predviđaju usamljenost kod studenata. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo ukupno 211 studenata Republike Hrvatske preddiplomskih i diplomskih studija različitih usmjerenja. Sudionici su ispunjavali upitnike kojima su mjereni socio-demografski podaci, socijalna podrška u offline svijetu (instrumentalna podrška, podrška procjeni, podrška samopoštovanju i osjećaj pripadanja), korištenje društvenih mreža (intenzitet korištenja, broj prijatelja i broj lajkova i/ili komentara) i usamljenost. Rezultati pokazuju jednaku razinu usamljenosti studentica i studenata. Nije dobivena statistički značajna korelacija između usamljenosti i intenziteta korištenja društvenih mreža. Međutim, studenti koji dobivaju više socijalne podrške u offline svijetu, doživljavaju nižu razinu usamljenosti. Nadalje, što je veći broj prijatelja na društvenim mrežama te ukoliko dobivaju veći broj lajkova i komentara za objavljeni sadržaj to je manje izražena usamljenost studenata. Hijerarhijski regresijski model je statistički značajan, te se sveukupnim modelom može objasniti 68,2% varijance. Različiti oblici socijalne podrške (podrška procjeni, podrška samopoštovanju i osjećaj pripadanja) imaju najveći samostalni doprinos u objašnjenju varijance usamljenosti. Osnaživanje osjećaja vlastite vrijednosti putem različitih programa za studente može smanjiti osjećaj usamljenosti i potaknuti izgradnju kvalitetnih međuljudskih odnosa.The aim of this thesis was to examine to what extent gender, support in the offline world and some aspects of the use of social networks predict loneliness among students. A total of 211 undergraduate and graduate students from the Republic of Croatia participated in the research. Participants filled out questionnaires that measured socio-demographic data, social support in the offline world (tangible support, appraisal support, self-esteem support and belonging support), use of social networks (intensity of use, number of friends and number of likes and comments) and loneliness. The results showed the same level of loneliness among male and female students. No statistically significant correlation was obtained between the variables loneliness and intensity of use. However, students who receive more social support in the offline world experience lower levels of loneliness. Furthermore, the greater the number of friends on social networks and the greater the number of likes and comments for the published content, the less pronounced the loneliness of students. The hierarchical regression model is statistically significant, and the overall model can explain 68.2% of the variance of the criterion variable. Different forms of social support (appraisal support, self-esteem support and belonging support) have the largest independent contribution in explaining the variance of loneliness. Strengthening the sense of self-worth through various programs for students can reduce the feeling of loneliness and encourage the building of quality interpersonal relationships

Mljet in the Antiquity

Zahvaljujući svom povoljnom geografskom položaju, plodnoj zemlji i dostupnosti pitke vode, Mljet je naseljen vrlo rano, a prvi njegovi zabilježeni stanovnici bili su Ardijejci. Rimljani su osvojili otok 35. g. pr. Kr., a od njega su ubrzo stvorili agrarni posjed na kojem su izgradili palaču za upravitelja otoka. Unatoč tomu što se mljetskom palačom tijekom godina bavio niz autora, danas još uvijek nisu u potpunosti jasne sve okolnosti njezine gradnje. Smatra se da pripada tipu raskošne vile s kraja 3. i prve polovice 4. st. po. Kr., a mogući je graditelj bio car Licinije. Antička povijest otoka Mljeta uvelike je zanemarena i neistražena, a kopnena arheološka nalazišta danas su u lošem stanju. Podvodna arheološka nalazišta daleko su brojnija, poznatija i istraženija. Prva su se rekognosciranja mljetskog podmorja provela 1970-ih godina, nastavila su se istraživanjem otoka Glavata od 1988. do 1990., a nakon duže pauze, od 2007. godine sustavno ih počinje provoditi Odjel za podvodnu arheologiju Hrvatskog restauratorskog zavoda. Najviše je brodoloma otkriveno upravo na ulazu u uvalu Polače, ispred palače. Oni nam svjedoče o izazovnoj i opasnoj plovidbi, ali i o važnosti palače za trgovinu i popravke brodova te opskrbu vodom i hranom za nastavak plovidbe. Posebno je značajno sidrište pronađeno kod otoka Ovrate, sa sidrima različitih oblika i iz različitih vremenskih razdoblja, koja ukazuju na učestalost prometa i dugi kontinuitet uporabe luke. Nalazi upućuju i na činjenicu kako je luka vjerojatno bila korištena i kao trgovačka dostavna luka. Premda su mnoga podvodna nalazišta devastirana, nekoliko netaknutih je istraženo, a to su primjerice Veli Škoj, Vela Dolina, uvala Gonoturska, rt Glavat, rt Pusti i Zaobraslo Prijeslo. S ciljem dobivanja potpunije slike antičke ostavštine na otoku, ali i zaštite postojeće kulturne baštine, potrebno je valorizirati dosadašnja istraživanja i postojeću dokumentaciju kao i temeljito istražiti otok Mljet.Due to its favorable geographical position, fertile land, and the availability of drinking water, Mljet was inhabited very early, and its first recorded inhabitants were Ardijejci. The Romans conquered the island in 35 BC, and it soon became an agrarian property on which a palace for the island's governor was built. Despite the fact that a number of authors have dealt with the Mljet palace over the years, all the circumstances of its construction are still not completely clear today. It is considered to belong to the type of luxurious villa from the end of the 3rd and the first half of the 4th century BC, and the possible builder was Emperor Licinius. The ancient history of the island of Mljet is largely neglected and unexplored, and the archaeological sites on land are in a bad state today. Underwater archaeological sites are far more numerous, well-known and researched. First underwater explorations on Mljet were carried out in the 1970s, they continued with the exploration of the island of Glavat from 1988 to 1990, and after a long break, in 2007, the Department of Underwater Archeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute began to systematically conduct them. Most of the shipwrecks were discovered right at the entrance to Polače bay, in front of the palace. They bear witness to the challenging and dangerous navigation, but also to the importance of the palace for trade and ship repairs, as well as the supply of water and food for continued navigation. A particularly significant anchorage was found near the island of Ovrata, with anchors of different shapes and from different time periods, which indicate the frequency of traffic and the long continuity of use of the port. The findings point to the fact that the port Polače was probably also used as a commercial delivery port. Although many underwater sites have been looted, a few untouched ones have been explored, such as Veli Škoj, Vela Dolina, Gonoturska Bay, Cape Glavat, Cape Pusti and Zaobraslo Prijeslo. With the aim of obtaining a more complete picture of the ancient legacy on the island, as well as protecting the existing cultural heritage, it is necessary to valorize previous research and existing documentation, as well as thoroughly explore the island of Mljet

Methods of the ancestry estimation

Temeljna funkcija forenzičke antropologije je utvrđivanje identiteta ljudskih koštanih ostataka nepoznatog podrijetla, što podrazumijeva procjenu dobi, određivanje spola, visine i populacijske pripadnosti, kao i dokumentaciju ante, peri i postmortem trauma te patoloških promjena. Procjena populacijske pripadnosti smatra se jednim od najzahtjevnijih aspekata biološkog profila, u prvom redu zbog kompleksne veze između skeletne morfologije i društvenih konstukata. Metode koje se danas koriste u procjeni etničke pripadnosti oslanjaju se na vezu između skeletne morfologije, geografskog podrijetla i društvene “rase“ pojedinca. Premda postoje opravdani razlozi za prestanak upotrebe određenih zastarjelih metoda u procjeni etničke pripadnosti, pojedini ih istraživači koriste i dalje. Pokušaj da se poboljša metodologija unutar koje se analiziraju podaci zahtijeva validaciju i ponovnu procjenu svake dostupne metode uz razvoj novih pristupa koji koriste moderna tehnološka dostignuća. Danas je dostupan niz računalnih programa dizajniranih za pomoć u procjeni etničke pripadnosti. Budućnost procjene populacijske pripadnosti trebala bi se usmjeriti na napuštanje upotrebe Hootonovog Harvardskog popisa, odbijanje klasifikacije u samo tri moguće grupe (u slučaju SAD-a), uspostavljanje većih i reprezentativnijih referentnih uzoraka, validaciju upotrebe kombiniranih metoda umjesto samo jedne te razvoj novih statističkih pristupa uz ažuriranje trenutnih statističkih alata.The fundamental function of forensic anthropology is to establish the identity of unidentified skeletal remains of unknown origin, which includes the estimation of age, assessment of sex, height, and ancestry, as well as the documentation of ante, peri and postmortem trauma and pathological changes. Ancestry assessment is considered one of the most demanding aspects of biological profiling, primarily due to the complex relationship between skeletal morphology and social constructs. The methods used today to assess ancestry rely on the link between skeletal morphology, geographic origin and the social "race" of the individual. Although there are legitimate reasons for discontinuing the use of certain outdated methods in the assessment of ancestry, some researchers continue to use them. Attempt to improve the methodology within which the data is analyzed requires validation and re-evaluation of each available method while developing new approaches that use modern technological advances. A number of computer programs are available today, and are designed to assist in the assessment of ancestry. The future of ancestry assessment should focus on abandoning the use of Hooton's Harvard list, rejecting classification into only three possible groups (in the case of the USA), establishing larger and older representative reference samples, validating the use of combined methods instead of just one, and developing new statistical approaches, and updating current statistical tools

Social Relations in the Online and Offline Life: The Loneliness of the Modern World

Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati u kojoj mjeri spol, podrška u offline svijetu i neki aspekti korištenja društvenih mreža predviđaju usamljenost kod studenata. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo ukupno 211 studenata Republike Hrvatske preddiplomskih i diplomskih studija različitih usmjerenja. Sudionici su ispunjavali upitnike kojima su mjereni socio-demografski podaci, socijalna podrška u offline svijetu (instrumentalna podrška, podrška procjeni, podrška samopoštovanju i osjećaj pripadanja), korištenje društvenih mreža (intenzitet korištenja, broj prijatelja i broj lajkova i/ili komentara) i usamljenost. Rezultati pokazuju jednaku razinu usamljenosti studentica i studenata. Nije dobivena statistički značajna korelacija između usamljenosti i intenziteta korištenja društvenih mreža. Međutim, studenti koji dobivaju više socijalne podrške u offline svijetu, doživljavaju nižu razinu usamljenosti. Nadalje, što je veći broj prijatelja na društvenim mrežama te ukoliko dobivaju veći broj lajkova i komentara za objavljeni sadržaj to je manje izražena usamljenost studenata. Hijerarhijski regresijski model je statistički značajan, te se sveukupnim modelom može objasniti 68,2% varijance. Različiti oblici socijalne podrške (podrška procjeni, podrška samopoštovanju i osjećaj pripadanja) imaju najveći samostalni doprinos u objašnjenju varijance usamljenosti. Osnaživanje osjećaja vlastite vrijednosti putem različitih programa za studente može smanjiti osjećaj usamljenosti i potaknuti izgradnju kvalitetnih međuljudskih odnosa.The aim of this thesis was to examine to what extent gender, support in the offline world and some aspects of the use of social networks predict loneliness among students. A total of 211 undergraduate and graduate students from the Republic of Croatia participated in the research. Participants filled out questionnaires that measured socio-demographic data, social support in the offline world (tangible support, appraisal support, self-esteem support and belonging support), use of social networks (intensity of use, number of friends and number of likes and comments) and loneliness. The results showed the same level of loneliness among male and female students. No statistically significant correlation was obtained between the variables loneliness and intensity of use. However, students who receive more social support in the offline world experience lower levels of loneliness. Furthermore, the greater the number of friends on social networks and the greater the number of likes and comments for the published content, the less pronounced the loneliness of students. The hierarchical regression model is statistically significant, and the overall model can explain 68.2% of the variance of the criterion variable. Different forms of social support (appraisal support, self-esteem support and belonging support) have the largest independent contribution in explaining the variance of loneliness. Strengthening the sense of self-worth through various programs for students can reduce the feeling of loneliness and encourage the building of quality interpersonal relationships

Mljet in the Antiquity

Zahvaljujući svom povoljnom geografskom položaju, plodnoj zemlji i dostupnosti pitke vode, Mljet je naseljen vrlo rano, a prvi njegovi zabilježeni stanovnici bili su Ardijejci. Rimljani su osvojili otok 35. g. pr. Kr., a od njega su ubrzo stvorili agrarni posjed na kojem su izgradili palaču za upravitelja otoka. Unatoč tomu što se mljetskom palačom tijekom godina bavio niz autora, danas još uvijek nisu u potpunosti jasne sve okolnosti njezine gradnje. Smatra se da pripada tipu raskošne vile s kraja 3. i prve polovice 4. st. po. Kr., a mogući je graditelj bio car Licinije. Antička povijest otoka Mljeta uvelike je zanemarena i neistražena, a kopnena arheološka nalazišta danas su u lošem stanju. Podvodna arheološka nalazišta daleko su brojnija, poznatija i istraženija. Prva su se rekognosciranja mljetskog podmorja provela 1970-ih godina, nastavila su se istraživanjem otoka Glavata od 1988. do 1990., a nakon duže pauze, od 2007. godine sustavno ih počinje provoditi Odjel za podvodnu arheologiju Hrvatskog restauratorskog zavoda. Najviše je brodoloma otkriveno upravo na ulazu u uvalu Polače, ispred palače. Oni nam svjedoče o izazovnoj i opasnoj plovidbi, ali i o važnosti palače za trgovinu i popravke brodova te opskrbu vodom i hranom za nastavak plovidbe. Posebno je značajno sidrište pronađeno kod otoka Ovrate, sa sidrima različitih oblika i iz različitih vremenskih razdoblja, koja ukazuju na učestalost prometa i dugi kontinuitet uporabe luke. Nalazi upućuju i na činjenicu kako je luka vjerojatno bila korištena i kao trgovačka dostavna luka. Premda su mnoga podvodna nalazišta devastirana, nekoliko netaknutih je istraženo, a to su primjerice Veli Škoj, Vela Dolina, uvala Gonoturska, rt Glavat, rt Pusti i Zaobraslo Prijeslo. S ciljem dobivanja potpunije slike antičke ostavštine na otoku, ali i zaštite postojeće kulturne baštine, potrebno je valorizirati dosadašnja istraživanja i postojeću dokumentaciju kao i temeljito istražiti otok Mljet.Due to its favorable geographical position, fertile land, and the availability of drinking water, Mljet was inhabited very early, and its first recorded inhabitants were Ardijejci. The Romans conquered the island in 35 BC, and it soon became an agrarian property on which a palace for the island's governor was built. Despite the fact that a number of authors have dealt with the Mljet palace over the years, all the circumstances of its construction are still not completely clear today. It is considered to belong to the type of luxurious villa from the end of the 3rd and the first half of the 4th century BC, and the possible builder was Emperor Licinius. The ancient history of the island of Mljet is largely neglected and unexplored, and the archaeological sites on land are in a bad state today. Underwater archaeological sites are far more numerous, well-known and researched. First underwater explorations on Mljet were carried out in the 1970s, they continued with the exploration of the island of Glavat from 1988 to 1990, and after a long break, in 2007, the Department of Underwater Archeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute began to systematically conduct them. Most of the shipwrecks were discovered right at the entrance to Polače bay, in front of the palace. They bear witness to the challenging and dangerous navigation, but also to the importance of the palace for trade and ship repairs, as well as the supply of water and food for continued navigation. A particularly significant anchorage was found near the island of Ovrata, with anchors of different shapes and from different time periods, which indicate the frequency of traffic and the long continuity of use of the port. The findings point to the fact that the port Polače was probably also used as a commercial delivery port. Although many underwater sites have been looted, a few untouched ones have been explored, such as Veli Škoj, Vela Dolina, Gonoturska Bay, Cape Glavat, Cape Pusti and Zaobraslo Prijeslo. With the aim of obtaining a more complete picture of the ancient legacy on the island, as well as protecting the existing cultural heritage, it is necessary to valorize previous research and existing documentation, as well as thoroughly explore the island of Mljet

Methods of the ancestry estimation

Temeljna funkcija forenzičke antropologije je utvrđivanje identiteta ljudskih koštanih ostataka nepoznatog podrijetla, što podrazumijeva procjenu dobi, određivanje spola, visine i populacijske pripadnosti, kao i dokumentaciju ante, peri i postmortem trauma te patoloških promjena. Procjena populacijske pripadnosti smatra se jednim od najzahtjevnijih aspekata biološkog profila, u prvom redu zbog kompleksne veze između skeletne morfologije i društvenih konstukata. Metode koje se danas koriste u procjeni etničke pripadnosti oslanjaju se na vezu između skeletne morfologije, geografskog podrijetla i društvene “rase“ pojedinca. Premda postoje opravdani razlozi za prestanak upotrebe određenih zastarjelih metoda u procjeni etničke pripadnosti, pojedini ih istraživači koriste i dalje. Pokušaj da se poboljša metodologija unutar koje se analiziraju podaci zahtijeva validaciju i ponovnu procjenu svake dostupne metode uz razvoj novih pristupa koji koriste moderna tehnološka dostignuća. Danas je dostupan niz računalnih programa dizajniranih za pomoć u procjeni etničke pripadnosti. Budućnost procjene populacijske pripadnosti trebala bi se usmjeriti na napuštanje upotrebe Hootonovog Harvardskog popisa, odbijanje klasifikacije u samo tri moguće grupe (u slučaju SAD-a), uspostavljanje većih i reprezentativnijih referentnih uzoraka, validaciju upotrebe kombiniranih metoda umjesto samo jedne te razvoj novih statističkih pristupa uz ažuriranje trenutnih statističkih alata.The fundamental function of forensic anthropology is to establish the identity of unidentified skeletal remains of unknown origin, which includes the estimation of age, assessment of sex, height, and ancestry, as well as the documentation of ante, peri and postmortem trauma and pathological changes. Ancestry assessment is considered one of the most demanding aspects of biological profiling, primarily due to the complex relationship between skeletal morphology and social constructs. The methods used today to assess ancestry rely on the link between skeletal morphology, geographic origin and the social "race" of the individual. Although there are legitimate reasons for discontinuing the use of certain outdated methods in the assessment of ancestry, some researchers continue to use them. Attempt to improve the methodology within which the data is analyzed requires validation and re-evaluation of each available method while developing new approaches that use modern technological advances. A number of computer programs are available today, and are designed to assist in the assessment of ancestry. The future of ancestry assessment should focus on abandoning the use of Hooton's Harvard list, rejecting classification into only three possible groups (in the case of the USA), establishing larger and older representative reference samples, validating the use of combined methods instead of just one, and developing new statistical approaches, and updating current statistical tools