Anthropological study of ancient human skeletal remains in southern China.

1991 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 03041101
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Overseas Scientific Survey.
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUSHITA Takayuki Nagasaki University Associated Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (80108282)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 潘 其風 中国社会科学院, 考古学研究所, 副研究員 ; 韓 康信 中国社会科学院, 考古学研究所, 研究員 ; KINOSHITA Naoko Baiko Jogakuin College Associated Professor, 助教授 (70169910) ; UEDA Shintaro Tokyo University Associated Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (20143357) ; MANABE Yoshitaka Nagasaki University Assistant, 歯学部, 助手 (80131887) ; ROKUTANDA Atsushi Nagasaki University Professor, 歯学部, 教授 (10047821) ; SAIKI Kazunobu Nagasaki University Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (80195966) ; WAKEBE Tetsuaki Nagasaki University Lecturer, 医学部, 講師 (50124847) ; BAN Kifu Chinese Academy of Social Associated Professor Sciences ; KAN Koshin Chinese Academy of Social Associated Professor Sciences
• Project Period (FY): 1991
• Keywords: China / Konan district / Southern China / Ancient human bone / Yayoi skeleton / Non-Jomon Yayoi people / 山東半島

Research Abstract

Human skeletal remains of the Yayoi period excavated from jar burials at the North Kyushu area which includes the Yoshinogari site in Saga Prefecture show different physical features from those of the Jomon people, and they have a high face and a tall stature. It could be suggested that they came over to Japan crossing the sea. It is also necessary to find out in which route these Yayaoi people came to Japan in order to clarify the formation of the Japanese people. It has been indicated that the Yayoi culture was strongly influenced by the cultures in China and the Korea, particularly Konan district and Kanan district in China. We studied ancient human bone groups dating from 3, 000 B. C. excavated from Fukken Province and Santo Province and compared their features with those of the North KyushuYayoi people. The period around 3, 000 B. C. corresponds to the late phase of the Jomon period in Japan, but these human remains do not show the physical features of the Jomon people. The DonsekiZan skeleton from Fukken Province have the trait of a low and wide face in general, but some with a rather high face are also included. So we can not simply exclude this area from possible originated areas of the North Kyushu Yayoi people. As for the Daimonko skeleton from Santo Province, artificial tooth extraction is found and facial height is rather high. These features seem common with features of the North Kyushu Yayoi people, but there is a great periodic difference between the two periods and their physical features are not totally common. It is also too soon to specify Santo Province as the originate place of those Yayoi peole. There are still many human bone groups we should investigate in the future. Through our future studies, it seems possible to specify the originated places of the North Kyushu Yayoi people and also to obtain valuable data on the origin of the Jomon people and the physical changes of the Japanese.