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1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Biological Anthropology on the Uniqueness of Polynesian Physique

Research Project

Project/Area Number 08041142
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
SectionField Research
Research Field 人類学(含生理人類学)
Research InstitutionKYOTO UNIVERSITY

Principal Investigator

KATAYAMA Kazumichi  Kyoto Univ., Primate Research Inst., Prof., 霊長類研究所, 教授 (70097921)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KAURAKA K  Cook Islands, Government, Ministory of Cultural Development, Anthropologists, 文化庁, 人類学調査官
ULIJASZEK S.J.  Curtin Med.Univ., Dept.of Biological Anthropology Senior Lecture, 生物人類学教室, 講師
TAKEKAWA Daisuke  Kitakyushu Univ., Faculty of Literature, Associate Prof., 文学部, 助教授 (10285455)
MINAGAWA Masao  Hokkaido Univ., School of Earth Sciences' Prof., 地球環境科学研究科, 教授 (10250507)
SHIBATA Norio  Tenri Univ.Faculty of Intr.Culture Studies' Prof., 国際文化学部, 教授 (60122363)
Project Period (FY) 1996 – 1998
KeywordsPolynesian people / Uniqueness of physique / Biological Anthropology / Osteological analysis / Palaeoclimate / Ecological Anthropology / Linguistic Folklore / New World Syndrome
Research Abstract

The aim of this research project was to collect several kinds or basic data through field surveys in Polynesia islands, with which the bodily adaptive evolutionary processes of Polynesian people can be studied. Major research results we carried out in the three years financially supported by Grant-in-Aid for International Scientific Research (Field research) are as follows : 1) We collected a quantity of biological anthropology data through both the analysis of ancient human skeletal remains and somatological survey ; 2) We sampled in situ animal bones and plant remains for radio-isotope analyses which are necessary to reconstruct both the climate and people's food in the past ; 3) We gathered a variety of ecological anthropology data necessary for picturing the subsistence activities of prehistoric Polynesians ; and 4) We collected Polynesian vocabularies, chants, and oral traditions to reconstruct the way of life of ancient people by means of linguistic and folklore methods. The purpose we put on at our research proposal, has been completely materialysed. Next step is that we analyze in more detail those data in use of many kinds of special techniques at our laboratories later on. It is on way, and some noticeable findings have already been coming out. Some of those findings are that prehistoric Polynesian people were usually so dependent on fishing activities through diving, that the unique body type of Polynesian people seems to be a sort or New World Syndrome (NWS), that sea-water temperature possibly went down in recent thousand years in South Pacific, and so on. It should be noted that a Mangaian-English dictionary we compiled, is very important in recording one of Polynesian dialects which have nearly disappeared already. It must be the valuable historic heritage of Polynesian people to hand down in the future.

  • Research Products

    (12 results)

All Other

All Publications (12 results)

  • [Publications] K.Katayama: "Auditory exostoses among ancient human populations in the circum-Pacific area" Anthropological Science. 106(4). 285-296 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 片山 一道: "「オーストロネシア人」の身体特徴" オーストロネシアの民族生物学(平凡社)所収. 13-36 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 小田 寛貴ほか: "クック諸島マンガイア島ワイロロガ遺跡出土木炭の放射性炭素年代" 名古屋大学加速器質量分析計業績報告書. 印刷中. (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 柴田 紀男: "Mangaian-English Dictionary" Prehistoric Cook Islands. Part 2. 1-401 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 片山 一道: "考える足" 日本経済新聞社, 270 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 片山・柴田(編): "Prehistoric Cook Island : Part 1 および Part 2" Cook Islands Library and Museum Society, 660 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Katayama, K.: "Auditory exostoses among ancient human populations in the circum-Pacific area : Regional variations in the occurrence and its implications." Anthropological Science. 106 (4). 285-296 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Katayama, K.: "Physical characteristics of Austronesian language groups." Ethno-biology in Austronesia (Nakao and Akimichi, eds.). 13-36 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Oda, H., Nakamura, T.and Katayama, K.: "Radiocarbon dating of chacoal samples excavated from Vairoronga site, Mangaia, Cook Islands, Polynesia." Summaries of Researches using AMS at Nagoya Univesity. X. 103-111 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Shibata, N.: "Mangaian-English Dictionary (Monograph)." Prehistoric Cook Islands. Part 1. 1-401 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Katayama, K.: "Thinking on the Foot (Monograph)." Nippon-Keizai-Shinbun Co.1-269 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Katayama, K.and Shibata, N.: "Prehistoric Cook Islands, Part 1 and 2 (Monographs)." Cook Islands Library and Museum Society. 1-401 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 1999-12-08  

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