四国出土頭骨の古人類学的研究

Abstract

Skulls excavated in Shikoku were studied craniometrically and arranged by their localities in Century order from the Jomon to the historic period. There were 13 individuals of Tokushima, 2 of Kagawa and 16 of Ehime. Half of them were reconstructed and their physical characteristics were effectively compared by indices such as cranial index, upper-facial indices, nasal index and upper alveolar arch typing. The results were compared with those of modern skulls of the Kinki district. The Tokushima's skulls were most dolichocephalic and the others were mesocephalic. The upper faces were mostly low and wide, and the nasal index showed generally a wide type. Local differences and varieties in relating to the era were found even in Shikoku. The characteristics seem very different from those of the modern skulls of the Kinki district. From the present craniometrical basis of differences in physical characteristics, the Shikoku ancestors appear to be more independent of neighbouring immigrants and slower to mix with immigrants than the inhabitants of the Kinki district.