In order to better understand microevolutionary processes in Holocene Chinese craniofacial mor- phology, an analysis has been done on 21 metric traits on Neolithic (n=161), Bronze Age (n=423) and modern (n=134) adult male skulls from northern China. The results indicate that the physical characters of these Chinese populations evolved throughout the Holocene. From the Neolithic to Bronze Age to present day, general trends include: cranial and facial sizes decrease; the nose gets narrower and longer; the orbits become narrower and higher; the head is more globular. The expression of the cranial features varies between the different time periods. The decrease in cranial size primarily occurred from the Bronze Age to present day. However, the decrease in facial size, the narrowing of the nose, and the elevation of the orbits took place throughout the Holocene. These traits are likely still evolving. This evolving pattern of the cranial features for the Holocene Chinese populations is similar to that found elsewhere in the world. The decrease in overall craniofacial size is associated with changes in climate and diet. In addition, it is possible that the craniofacial morphological microevolution is controlled by human evolutionary mechanisms.
WU XiuJieLIU WuZHANG QuanChaoZHU HongChristopher J. NORTON
This article presents a fossil human scapula which was found in situ from the lower part of the Salawusu Formation in 1980 at the Salawusu site of Inner Mongolia,China. The stratum is dated from 70.9±6.2 ka BP to 124.9±15.8 ka BP by TL method. Dates from 44±7 ka BP to 63±3 ka BP, 61―68 ka BP and 35.34±2 ka BP are obtained for the lower part of this layer by 230Th, IRSL and 14C respectively. Based on the comparisons between this scapula and the scapulae of Neanderthals, Skhul/Qafzeh fossils, Eurasian Upper Paleolithic specimens and recent modern humans on the glenoid fossa, axillo-spinal angle, axillary border and other features, the present authors arrived at a preliminary conclusion that this Salawusu scapula is characterized by modern fea- tures of Upper Pleistocene humans mixed with a Neanderthal-like feature.
