Nakahashi T
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 1993 Apr;90(4):409-25. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330900403.
Temporal changes in morphometric features of human cranial remains from the late Jomon period (1500 B.C.-300 B.C.) to the Modern period (1900-1950 A.D.) in western Japan are examined. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis indicate that the Yayoi people (300 B.C.-300 A.D.), characterized by high faces and tall stature, show morphological discontinuity with the earlier Jomon people, who exhibit lower faces and shorter stature. This discontinuity contrasts with the relatively continuous changes among populations after the Yayoi. Comparing these changes with those documented in the Kanto region of eastern Japan indicates there are significant regional differences in the degree and rate of transformation in certain cranial features, especially facial height, between the two regions. Differences in cranial shape between the two regions become apparent during the Yayoi period and these differences tend to diminish thereafter. The most plausible explanation for these observed changes is the introduction of new genes, coinciding with the arrival of new immigrants from the Asian continent in the northern Kyushu-Yamaguchi region at the beginning of the Yayoi period. Further testing of this hypothesis will be necessary before definitive conclusions can be reached regarding the appearance of modern Japanese.
本文考察了日本西部绳纹时代晚期（公元前1500年 - 公元前300年）至现代（公元1900年 - 1950年）人类颅骨遗迹形态特征的时间变化。单变量和多变量分析结果表明，以面部较高和身材较高为特征的弥生时代人群（公元前300年 - 公元300年）与早期绳纹时代人群在形态上存在间断，早期绳纹时代人群面部较低且身材较矮。这种间断与弥生时代之后人群之间相对连续的变化形成对比。将这些变化与日本东部关东地区记录的变化进行比较表明，在某些颅骨特征，特别是面部高度方面，两个地区在转变程度和速率上存在显著的区域差异。两个地区颅骨形状的差异在弥生时代变得明显，此后这些差异趋于减小。对这些观察到的变化最合理的解释是新基因的引入，这与弥生时代初期来自亚洲大陆的新移民抵达九州北部 - 山口地区相吻合。在就现代日本人的外貌得出明确结论之前，有必要对这一假设进行进一步测试。
