[Characteristics of skulls of ancient skeletons from the province of Xinjiang in China].

INTRODUCTION

On available anthropological material of seven skulls that dates back to the 3800 B.P. to the 2000 B.P., taken from various archaeological sites of Xinjiang area in China, the racial characteristics were studied. The investigated skulls are part of the collection of the prehistoric skeletons housed at the Institute of Archaeology in Beijing.

METHOD

Anthropological examination comprised measuring of 32 cranial diameters and calculation of 18 cranial indices, and morphological analyses of 26 traits of the skull and 36 epigenetic characteristics.

RESULTS

Three skulls were excavated in Hejing cemetery dated in 1800 years B.P. The skulls are mesocranic, acrocranic and metriocranic (Tab. 1) with outstanding occipital tori and flattening in the lambdoid region (Tab. 2). The orbits are quadrangular, glabella is small with sharp supraorbital margin, the palate is narrow, the mandible is gracile. The fourth skull was excavated in Alagou cemetery from about 2700-2000 years B.P. The skull also possesses western racial characteristics similar to the East Mediterranean type. The fifth skull is from Zhaosu cemetery dated in about 2400-1800 years B.P. The skull is mesocranic with the high cranial vault, broad forehead and quadrangular orbits. The sixth and seventh skulls belonged to the Pfoto-European type. They are excavated in the Gumogou cemetery (about 3800 years B.P.) and in Quinghai region. Among the studied skulls there was no case showing Mongoloid characteristics. Data concerning the epigenetic characteristics (Tab. 3) suggest differences in frequency of certain traits (Os Japonicum, torus palatinus, processus paracondylaris, foramen spinosum bridging) found in investigated material in comparison with findings in other European populations.

DISCUSSION

On the basis of the obtained results and investigations of Chinese scientists, it can be concluded that Western racial elements with primitive morphological characteristics had entered from Central Asia into Xinjiang area at least by the early Bronze Age. Other racial elements close to that of the East Mediterranean entered into the western part of Xinjiang several centuries B.C.E. Mongoloid racial elements have not been found in our material. Only about 10 percent among 274 crania investigated by Chinese anthropologists were described as Mongoloid in morphology. The late emergence of the East Mongoloid population, about 300 years B.P. that appeared in small groups, contributes to the conclusion that eastward movement of the Western race to Xinjiang was more rapid than the westward movement of Mongoloid people in that period.