Djalainor Skull No. II

Abstract

In 1943, this skull No. ll was found at the Djalainor Coal-field, North Manchuria. On this skull, Dr. R. ENDO already presented the results of the geological, archaeological and anthropological relationship in a parer entitled "On the Djalainor Skulls", in the Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Vol. 21, Nos. 3-10. But, I want to report in full the results of the measurement made at the request of Dr. ENDO in the middle of January, 1945.In September 1944, Dr. ENDO investigated the vicinity of the Djalai Coal-mine in cooperation with Dr. W. C. PEI, and found several specimens of fossilized human bones (left half of a mandible, right ulna, left ulna, and a fragment of a rib), together with the mammalian fossils (Elepas primigenius BLUM, Rhinoeeros antiquilatis BLUM, and Equus prezewalshyi POLIAKOFF) and many stone implements, in sand-piles extracted from the colliery.Dr ENDO says that, "Skull No. II had presumably unearthed in grey to yellowish finely grained sand, about 10m below the surface. However, it was actually found on piles about 30m high of the sand extracted from two inclined shafts of the colliery.As some other human bones, mammalian fossils and stone implements were found on the above mentioned sandpiles, it is reasonable to infer that all these materials were formerly embeded in the same horizon together with skull No. II. According to Dr. PEI WEN CRUN's opinion, these mesolithic implements belong to the Mongolian-Linhshi type and consist only of chipped implements without a single piece of polished ones. Their age is assumably the early mesolithic.The skull is in a good state of preservation, but lacks mandible. I presume that this skull No. II is of a male in the adult.This skull assumes a blackish-brown color and is very heavy, and its mineralized fissilization is considerably advanced. The teeth are bluish, and have glassy translucency, dotted with black specks. And then, the teeth are all preserved, and the masticating surface is worn out level.The skull is massively built as a whole and the skull bones are thick. The teeth are large and massive, and torus supraorbitalis is remarkable. The characteristics of this skull are as follows:The projection of nasal region is low; the bi.zygomatic breadth is broad; the face is flat; the brow ridges are distinct; the frontal region is narrow and receded; the circumference is small; the occipital region is broad; and the cranial vault is very high and peak.The details are shown in the measurement table, but chief items will be summarized as follows:Euencephalic: meso-hypsi-acrocranial; stenometopic; mesoconchous (left) and chamaeconchous (right); mesorhine; brachyuranic; mesostaphyline; and ortho gnathous.As is mentioned above, judging from the state of preservation and the shape, I think, this skull demands the same antiquity with the mesolithic or upper palaeolithic age.