Fourier analysis of shape changes in the Japanese skull: occipital view.
Photographs (norma occipitalis) of Japanese adult skulls (n = 171) were mathematically described with Fourier analysis to assess shape changes over time. The materials used were adult male skulls excavated from the Kanto District and covered four age-periods; Jomon (2000-1000 BC). Kamakura (14C. AD), Muromachi (15C. AD). and Edo (18C. AD). Mean raw data values, containing both size and shape information of each vector, were compared for the four age-periods. Statistically significant differences among the four age-periods were found using an ANOVA. The form of the Jomon skulls displayed the most difference among the four groups. This trend was especially evident at the parietal margin. Fourier analysis was subsequently undertaken to detect the presence of secular changes in skull form after standardization for size. Once the effect of size was removed, the occipital shape of the Jomon skulls was found to be essentially similar to those of the more recent age-periods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Ohtsuki
F
F
Laboratory of Human Morphology, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University.
Uetake
T
T
Adachi
K
K
Lestrel
P E
PE
Hanihara
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology*