Stature Estimation Based on Complete Skeletal Remains: Toward Reconstructing the Body Size and Shape of the Jomon People

ONIKI Sora*, SHIRAKAMI Asuka, and KAIFU Yousuke

Humans around the world exhibit wide variation in body size and shape, but where did this variation come from? Factors such as genetics, nutrition, and climate are said to account for these variations. Yet, the process of how humans acquired this trait remains unclear. In the past, a study on spatiotemporal variation in Europe provided large-scale data on skeletal measurements, which could be a foundation to solving this question. However, comparable research is lacking in East Asia. To further understand the process of human body size fluctuation, this project focuses on the Japanese population, especially the Jomon people, who were hunter-gatherers mainly from the terminal Pleistocene to the mid-Holocene in the Japanese archipelago. Studies have shown that the Jomon people had geographic and temporal differences in stature and proportions. However, many of these works use stature estimation equations developed for modern Japanese and have a limited sample size. In this research project, we collect a wide range of cross-regional and temporal data on the skeletal measurements of the Jomon people and reexamine stature estimation equations that are most suitable for the Jomon population. Using the equations, the Jomon people’s stature is analyzed in terms of temporal and geographic differences. This approach will provide further information on the Jomon people’s physique. With this understanding, we could provide new clues in understanding body size variation in humans.