Journal of the Anthropological Society of Nippon

Recent Hominid Finds in East Africa and Ethiopia

I. The New Discoveries and the Antiquity of Genus Homo

Jean KITAHARA-FRISCH

1980 Volume 88 Issue 1 Pages 1-8
Published: 1980
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.88.1

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

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The present article surveys the important evidence on human origins that has accumulated during the last ten years, particularly from East Africa and Ethiopia, and goes on to discuss the implications of these finds for our understanding of early hominid evolution.
The material recovered from four sites (East Turkana, Omo, Laetolil and Hadar) is summarily described and is shown to trace the roots of mankind deeper into the past by a factor of three, as compared to the time when the find of Zinjanthropus provided anthropologists with the first absolute date for early hominids.
On the other hand, these abundant and important finds have raised a number of new questions regarding human origins and are seen by some to call for a thorough revision of the traditional views on human origins. The first of these questions is considered in this article and regards the antiquity of genus Homo. After examining the finds that are thought to represent an early form of Homo, it is concluded that, though it has become clear that the genus existed earlier than had long been thought, its earliest occurrence cannot at present be shown to be much anterior to 1.8 Myr. ago. The problem of the antiquity of genus Homo is also seen to be closely associated with that of its relationship to Australopithecus, a topic to be discussed in a later part of the article.

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Revised Percent Deviation and Coefficient of Similarity

Study for Classification of Physique Based on Twin Method Report 1

Hiroshi HOSHI, Chikako TAKAHASHI, Kumi ASHIZAWA, Makiko KOUCHI

1980 Volume 88 Issue 1 Pages 9-23
Published: 1980
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.88.9

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Longitudinal follow-up of twins with a view to analizing physical types had been conducted by the authors annually from 1973. The study comprised anthropometric measurements, skeletal age, body composition by means of calf roentgenography, and photography with swimming suits. In the present paper, the first report of the study, 27 items of measurements and derived 24 indices were analyzed on 46 male monozygotic twins (MZ) aged from 12.5-13.5 years.

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The Utilization of Wild Food Plants by the Suiei Dorobo in Northern Kenya

Mitsuo ICHIKAWA

1980 Volume 88 Issue 1 Pages 25-48
Published: 1980
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.88.25

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The traditional utilization of wild food plants by the Suiei Dorobo of the Mathew's Range, northern Kenya, is described and analyzed in relation to the vegetation.
(1) The vegetation of the Mathew's Range is described as being characterized by medium and drier types of montane forest and Mimosoideae savanna.
(2) One hundred and twenty-two food plant species of the Suiei Dorobo are listed and graded into 1) major food, 2) important food and 3) complementary food, according to the relative importance in the traditional diet. Seasonal changes of ten major foods are also shown.
(3) The food plants are classified into 1) forest type, 2) savanna type and 3) common type, in order to evaluate the vegetation from the viewpoint of food availability. It is concluded that the savanna is richer than the forest in the availability of the plant foods and game.
(4) A comparison of vegetable foods of African hunter-gatherers is made by employing ITANI's classification (1974a) of African hunter-gatherers and vegetation types. The result is that the major vegetable foods of African hunter-gatherers roughly correspond to the vegetation types.

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Factor Analysis of Metacarpal Bones

Sanae KANDA, Eiki IKOMA

1980 Volume 88 Issue 1 Pages 49-54
Published: 1980
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.88.49

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

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Measurement on metacarpal roentgenograms of male adult Japanese (n=62) and direct measurements on metacarpal bones (n=33) were studied by the factor analysis. Analysis of measurements on roentgenograms and statures indicated the factorial independencies of the length, breadth, medullary diameter and ratio of the second metacarpal length to the fourth length (II/IV). The metacarpal breadth showed positive relations with the cortical thickness and cortical area, and the relative amount of cortex in the cross-sectional area showed a negative relation with the medullary diameter. The length of metacarpals was interpreted by the factor of tubular bone, including the stature. Metacarpal and medullary diameters were controlled by a common factor in a feeble way. Analysis of breadths and anteroposterior diameters of metacarpal bones showed that high loadings of each metacarpal appear in one or two factors, i. e., one factor controls the breadth and anteroposterior diameter of one metacarpal. Five metacarpal breadths are independent of each other, analytically.

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