The dietary reconstruction based on stable isotopes and trace elements have been adapted for the excavated human remains since 1970’s. However, the methodology have some uncertainties to be overcome. In this paper, we review the following issues; the fluctuation on the isotopic shift between dietary protein and collagen, the fluctuation on the primary isotopic values in a specific ecosystem, and the diagenetic effects on collagen and apatite. The status and perspective of the prehistoric anthropology by bone chemistry will be discussed.

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The whole skeleton was reconstructed for 10 male and 10 female Jomon individuals by a newly devised anatomical method using the skull, all vertebrae, hipbones, and lower limb bones including tarsal and metatarsal bones. After taking into account the thicknesses of soft tissues such as the scalp and the heel pad measured from dissecting room Japanese cadavers, living statures and lower limb lengths of the Jomon skeletons were estimated. Compared to the somatometric data of modern peoples from East Asia, Australia, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa, the mean statures of both male and female Jomon were less than those of the Australian, European, and African peoples and fell well within the variation range of East Asians. The mean lower limb/stature proportions of male and female Jomon were also smaller than those of the Australian Aborigine, Europeans, and Africans, however, they showed a tendency to be slightly larger than those of other East Asians and were similar to that of the Ainu in Hokkaido. Supposing that the limb proportion reflects the genetic background, we can consider the Jomon to have been related to peoples differing slightly from the "Classic Mongoloid" whose lower limb proportion is rather small, although we cannot negate East Asian origins of the Jomon.

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This study was carried to investigate the morphometry of the maxillary sinus and the three dimensional relationship between the maxilla and the maxillary sinus with the use of Computed Tomography (CT) images. Materials used were dry skulls of 42 modern Japanese female skulls (average age of 38.9) housed in the University Museum of the University of Tokyo. CT scanning images of the maxillary sinus were measured by calibrated software program, CT Rugle. The length, width, height, and volume of the sinus were measured. It was observed that differences between left and right sinuses, were larger than those seen in other parts of the body; the size of the sinus had correlations with other skeletal measurements. The shape of the sinus base was subjectively grouped into three types, i.e., round type, flat type and irregular type. The round type of sinus floor was associated with small sinuses, whereas the irregular types were associated with lager sinuses. The female sinus was significantly smaller than that of the male in length, height, and volume. The size of the maxillary sinus of individuals with complete set of teeth was found largest at 20 years of age, and it is reduced as the age increases to 50 or more.

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Secular changes in facial flatness were examined using plaster models of male Japanese faces. Two groups of models from subjects differing in birth year were compared. The 1894 group comprised 52 death masks kept in the Department of Anatomy at Tohoku University School of Medicine. The median birth year of subjects was 1894 (range, 1872-1910), and the mean age at death was 29.5 years (range, 20-45 years). The 1974 group comprised 56 life masks taken in a sitting posture. The median birth year of subjects was 1974 (range: 1960-1980), and the mean age at measurement was 26.1 years (range: 18-38 years). The 3-dimensional (3D) coordinates of 11 landmarks were defined on each plaster model, and measurements and indices (depth/breadth) were calculated. Crania were also available for 11 death masks. The 3D coordinates of 10 landmarks on each cranium were defined and digitized, and measurements and indices calculated. Only variables related to flatness in the inter-orbital region showed significant correlations between plaster and cranial variables. The 1974 group showed significantly larger depth and flatness indices and a significantly less flat nose bridge and face on t-testing. Possible causes of inter-generation differences other than secular changes were examined, and a significant secular change in flatness of the nasal bridge was concluded to be present.

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Developing tooth is called tooth germ, which appeared in developing jaws within the manner of proper location, proper number and proper morphology. During the developmental stages of tooth germ, i.e., initial, bud, cap, early bell and late bell stages, the simple and small tooth germ transformed to ones having complex and larger morphology, and the tooth crown is performed. For the tooth-specific feature is observed in early bell stage but not in cap stage, tooth malformation of the shape is thought to be the result in partial alteration before early bell stage. Tooth malformation is classified into five categories, i.e., the tooth matrix, the shape of the tooth outline, the tooth size, the tooth numbers and the surface morphology. The shape, size, and number of tooth are thought to be determined in the cap stage, and the surface morphology is in the early bell stage. HGF and BMP4 are proposed as the candidates that control the morphological features. The surface morphology of the tooth is formed by many components, but the cusp formation was thought to have two important steps, i.e. the definition of the summit position by secondary enamel knot and role of the groove between cusps by growth factors such as HGF.

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Carabelli trait, which appears in the permanent molars and second deciduous molar of humans, is one of the most popular crown traits. Many papers have been published on the Carabelli trait from various perspectives of the dental anthropology. We planned to notice the latest papers on this trait, and to discuss many issues following the three key words; diversity, genetics, and phylogeny and ontogeny. In the part of “diversity”, it is described that the criteria of the traits, the differences among populations, and the reason why the Carabelli trait is frequently found in the European populations. In the part of “genetics”, we described the genetics, asymmetry, role of sex chromosomes, and the sexual dimorphism in this trait. In the part of “phylogeny and ontogeny”, we discussed the phylogeny and ontogeny of the Carabelli trait, and the association between Carabelli trait and tooth size. Since the development of the methodology in the micro CT, molecular biology and the other biotechnology, the Carabelli traits will be analyzed in detail from various perspectives.

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