Abstract: The human skulls studied in this paper were collected from Dongshan Island (Dongshan County) in Fujian provence, in 1993. The age is approximately more than 300 years. A.D. The cranial samples of 20 males and 12 females are used in the nonmetric and metric analysis. The author used the methods of the cluster analysis and the principle component analysis to study and discuss the racial relationship between the Dongshan group and other groups in the surrounding region.
The results of the cluster analysis and the principle component analysis indicated clearly that the racial pattern of Dongshan group is mere similar to that of the groups included Pingburen (Taiwan), Kagosima, Edo and Ryukyu (Japan). These groups form one cluster group separated from those of the south China and the southeast Asia. However, this group is more like those of the groups included the South China and the Southeast Asia than those of the North China, Ainu, Eskimo and Maori in cranial characteristics. It is proposed that the aboriginal populations in Fujian and Taiwan provinces have a common ancestor—the early Homo Sapiens in South China.

Key words: Human skull; Historical period; Dongshan Island, Fujian province