Acta Anthropologica Sinica ›› 2000, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (03): 216-256.

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Preliminary study on the teeth of Jinniushan archaichomo sapiens

He Jianing   

  • Online:2000-09-15 Published:2000-09-15

Abstract: Jinniushan archaic Homo sapiens has nearly complete maxillary dentition. Compared with Homo erectus and early Homo sapiens found in China , the teeth of Jinniushan archaic Homo sapiens are characterized by enlarged central incisor, especially in bucco-lingual direction, and significantly reduced third molars which can be considered as degeneration. Other teeth , with their faint cingula and simple occlusal pattern, are small in size which is in the lower range of Homo erectus and early Homo sapiens but still obviously larger than that of modern man. The female sex may be one reason of this character.
With large anterior dental arcade breadth, the maxillary dentition is almost U-shaped. The attrition is heavier in anterior teeth than posterior teeth, thus conforms to the “ Too ls Function Hypothesis of Anterior Teeth” . However, in physio logical point of view , the recessive anterior alveolar process and more perpendicular position of incisor may also contribute to this phenomenon.
The upper central incisor and upper second premolar of Jinniushan archaic Homo sapiens may have been suffered from slight enamel hypoplasia.

Key words: Jinniushan, Archaic Homo sapiens, Teeth