Abstract:

The Yantianling site in Yongfu, Guangxi, is one of the larger Song Dynasty celadon kiln sites discovered in Guangxi. It is located between Fangjiacun Yantianling in Nanxiong Village, Yongfu Town, Yongfu County, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Datun in Longxi Village, Guangfu Township. It is a kiln site complex composed of several kilns of different sizes. A batch of very special supporting tools - pad cakes with clear palm print marks were unearthed at this site. These pad cakes are the only specimens with human skin texture marks found among the Song Dynasty kiln sites discovered in Guangxi so far. The palm print marks on the pad cakes were formed during their production process. After the firing process was completed, due to the hardening of the clay and its stable chemical state, they were less affected by the burial environment, allowing these palm print marks to be preserved for a long time. This paper takes the pad cakes with palm prints unearthed at the Yantianling site as the research object, and uses the relevant research results of modern dermatoglyphics and trace evidence examination in criminal investigation to identify the individuals of the potter group, and extract physical information such as handedness, age, gender, height, and diseases of the potters. Then, from the perspective of dermatoglyphics, it discusses the number of individuals, gender ratio, and age composition of the potter group at the site. Through this research process, it also explores the research methods for palm print marks on pottery, and hopes to establish a relatively complete research system and observation standards for palm prints on pottery during this process, providing new ideas and methods for the study of artifacts. The research shows that at least 40 potters participated in the production of pad cakes at the Yantianling site, and it is estimated that there were many minors among them, with most of their heights below 160 cm. Left palm print marks were more common than right ones, and one person was suspected of having a genetic disease. The skin texture marks left on pottery and kiln supporting tools provide the possibility to explore the physical characteristics and pathologies of related populations. This study provides a new perspective for exploring the physical characteristics of the Song Dynasty potter group and also offers a new idea for physical anthropology research, especially in regions where bones are difficult to preserve, such artifacts with soft tissue imprints may provide a new direction for studying the physical data of ancient humans in the region.

Key words: Guangxi, Song Dynasty, Yaotianling site, palm prints, physical characteristics