Nasal bone morphology of ancient populations in the Central Plains region

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2025.0029

Abstract

Abstract:

To investigate the variability of the nasal bone region and its relationship with nasal morphology in Holocene populations, this study collected morphological data on nasal bones from 286 human skeletons across 10 archaeological sites in the Central Plains region. Then, it conducted statistical analyses, including T-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation tests.

The results showed that the nasal bone type of the population in the Central Plains region predominantly fell into the medium-narrow category. It was characterized by a slight depression at the nasal root and a subtle protrusion at the alar region, forming a minor curvature. Compared with the populations in the Yangshao period, the DongZhou period, and the Xihan period, the nasal bone type of the population during the Mingqing dynasties was narrower. Meanwhile, it had greater nasal bone height, a larger proportion index of nasal bone height, and the smallest minimum nasal bone width. Overall, males showed more pronounced variability in nasal bone dimensions than females.

The extensive data analysis in this study indicated that, among the ancient populations in the Central Plains region, there was a positive correlation between nasal bone height and nasal height, suggesting a close relationship in their developmental patterns. Additionally, the proportion index of nasal bone height remained relatively stable across the Yangshao period, the Dongzhou period, the Xihan period, and the Mingqing dynasties, with a consistent range of variation. This stability might be influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

In contrast, the minimum nasal bone width showed no significant statistical correlation with nasal width in most cases. The nasal bone width index was highly discrete and irregular across these periods, indicating the absence of consistent patterns. This high degree of variability suggested that the nasal bone width index could be affected by multiple factors, such as genetic diversity and environmental adaptations.

Key words: Nasal bone area, High nasal bones, Nasal bone high proportion index, Central Plains

CLC Number:

Q983

LYU Fengyi, ZHOU Yawei. Nasal bone morphology of ancient populations in the Central Plains region[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2026, 45(01): 116-127.

Figures/Tables 7

References 50

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测量项目Measurement items			鼻骨高h_b	鼻高h_n	梨状孔h_o	鼻宽 b_n	最小鼻宽b_s	梨状孔指数 h_o/b_n	鼻骨高比例指数 h_b/h_n	鼻指数 b_n/h_n	鼻骨宽指数b_s/b_n
仰韶Yangshao	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=37)	23.6±3.4	53.4±2.3	32.9±2.8	26.5±1.8	7.5±2.3	80.6±8.5	43.9±5.5	49.6±3.8	27.9±8.4
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=23)	22.3±2.1	49.2±3.1	28±2.5	26.4±1.3	7.4±1.5	94.7±7.6	46.2±3.2	53.8±4.1	29.0±6.5
	T		1.3	5.5^**	5.3^**	0.2	0.4	-5.1^**	-1.4	-4.0^**	0.6
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑	↑			↓		↓
东周Dongzhou	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=58)	23.7±3.3	53.5±2.9	33.2±2.5	26.9±1.7	7.6±2.7	81.5±7.1	43.9±4.7	50.6±4	28.3±10
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=22)	22.1±2.4	49.4±2.3	28.9±2.9	25.7±1.4	7.4±1.7	88.6±6.5	44.6±3.9	51.±3.2	28.0±6.3
	T		1.5	5.9^**	4.9^**	3.2^**	4.4^*	-3.0^**	-1.2	-1.4	3.4
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑	↑	↑	↑	↓
西汉Xihan	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=45)	22±2.9	52.6±8	32.1±2.2	26.4±2.3	7.6±2.7	80.8±7.8	41.7±4.6	49.5±4.9	28.3±10.9
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=35)	23.4±3.6	49.4±2.3	27.9±3	26.3±1.7	7.4±1.7	94.8±13	47.1±6.9	53.4±4.5	28.0±6.3
	T		-1.2	2.3^*	4.5^**	0.2	4.4^*	-3.6^**	-2.5^*	-3.6^**	3.4
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑	↑		↑	↓	↓	↓
明清 Mingqing	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=28)	25.5±2.4	54.1±2.9	31.3±3.1	25.6±2	6.1±2.3	83.8±10.7	47.3±3.7	47.5±4.7	23.9±10.7
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=35)	25.2±2.8	51.2±3.7	29.4±3.7	25.8±2.5	5.6±2.1	87.6±13.6	49.3±4.4	50.7±6.1	21.3±10.3
	T		0.4	3.4^**	1.8	-0.4	1.3	-1	-1.6	-2.2^**	0.4
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑						↓
时代间显著性对比 Between-age	男性F_male		4.1**	0.7	2.8^*	2.9^*	3.2^*	0.7	4.4^**	3.2*	2.1
			d>c		b>d	b>d	a>d		d>c	b>d
	女性F_female		4.1*	3.3*	0.8	0.9	5.5^**	1.8	2.4	2.7	4.9^**
			d>a, b				a, b, c>d				a, b, c>d
	整体F_total		6.1^**	1.5	2.8	2.4	7.1^**	0.9	6.2**	2.6	7.0^**
			d>a, b, c				a, b, c>d		d>a, b, c		a, b, c>d

测量项目Measurement items			鼻骨高h_b	鼻高h_n	梨状孔h_o	鼻宽 b_n	最小鼻宽b_s	梨状孔指数 h_o/b_n	鼻骨高比例指数 h_b/h_n	鼻指数 b_n/h_n	鼻骨宽指数b_s/b_n
仰韶Yangshao	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=37)	23.6±3.4	53.4±2.3	32.9±2.8	26.5±1.8	7.5±2.3	80.6±8.5	43.9±5.5	49.6±3.8	27.9±8.4
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=23)	22.3±2.1	49.2±3.1	28±2.5	26.4±1.3	7.4±1.5	94.7±7.6	46.2±3.2	53.8±4.1	29.0±6.5
	T		1.3	5.5^**	5.3^**	0.2	0.4	-5.1^**	-1.4	-4.0^**	0.6
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑	↑			↓		↓
东周Dongzhou	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=58)	23.7±3.3	53.5±2.9	33.2±2.5	26.9±1.7	7.6±2.7	81.5±7.1	43.9±4.7	50.6±4	28.3±10
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=22)	22.1±2.4	49.4±2.3	28.9±2.9	25.7±1.4	7.4±1.7	88.6±6.5	44.6±3.9	51.±3.2	28.0±6.3
	T		1.5	5.9^**	4.9^**	3.2^**	4.4^*	-3.0^**	-1.2	-1.4	3.4
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑	↑	↑	↑	↓
西汉Xihan	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=45)	22±2.9	52.6±8	32.1±2.2	26.4±2.3	7.6±2.7	80.8±7.8	41.7±4.6	49.5±4.9	28.3±10.9
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=35)	23.4±3.6	49.4±2.3	27.9±3	26.3±1.7	7.4±1.7	94.8±13	47.1±6.9	53.4±4.5	28.0±6.3
	T		-1.2	2.3^*	4.5^**	0.2	4.4^*	-3.6^**	-2.5^*	-3.6^**	3.4
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑	↑		↑	↓	↓	↓
明清 Mingqing	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	男M(n=28)	25.5±2.4	54.1±2.9	31.3±3.1	25.6±2	6.1±2.3	83.8±10.7	47.3±3.7	47.5±4.7	23.9±10.7
	平均值±标准差($\bar{X} \pm \sigma$)	女F(n=35)	25.2±2.8	51.2±3.7	29.4±3.7	25.8±2.5	5.6±2.1	87.6±13.6	49.3±4.4	50.7±6.1	21.3±10.3
	T		0.4	3.4^**	1.8	-0.4	1.3	-1	-1.6	-2.2^**	0.4
	两性对比sex comparisons			↑						↓
时代间显著性对比 Between-age	男性F_male		4.1**	0.7	2.8^*	2.9^*	3.2^*	0.7	4.4^**	3.2*	2.1
			d>c		b>d	b>d	a>d		d>c	b>d
	女性F_female		4.1*	3.3*	0.8	0.9	5.5^**	1.8	2.4	2.7	4.9^**
			d>a, b				a, b, c>d				a, b, c>d
	整体F_total		6.1^**	1.5	2.8	2.4	7.1^**	0.9	6.2**	2.6	7.0^**
			d>a, b, c				a, b, c>d		d>a, b, c		a, b, c>d

时期 period	性别Sex	鼻高h_b	鼻宽h_n	鼻骨高比例指数h_b/h_n	鼻指数b_n/h_n	最小鼻宽b_s	鼻骨宽指数b_s/b_n
仰韶Yangshao	男Male	14.21	4.26	12.24	7.48	30.7	30.1
仰韶Yangshao	女Female	9.35	6.21	6.94	7.55	20.3	22.4
东周Dongzhou	男Male	13.95	5.43	10.67	7.95	35.5	35.3
东周Dongzhou	女Female	10.95	4.69	8.79	6.16	23.0	22.5
西汉Xihan	男Male	13.06	5.86	10.70	9.79	35.5	38.5
西汉Xihan	女Female	15.31	4.71	14.33	8.45	22.9	22.5
明清Mingqing	男Male	10.66	5.39	7.91	9.95	37.7	44.7
明清Mingqing	女Female	11.23	7.26	8.96	12.11	35.7	40.4

时期 period	性别Sex	鼻高h_b	鼻宽h_n	鼻骨高比例指数h_b/h_n	鼻指数b_n/h_n	最小鼻宽b_s	鼻骨宽指数b_s/b_n
仰韶Yangshao	男Male	14.21	4.26	12.24	7.48	30.7	30.1
仰韶Yangshao	女Female	9.35	6.21	6.94	7.55	20.3	22.4
东周Dongzhou	男Male	13.95	5.43	10.67	7.95	35.5	35.3
东周Dongzhou	女Female	10.95	4.69	8.79	6.16	23.0	22.5
西汉Xihan	男Male	13.06	5.86	10.70	9.79	35.5	38.5
西汉Xihan	女Female	15.31	4.71	14.33	8.45	22.9	22.5
明清Mingqing	男Male	10.66	5.39	7.91	9.95	37.7	44.7
明清Mingqing	女Female	11.23	7.26	8.96	12.11	35.7	40.4