The Study On Human Bones Excavated In Qiafuqihai Rerviqr Cemetery, Gongliu County, Yili

The material of this paper is the human skeleton remains of Qiapuqihai reservoir cemeteryfrom Yili basin. The cemetery is located in the Qiapuqihai reservoir at the Middle and lowerreaches of Yiliteke River of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The excavations of225tombs in Tekeqi County of Yili were conducted by Department of Archaeology of theNorthwestern University and the Archaeology Institute of Xinjiang. Yli River basin is amulti-ethnic region in the historical period, sake, Yuezhi, Wusun, Huns, Turks and othernomadic people were living there. This is a comprehensive study using the basic principles ofpaleodemography, skeletal morphology, paleopathology and other disciplines, in order toanalyze the origin and physical characteristics of ancient inhabitants in Yili River basin duringthe early Iron Age, also to understand the formation and development of nomadic people in thisregion, adding the archaeological research evidence.The first chapter is an introduction about natural geographical and historical context of thecemetery; it is also a brief overview of archeology background, research methods and purposesof this article.The second chapter is sex identification, age estimation and demographic study on56individuals using forensic anthropology and identification methods of physical anthropology，norder to obtain the age distribution of mortality levels, and calculate the simple life tables. Theaverage age of death was26.27years old. The average life expectancy is28.48years old. Theage groups of this article do not contain groups aging0-1years old and1-5yeas old, and the sixindividuals from the group aging5-10years old are difficult to identify their sex, for that reasonthe actual average age of death, and the average life expectancy of ancient inhabitants ofQiapuqihai reservoir cemetery should be even much lower than what this article gives.The third chapter is a cranio-nonmetric traits research,26male and22female individualsfrom Qiapuqihai reservoir cemetery were observed, the cranio morphology results, whichshowed some cranio features mixed with ancient European and ancient Easten Asian people,indicated that there are different enthinic composition in the ancient inhabitants, attributed to therange between the ancient Mongolia and ancient Europe. the morphological distribution betweenmost male and female are basically the same, but the frenquency of Shovel-shaped incisors andMandibular torus in female individuals is much higher than male, indicating that there probablybe more Easten Asian features in female individuals of this cemetery.The fourth chapter is craniometric research, using statistical analysis methods on themeasured data, finding that both male and female of Qiafuqihai ancient inhabitants have thesame characteristics trait. Compared with modern people, the ancient inhabitants Qiafuqihai belong to the transition group between Eurasian and Asian-American people, and are closer toAsian-American modern people. The multivariate statistical analysis also shows that there aresome similarity between Qiafuqihai group and Tianshan Seck-early Wusun group, Alai Seck-Wusun group, SuodunbulakeⅠgroup and other ancient Wusun culture group, that is the maintype of neighboring Caucasoid poplations, mixed with elements of East Asia ethnic factors fromancient people in Gansu and Qinghai province.The fifth chapter is paleopathological research. the ancient inhabitants of Qiapuqihaireservoir cemetery had bad oral health. The degree of their tooth ware is so high and increaseswith age, and male in all age groups are higher than these of female. The prevalence of caries islow, no matter in individual or as a whole. the frenquency of dental calculus, periodontal disease,periapical disease, antemortem tooth loss are high. Mandible stout has some degree of mildoccurrence rate. Combined with the results of a large number of sheep bones in the tombs andenvironmental archeological study, the economic type of ancient inhabitants of the Qiapuqihaireservoir cemetery is Pastoral or nomadic. Observing the trauma of ancient inhabitants fromQiafuqihai group, we mainly found two types trauma: blunt injury and sharp injuries. And it isappeared that highest rate of the sharp chopped in the female indibiduals than male, concentratedin middle age with higher death rate. It suggusted that the trauma in the ancient inhabitants ofQiafuqihai group mostly caused by the violence.The sixth chapter is the conclusion, summary and problem to be solved in future.