现代人头骨断面轮廓的性别鉴定——基于几何形态测量的研究

Sex determination of cross-sectional outlines in modern human skulls: A study based on geometric morphometrics

人类头骨在大小、粗壮度和形状上具有性别差异。长期以来,性别鉴定的方法主要是根据头骨的大小和粗壮度,用肉眼进行粗略观察。受研究方法的限制,忽略了头骨细微的解剖结构及形状差别。为获取头骨性别差异的更多信息,探究头骨断面轮廓的性别差异,本文选用距今300年左右墓葬出土的云南现代人成年男性和女性头骨各30例作为研究材料,利用3D激光扫描技术及逆向工程软件提取头骨断面的外轮廓信息,在此基础上,采用几何形态测量方法对头骨冠状面、矢状面的外轮廓形状的性别差异进行了比较。研究结果显示:男女头骨在冠状面、正中矢状面顶骨部、正中矢状面枕骨部的形状上性别差异不显著,而在正中矢状面额骨部的形状上差异显著。本文对于古人类学和体质人类学鉴定人类头骨的性别差异,以及探讨不同地区、不同时代人群头面部形状的变异具有一定的参考价值。

Researchers generally identify a skeleton＇s sex by looking at size and robustness of the skull, but with this approach it is often diffi cult to acquire subtle anatomical and shape differences. In order to get more information to identify sex, we use 3D laser scanning and image processing software to extract outline information of 30 male and 30 female modern human skulls unearthed from tombs about 300 years ago in Yunnan Province. Geometric morphometrics are used to analyze the sexual dimorphism in the cross-section outlines of these male and female skulls. Results show that male and female skulls have no signifi cant differences in the outlines of coronal and mid-sagittal sections of the parietal and occipital bone, but have significant differences in the mid-sagittal section of the frontal bone. This study establishes a new method of sex determination in physical anthropology and paleoanthropology.