A Research On Human Skeletons Of Xitun Graveyard, Yanqing County, Beijing City

Xitun graveyard is located in the north of Juyongguan Pass and Badaling GreatWall. It’s beyond the Great Wall. Geographically, Xitun graveyard is in the transitionof central plain area and minority area situated in the north of Great Wall. Moreover, itbelongs to the contiguous area of Inner Mongolia Plateau and North China Plain.Based on some archaeological and historical materials, during Xia and Shang period,Rongdi minorities lived in the north of Hebei Province, more specifically, in thesouthern foot of Yanshan Mountain. In Western Zhou dynasty, as one of thesuccessors of Jifa, Yan Zhaogong enfeoffed in Yan. Since then, Beijing District isgradually brought into the ruling range of the dynasties in the Central Plains. AfterEmperor Wu defeated Xiongnu, Wuhuan Minotiry was moved beyond Shanggu andYuyang. Owing to the large number of Han migration and the centralized rule ofCentral Plains, the local inhabitants and inhabited culture are influenced a lot.Exploring the clan belonging in Xitun graveyard seems quite important.The paper examines ancient residents in Xitun graveyard from aspects of gender,age, height, pathology and skull formation, etc. Generally, the author makes acomprehensive research on physical anthropology. What’s more, combining withrelative results the author has achieved, he summarizes ethnic characteristics ofancient residents in Beijing and surrounding areas and hope to provide a detailedreference data for the study of geographical changes of races in this district. The paperconsists of eight chapters.ChapterⅠIntroductionIn this chapter, the author gives a brief introduction to the natural geographicallocation of Xitun graveyard, describes its geographical and historical background andexpounds the purpose of research.Chapter Ⅱ Ancient Demography ResearchAccording to information of age and gender, the author analyzes the gender and average life span structure of ancient residents in Xitun graveyard from Han to Mingand Qing dynasties. After that, change rules of the times in life expectancy in Xitungraveyard are discovered.Chapter Ⅲ Study on HeightAccording to the information of maximum of limb, the author evaluates theheight of ancient residents in Xitun graveyard. It turns out that ancient residents’height is relatively stable. No obvious change has been found. Compared with othergroups, the height of three male groups of Xitun is in a middle position. While theheight of female Beichao group is much taller than modern group and other groups.Chapter Ⅳ Study on PaleopathologyIn this chapter, the author observes and analyzes wounds, diseases and oraldiseases reflected in ancient residents’ bones. Besides, the paper also researches theincidence of dental caries and periodontal disease.ChapterⅤ Study Non-metrical MorphologyAfter observing continuous morphological trait of the skulls, the authorconcludes that residents of Han group is rather similar to Beichao group. Both of themindicates relatively strong Asian Mongoloid features of the East Asian type. In theresearch of discontinuous morphological trait, the author chooses characteristics lessaffected by gender and age group to compare with other ancient and modern groups.Han group of Xitun is close to Jiang Jialiang group, Tao Jiazhai group and moderngroup of East Asia.Chapter Ⅵ Study on Metrical MorphologyAccording to characters of the skeletons, ancient residents in Xitun belong to thesame stirps. The research of ethnology shows that Han group of Xitun is most closelyto Huabei group and Huanan group which represents East Asian Mongolians. There isa certain similarity between Han group of Xitun and Eskimos which representNortheast Asians. Moreover, the relationship between Han group and Mongolia groupand Turgus group which represent North Mongoloid is the most distant. Han group issimilar to Fushun group that represents East Asian Mongolians and Eskimos whichrepresent Northeast Asians. It’s distant to Mongolia group and Turgus group whichrepresents North Mongoloid.Chapter Ⅶ Comparison between Relevant GroupsIt seems that the physical characteristics of Han group residents is very closely to residents of East Zhou period in Yuhuang Temple. At the same time, Han groupresidents has a short distance of genetics with residents of Zhou dynasty inGuanzhong Area and residents of Han and Tang dynasties. The results indicates thatresidents of Han dynasty inherited the gene of local barbarians in East Zhou dynastyon one hand, on the other hand, they are influenced by residents of Zhou dynasty inShan Xi Province.By collecting information of the ancient race in Beijing and surrounding areas,the author holds that races of "ancient north China type" lived in the north of HebeiProvince, more exactly, along the Great Wall. In Eastern Zhou period, both "ancientNorth China type" and "ancient northeast type " races coexisted here. After Qin andHan dynasty,"ancient central plain type" races originating from Guanzhong Area andJinxi Area immigrated in the north and speeded up the process of sinicization in thisregion. Genes of "ancient North China type" disappeared gradually after Han dynastybecause of national fusion. In conclusion, residents of Han dynasty in Xitun graveyardmakes a foundation for the formation of modern Han nationality.