Limb segment proportions of prehistoric Jomon hunter-gatherers from fetal life to adolescence: comparison with four other chronological groups from Japan

A distinct limb proportion pattern characterized by elongated distal segments (radius and tibia) relative to proximal ones (humerus and femur) was found to be present in Jomon hunter-gatherers from fetal life through adolescence, contrasting with later Japanese populations. This study compared intersegmental ratios of limb bones across five chronological groups—Jomon, Yayoi, Kamakura-Muromachi, Edo, and modern Japanese—ranging from the fifth fetal month to 19 years. Findings revealed that Jomon individuals maintained comparatively longer forearm and lower leg bones throughout growth, with adult-equivalent proportions established by approximately 1.5 years of age. This suggests that the Jomon's limb morphology may originate from early developmental patterns in limb cartilage primordium, with group-specific traits likely fixed within the first two years of life.

MIZUSHIMA, S., & HIRATA, K. (2023). Limb segment proportions of prehistoric Jomon hunter-gatherers from fetal life to adolescence: comparison with four other chronological groups from Japan. Anthropological Science, 131(2), 117–131. https://doi.org/10.1537/ase.2305161