关键词: 早期智人;中国;欧洲;人种;人类连续进化

Abstract: Comparisons of early H. sapiens from China and western Europe show following differences in morphological characteristics.
1. The orientation of fronto-sphenoidal process of zygomatic bone: The Chinese specimens face more forward, while the European ones more laterally except the Steinheim specimen which also faces more forward.
2. Zygomaxillary angle: This angle of the reconstructed Dali skull is 125°. Those of western Neanderthals are 105°-110°. The earlier specimens from Europe (Petralona and Steinheim) are intermediate between Neanderthals and Dali in this regard.
3. The zygomatic process of maxilla: ln Neanderthals the lower margin of the lower end of this process is near the alveolar border. From the lower margin runs obliquely upward and back ward. The transition from the lower margin of zygomatic process of maxilla to the lower margin of zygomatic bone is smooth and gradual without sharp turning at the joining part. There is no depressive portion between the anterior surface of the zygomatic process of maxilla and the antero-lateral surface of the body of maxilla. Petralona skull is similar with Neanderthals in these respects.
In Dali skull, there is a depression between the anterior surface of the zygomatic process and the antero-lateral surface of the body of maxilla because the former one faces more forward than that of Neanderthals. The beginning of zygomatic process from the body of maxilla is higher than that of Neanderthals or more distant from the alveolar border. The direction of the lower margin of this process is generally more horizontal than that of Neanderthals, This margin turns sharply to the lower margin of zygomatic bone. No different condition has been found so far in other Chinese specimens. 1n Xujiayao specimen, the position of the beginning part of zygomatic process from maxillary hody in relation to alveolar border is also similar to that of Dali skull.
In Steinheim and Arago specimens, the morphological status of this part is intermediate between Dali and Neanderthals. H. erectus pekinensis is similar to Dali Man in this respect, But the location of the beginning of the zygomatic process of maxilla of Lantian Man is of Neanderthal type.
4. Nasal area: The profile angle of the nasal bone is large in Dali, Jinniushan and Maba. In European early H. sapiens, Neanderthals exhibit more protruding nose while skulls of earlier period possess flatter one.
5. The height of upper facial part: Judging from the upper facial index of early H. sapiens the European faces are higher than those of Chinese ones. But Maba might have a higher face as a result of influence from the West.
6. Frontonasal and frontomaxillary sutures: These sutures of the Chinese specimens form a more or less horizontal line, while in European ones they form a curve protruding upward.
7. Glabellar region: In Dali and Maba skulls the horizontal section of this region is concave. The medial segment of upper margin of the supraorbital torus of both sides turns medially and slightly downward so we can see that they form a concave line in frontal view. The European carly H. sapiens skulls show a different morphology in this region except the earlier skulls (from Steinheim and Arago) of which the horizontal section of glabellar region is recessive as in Chinese specimens.
8. Sagittal keeling: This structure generally exists in Chinese early H. sapiens at the central part of the frontal bone. This keeling does not exist in Neanderthal skulls except La Chapelle which has a very faint one at this region. Petralona has a very wcak and broader prominence at the upper part of frontal bone.
9. Inca bone. This triangular small bone exists in Dali skull and probably also exist in Dingcun and Xujiayao because of the special shape of postero-medial corner of their parietal bones. Peking Man had a high frequency of Inca bone. In Europe the condition was entirely different during the same period.
10. Shovel shaped upper incisor: This special feature exists in all of the fossil Man in China. In Europe, the frequency is lower.
The features mentioned above have persisted in a very long time from Peking Man to upper Paleolithie Man in China. Some persisted a shorter time. These indicate the continuity of human evolution in China. Meanwhile gene exchanges between ancient China and Europe could be indicated by some features of certain Chinese specimens such as the high and nearly circular orbit of Maba, weak chignon oa most of the upper Paleolithic skulls in south China (Liujiang, Ziyang and Lijiang) and the bulging at the basal part of nasal process: of maxill? lateral to the upper part of the pyriforme aperture of Dali skull. Some features appearing in European fossils might be resulted from the influence from China. The flatness of upper face at Steinheim and European upper Paleolithic skulls and the receding glabella region of Steinbeim and Arago might be features of such kind. Early H. sapiens was the product of long term human evolution. Isolation and other factors created the differences between human populations of different regions. Small scale gene flow reduced the clearness of the distinction. In case that ancient China had experienced a continuous human evolution with gene flow from other regions, the difference between the populations lived in China and other regions could only be shown in different frequencies and different evolutionary trend of some morphological features. Therefore the human evolutionary lineages in China and Europe in that period were two relatively independent lines. It is reasonable to infer that at least in that time different races of human being had inhabited in these two regions. The climatic history and Paleolithic tradition in China also support the hypothesis mentioned above. The climate of Pleistocene in south China had not experienced big change. The mammals persisted throughout whole Pleistocene without change or only with little change.

Key words: Early Homo Sapiens; China; Europe; Continuity of human evolution