墓砖表面的手掌印纹是陶工在制砖过程中有意将手掌纹印于砖体表面而形成的一种印记,是一种特殊的文化现象。现代法医学、指纹学和痕检学研究表明,手部形态与人的基本体质信息密切相关。本文通过运用上述学科业已成熟的研究方法,对两广地区出土东汉至南朝的手掌印纹砖进行收集、观察和测量,在此基础上,获得了东汉至南朝两广地区陶工群体丰富的体质人类学数据,而后对手印纹行为主体的性别、年龄、利手、身高、体质量和体型特征等六个方面进行了分析,推断陶工群体是以青壮年男性为主的结构,有少量未成年人和女性,大部分陶工与现代两广人差异不大,身高和体质量均为中等,体态敦实。该研究为了解这一时期岭南地区陶工群体的组织结构和生产状况提供了新的视角。

Handprint on the surface of tomb brick is a special printed image consciously left by potters when they made and produced bricks, which is a particular cultural phenomenon. Research of modern forensic medicine, dactylography and trace inspection has indicated that the handprint is closely related to the basic physical characteristics of humans. Using the basis methods of these disciplines, we also can deduce the basic physical characteristics of ancient people. By measuring and analyzing the handprints on tomb bricks from the Eastern Han dynasty and the Southern dynasty in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces, we can discuss the sexual, age, handedness, stature, body weight and somatotype of ancient potters. It was indicated that most potters were young and middle-aged men and a few juveniles and females were also present. And most of potters were of medium height and a little short, which is slightly different from modern people in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. This study provides a new perspective to understand the ancient potters` group structure characteristics and the ancient handicraft industry in Southern China.