A Study on the Origin and Lineage of Cattle and Horses viewed from the Bones Excavated at Ancient Sites in Japan.--- A Comparison with the Japanese Native Breeds ---

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In order to clarify the origin and lineage of cattle and horses in Japan, the remains from archaeological sites were investigated, and the bones of anciant cattle and horses were compared with those of native breeds by morphometric methods. The results are summarized as follows:1. The number of sites in Japan where bones and teeth has been excavated amounts to 177(cattle) and 379(horse), totally 556, and the dates largely goes from the burial mound era to the middle ages. many of them are found in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Fukuoka, Osaka and Chiba.2. The skulls and limb-bones of such native cattle as mishima cattle(male 2, female 2), Kuchinoshima cattle(m.3,f.7) and modern Japanese Black cattle(m.10,f.20) were measured, and, judging from the results of measurements and principal component analysis, it was found that Kuchinoshima cattle is the smallest.3. According to the principal component analysis the skulls and limb-bones of such native horses as Tokara (pony) horse(m.5,f.8), Misaki horse(m. … More 9,f.13), Kiso horse(m.1,f.10) and modern thoroughbred(m.5,f.5) were clealy separated in size. In addition, the estimated formulas of withers height were made from the length, breadth and diameter of bones in cattle and horses.4. All the cattle bones which has been excavated from over 20 sites such as Fujiwara-kyo, Heian-kyo and Kakiwara shell-mound are smaller than Japanese Black cattle but are of the same size with the native. most of the horse bones excavated from Fujuwara-kyo, Heian-kyo, and Chibachihigashi sites etc. were considered to belong to those of medium-sized as the Misaki horse.5. In later burial mound era, clay images of horse decorated with Gyoyo and Bataku has been excavated mostly in Kanto district but rarely in the west part of Japan. Doba, supposed to be used in religious service, has been excavated in many instances from the mounds built in Nara and Heian Era and they were found in almost all over Japan.6. From the result mentioned above, the date of the introduction of cattle and horse into Japan could be estimated from Yayoi to Anciant Burial Mound Era, but further examination of excavated articles in various parts of japan must be promoted. Less