Sino-Austria Cooperative research on ＂Xuchang Man＂ skull

The Henan provincial institute of Archaeology and Cultural Relics, and the Austrian University of Vienna's Department of Anthropology will jointly study the "Xuchang man" skull as per the agreement signed on August 24th in Zhengzhou. The director Chen Ailan and deputy director Ma Xiaolin of Henan Cultural Relics Bureau attended the signing ceremony.

Ancient human skull and other artifacts unearthed at Xuchang Man site, Lingjing is an important discovery for research of modern human origins in China, East Asia and the world. China and Austria agreed to share responsibility for of studying images of the skull scanned by the Henan provincial institute of Archaeology and Cultural Relics and the Department of Anthropology from the University of Vienna.

Research will be conducted in two stages. In first stage they will obtain basic data using a high precision CT scan in the laboratory of Chinese Academy of Sciences’ institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology. In the second stage, the University of Vienna will process the large amount of data from the fossil scans.

Using CT scans is a new technique for the field of paleoanthropology, and has caused significant changes. Its main point is that the slice detection is non-destructive to fossils, as well as noting fine details of ancient human organs, hard tissue and minute structures. The CT scan quickly extracts internal structure through a series of precise segments, in order to achieve a three-dimensional reconstruction.

Professor Weber of University of Vienna's Department of Anthropology was the prime mover in the world in using technology for the study of human fossils. He and his research team used CT scans to study human fossils from Africa and in the world at the same time and have achieved important results. University of Vienna's Department of Anthropology has built a database containing nearly all the world's ancient human fossil. Here they will determine the location of the "Xuchang man" in evolution for the world of paleoanthropology.

Recently, the "Xuchang man" skull model has already been restored and measurements taken, data analyzed and the preliminary results have been published in papers. Now the China-Austrian cooperation will examine and upgrade previous research, both sides believe that in 3 years their joint efforts will achieve a lot of important scientific research.     (Translator: Marie Kerwin)