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Depaermentier ML, Krause-Kyora B, Hajdas I, Kempf M, Kuhn T, Spichtig N, Schwarz PA, Gerling C. Bioarchaeological analyses reveal long-lasting continuity at the periphery of the Late Antique Roman Empire. iScience 2023; 26:107034. [PMID: 37360687 PMCID: PMC10285633 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Basel-Waisenhaus burial community (Switzerland) has been traditionally interpreted as immigrated Alamans because of the location and dating of the burial ground - despite the typical late Roman funeral practices. To evaluate this hypothesis, multi-isotope and aDNA analyses were conducted on the eleven individuals buried there. The results show that the burial ground was occupied around AD 400 by people belonging largely to one family, whereas isotope and genetic records most probably point toward a regionally organized and indigenous, instead of an immigrated, community. This strengthens the recently advanced assumption that the withdrawal of the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian limes after the "Crisis of the Third Century AD" was not necessarily related to a replacement of the local population by immigrated Alamannic peoples, suggesting a long-lasting continuity of occupation at the Roman periphery at the Upper and High Rhine region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux L.C. Depaermentier
- Department of Ancient Civilizations, Prehistoric and Early Historic and Provincial Roman Archaeology, Vindonissa Professorship, University of Basel, Petersgraben 51, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ben Krause-Kyora
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, Rosalind-Franklin-Straße 12, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Irka Hajdas
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5 HPK H31, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Kempf
- Department of Geography, Physical Geography, Landscape Ecology and Geoinformation, Kiel University, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 8, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Thomas Kuhn
- Aquatic and Isotope Biogeochemistry, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 30, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Norbert Spichtig
- Archäologische Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt, Petersgraben 11, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter-Andrew Schwarz
- Department of Ancient Civilizations, Prehistoric and Early Historic and Provincial Roman Archaeology, Vindonissa Professorship, University of Basel, Petersgraben 51, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Gerling
- Department of Ancient Civilizations, Prehistoric and Early Historic and Provincial Roman Archaeology, Vindonissa Professorship, University of Basel, Petersgraben 51, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
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2
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Varalli A, Moggi-Cecchi J, Goude G. A multi-proxy bioarchaeological approach reveals new trends in Bronze Age diet in Italy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12203. [PMID: 35842420 PMCID: PMC9288517 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15581-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates changes in dietary practices and subsistence strategies in Bronze Age Italy integrating isotopic analyses with archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data. By investigating food habits, we contribute to reconstructing human lifestyles and highlighting possible links with the economic/social organization when the rise of stratified societies and new economic activities affected subsistence practices. Stable isotopes analyses in humans and animals were performed on 6 Italian sites dating from 2300 to 900 cal. BC, followed by a complete review of additional 19 sites, which forms the basis of a diachronic and geographic comparison for Bronze Age Italy. The geographic analysis shows a more varied diet in northern and central Italy, compared to the south. The diachronic analysis highlights the homogeneity of food habits during the Early Bronze Age, contrary to the later phases when an increase in dietary variability and a higher animal protein consumption are revealed. The Middle Bronze Age appears as a pivotal moment in protohistoric societies, a phase of transition. The consumption of different foodstuffs highlights the importance of cultural exchanges, resulting in a sort of “food globalization”, although environmental and climatic fluctuations could also have affected dietary patterns, favoring some crops over others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Varalli
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Minist Culture, LAMPEA, Aix-en-Provence, France. .,Department of Biology, Laboratory of Anthropology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. .,CaSEs Research Group, Department of Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jacopo Moggi-Cecchi
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Anthropology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gwenaëlle Goude
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Minist Culture, LAMPEA, Aix-en-Provence, France
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3
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Presenting the Compendium Isotoporum Medii Aevi, a Multi-Isotope Database for Medieval Europe. Sci Data 2022; 9:354. [PMID: 35729167 PMCID: PMC9213510 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01462-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we present the Compendium Isotoporum Medii Aevi (CIMA), an open-access database gathering more than 50,000 isotopic measurements for bioarchaeological samples located within Europe and its margins, and dating between 500 and 1500 CE. This multi-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, δ18O, and 87Sr/86Sr) archive of measurements on human, animal, and plant archaeological remains also includes a variety of supporting information that offer, for instance, a taxonomic characterization of the samples, their location, and chronology, in addition to data on social, religious, and political contexts. Such a dataset can be used to identify data gaps for future research and to address multiple research questions, including those related with studies on medieval human lifeways (i.e. human subsistence, spatial mobility), characterization of paleo-environmental and -climatic conditions, and on plant and animal agricultural management practices. Brief examples of such applications are given here and we also discuss how the integration of large volumes of isotopic data with other types of archaeological and historical data can improve our knowledge of medieval Europe. Measurement(s) | Isotopes | Technology Type(s) | Mass Spectrometry | Factor Type(s) | Carbon isotopes • nitrogen isotopes • sulfur isotopes • oxygen isotopes • strontium isotopes | Sample Characteristic - Organism | Humans • Animals • Plants | Sample Characteristic - Location | Europe and Periphery |
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4
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Baldoni M, Nardi A, De Angelis F, Rickards O, Martínez-Labarga C. How Does Diet Influence Our Lives? Evaluating the Relationship between Isotopic Signatures and Mortality Patterns in Italian Roman Imperial and Medieval Periods. Molecules 2021; 26:3895. [PMID: 34202264 PMCID: PMC8271375 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The present research investigates the relationship between dietary habits and mortality patterns in the Roman Imperial and Medieval periods. The reconstructions of population dynamics and subsistence strategies provide a fascinating source of information for understanding our history. This is particularly true given that the changes in social, economic, political, and religious aspects related to the transition from the Roman period to the Middle Ages have been widely discussed. We analyzed the isotopic and mortality patterns of 616 individuals from 18 archeological sites (the Medieval Latium sites of Colonna, Santa Severa, Allumiere, Cencelle, and 14 Medieval and Imperial funerary contexts from Rome) to compile a survivorship analysis. A semi-parametric approach was applied, suggesting variations in mortality patterns between sexes in the Roman period. Nitrogen isotopic signatures influenced mortality in both periods, showing a quadratic and a linear effect for Roman Imperial and Medieval populations, respectively. No influence of carbon isotopic signatures has been detected for Roman Imperial populations. Conversely, increased mortality risk for rising carbon isotopic values was observed in Medieval samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marica Baldoni
- Centre of Molecular Anthropology for Ancient DNA Studies, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (F.D.A.); (O.R.)
- Ph.D. Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Nardi
- Department of Mathematics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Flavio De Angelis
- Centre of Molecular Anthropology for Ancient DNA Studies, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (F.D.A.); (O.R.)
| | - Olga Rickards
- Centre of Molecular Anthropology for Ancient DNA Studies, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (F.D.A.); (O.R.)
| | - Cristina Martínez-Labarga
- Centre of Molecular Anthropology for Ancient DNA Studies, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (F.D.A.); (O.R.)
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5
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Francisci G, Micarelli I, Iacumin P, Castorina F, Di Vincenzo F, Di Matteo M, Giostra C, Manzi G, Tafuri MA. Strontium and oxygen isotopes as indicators of Longobards mobility in Italy: an investigation at Povegliano Veronese. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11678. [PMID: 32669570 PMCID: PMC7363922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67480-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The arrival of the Longobards in Northern Italy in 568 CE marked a period of renewed political stability in the Peninsula after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The trajectory of the spread of Longobards in Italy across the Alps and into the South is known from many literary sources. However, their mobility and residence patterns at a population level remain to be fully understood. Here we present a multi-isotopic analysis (87Sr/86Sr and 18O/16O) of 39 humans and 14 animals buried at the Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese (VR, Italy; 6th-8th century CE), to address mode and tempo of the spread of this population in the Peninsula. The geographical location of Povegliano Veronese plays a key role: the site lies along the Via Postumia, which was one of the main ancient Roman roads of Northern Italy, representing an important route in post-classical Italy. The integration of isotopic data with the archaeological evidence allowed us to determine the presence of individuals from at least three different regions of origin, building a diachronic map of the dynamics of mobility of this group in northern Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guendalina Francisci
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy.,Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana, Piazza Ruggero Bonghi, 2, 03012, Anangni, Italy
| | - Ileana Micarelli
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy
| | - Paola Iacumin
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze, 11/a, Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Castorina
- CNR, Istituto di Geologia Ambientale E Geoingegneria, c/o Dipartimento di Scienze Della Terra, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy
| | - Fabio Di Vincenzo
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy.,Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana, Piazza Ruggero Bonghi, 2, 03012, Anangni, Italy
| | - Martina Di Matteo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Dell'Antichità, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy
| | - Caterina Giostra
- Dipartimento di Storia, archeologia e storia dell'arte, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 1, Milano, Italy
| | - Giorgio Manzi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy
| | - Mary Anne Tafuri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Roma, Italy.
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Osipov B, Alaica AK, Pickard C, Garcia‐Donas JG, Márquez‐Grant N, Kranioti EF. The effect of diet and sociopolitical change on physiological stress and behavior in late
Roman‐Early
Byzantine (300–700
AD
) and Islamic (902–1,235
AD
) populations from Ibiza, Spain. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 172:189-213. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Osipov
- Lawrence J. Ellison Musculoskeletal Research Center, Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryUniversity of California Davis Medical Center Sacramento California USA
| | - Aleksa K Alaica
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
- School of History, Classics and ArchaeologyUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Catriona Pickard
- School of History, Classics and ArchaeologyUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Julieta G Garcia‐Donas
- School of Science and Engineering, Center for Anatomy and Human IdentificationUniversity of Dundee Dundee UK
| | - Nicholas Márquez‐Grant
- Cranfield Forensic InstituteCranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom UK
| | - Elena F. Kranioti
- School of History, Classics and ArchaeologyUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete Crete Greece
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7
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Gismondi A, Baldoni M, Gnes M, Scorrano G, D’Agostino A, Di Marco G, Calabria G, Petrucci M, Müldner G, Von Tersch M, Nardi A, Enei F, Canini A, Rickards O, Alexander M, Martínez-Labarga C. A multidisciplinary approach for investigating dietary and medicinal habits of the Medieval population of Santa Severa (7th-15th centuries, Rome, Italy). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227433. [PMID: 31990948 PMCID: PMC6986732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A multidisciplinary approach, combining stable isotope analysis from bone proteins and investigations on dental calculus using DNA analysis, light microscopy, and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, was applied to reconstruct dietary and medicinal habits of the individuals recovered in the cemetery of the Castle of Santa Severa (7th-15th centuries CE; Rome, Italy). Stable isotope analysis was performed on 120 humans, 41 faunal specimens and 8 charred seeds. Dental calculus analyses were carried out on 94 samples. Overall, isotope data indicated an omnivorous diet based on C3-terrestrial protein, although some individuals possessed carbon values indicative of C4 plant consumption. In terms of animal protein, the diet was probably based on cattle, sheep, pig and chicken products, as witnessed by the archaeozoological findings. Evidence from calculus suggested the consumption of C3 cereals, Fabaceae, Fagaceae, milk and dairy products. Secondary metabolites of herbs and wine were also detected. The detection of marine fish ancient DNA, as well as of ω3 fatty acids in calculus, hypothesized the consumption of marine foodstuffs for this coastal population, despite the lack of a clear marine isotopic signal and the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in plant tissues. Moreover, the knowledge of ethnopharmacological tradition and the application of medicinal plants (e.g. Punica granatum L., Ephedra sp. L.) were also identified. The detection of artemisinin, known to have antimalarial properties, led to hypothesize the presence of malaria in the area. Altogether, the combined application of microscopy and biomolecular techniques provided an innovative reconstruction of Medieval lifeways in Central Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Gismondi
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Marica Baldoni
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Micaela Gnes
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Scorrano
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia D’Agostino
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Di Marco
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulietta Calabria
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Petrucci
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Gundula Müldner
- Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, Reading, England, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Von Tersch
- Department of Archaeology, BioArCh, University of York, York, England, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Nardi
- Department of Mathematics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Enei
- Museo Civico di Santa Marinella “Museo del Mare e della Navigazione Antica”, Castello di Santa Severa (Roma–Italia)
| | - Antonella Canini
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Olga Rickards
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Michelle Alexander
- Department of Archaeology, BioArCh, University of York, York, England, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Martínez-Labarga
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA Antico, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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8
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Baldoni M, Scorrano G, Gismondi A, D’Agostino A, Alexander M, Gaspari L, Vallelonga F, Canini A, Rickards O, Martínez-Labarga C. Who were the miners of Allumiere? A multidisciplinary approach to reconstruct the osteobiography of an Italian worker community. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205362. [PMID: 30308078 PMCID: PMC6181348 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
This research presents an in-depth study of the skeletal remains collected from the archaeological site of Allumiere (15th-16th centuries CE; Rome, Italy). A multidisciplinary approach was used, combining skeletal biology, molecular anthropology and archaeobotany with the aim of reconstructing the osteobiography of the alum miners buried at the site. Since 1460, the area of the Tolfa Mountains was significant for the exploitation of alum which was used for a wide range of purposes in the Middle Ages, ranging from woven production to medical practice. A total of 70 individuals (63 adults and 7 juveniles) were studied. The sex ratio of the community indicated a higher prevalence of males with respect to females. Morphological examination indicated occupational musculoskeletal stress markers, which might reflect the specific phase of alum production that each individual was occupied in. Dietary reconstruction was primarily performed through carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis with integration of the results obtained by microscopic, genetic and GC-MS investigations on dental calculus. The diet was omnivorous, indicating a reliance on C3-terrestrial protein and evidence for limited C4 consumption by some individuals. Herbivores, such as sheep and cattle, appear to have contributed to the diet more than pigs and chickens. Consumption of Fagaceae and Poaceae species was predominant; moreover, indicators of Brassicaceae and milk and its derivatives were abundantly recurrent in the population, followed by plant oils and theophylline. Furthermore, the detection of pharmacological alkaloids indicated the knowledge and application of medicinal plants by the community. The novel use of multiple techniques based on cutting-edge technologies has provided a unique window on the lifestyles of individuals from one of the first Italian settlements of alum workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marica Baldoni
- Laboratorio di Antropologia Forense e Biologia dello Scheletro, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
- Laboratorio di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Biomedicina e Prevenzione, Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Gabriele Scorrano
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA antico, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Angelo Gismondi
- Laboratorio di Botanica, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Alessia D’Agostino
- Laboratorio di Botanica, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Michelle Alexander
- Department of Archaeology, BioArCh, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Gaspari
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA antico, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Fabrizio Vallelonga
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Dipartimento di Scienza dell'Antichità, Cattedra di Archeologia Cristiana e Medievale, Roma, Italia
| | - Antonella Canini
- Laboratorio di Botanica, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Olga Rickards
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA antico, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
| | - Cristina Martínez-Labarga
- Laboratorio di Antropologia Forense e Biologia dello Scheletro, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo Studio del DNA antico, Dipartimento di Biologia Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Roma, Italia
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9
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Multidisciplinary Identification of the Controversial Freedom Fighter Jörg Jenatsch, Assassinated 1639 in Chur, Switzerland. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168014. [PMID: 28030571 PMCID: PMC5193413 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Jörg Jenatsch, a leading freedom fighter during the Thirty Year’s War in Graubünden, Switzerland, was assassinated on carnival 1639. Jenatsch’s controversial biography and the unclear circumstances of his death inspired the formation of various legends, novels and films. In 1959, a skeleton discovered in the cathedral of Chur with remains of wealthy baroque clothing was tentatively attributed to Jenatsch. Here, we reassess the skeleton based on a new exhumation. Our multidisciplinary analysis and the head injuries are consistent with reports of the eyewitnesses of the crime, demonstrating that Jenatsch was killed from behind with a semi-sharp implement, supposedly an axe, as well as by a blow with a broad-surfaced object. Moreover, our facial reconstruction closely matches an oil portrait of Jenatsch, and the HIrisPlex system applied to DNA-extracts from the femoral bone reveals brown eye and dark brown hair colour, which coincides well with the portrait, too. Finally, isotope analysis of the femoral bone and a molar support Jenatsch’s high social status, luxury diet and a high mobility in the last decade of his life. This multidisciplinary approach thus reinforces personal identification and provides additional insight into the life of this important historic person beyond written resources.
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10
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Iacumin P, Di Matteo A, Usai D, Salvatori S, Venturelli G. Stable isotope study on ancient populations of central sudan: Insights on their diet and environment. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 160:498-518. [PMID: 27061730 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A contribution to the knowledge of the economy and the environmental surroundings of the populations living along the Nile valley in three different periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study reports stable isotope analyses on apatite bone samples of 139 humans, 48 mammals, and 43 fish from the Al Khiday archaeological sites in Sudan. The bones belong to four archaeological periods: pre-Mesolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Meroitic. Data were processed statistically. RESULTS A significant difference exists between the pre-Mesolithic and Mesolithic mean δ(18) Ow value and the mean of the modern Nile. The mean δ(18) Ow values for the Neolithic humans and bovids are very similar (+1.5‰ ±4‰, and -2‰, respectively) and more positive than the mean values of Mesolithic mammals and Pre-Mesolithic humans. The water ingested by Meroitic humans (+7‰ ± 2.5‰) is enriched in (18) O in respect to the water ingested by the Neolithic population. There is a separation in the δ(13) Cdiet values between the pre-Mesolithic humans (-14‰ ± 1‰) and Mesolithic mammals (-12‰ ± 2‰) group and the Neolithic humans (-18‰ ± 1‰), Meroitic humans (-19‰ ±1‰), Neolithic mammals (-21‰), and the modern (mean δ(13) Cdiet = -19‰ ±2‰) mammal group. DISCUSSION The climate became warmer and more arid from the pre-Mesolithic/Mesolithic to the Meroitic period. The environmental conditions influenced the strategies of subsistence and, in particular, the changes occurring from the pre-Mesolithic to the Neolithic can be considered contemporaneous to the transition from hunting-gathering-fishing to cultivation-herding. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:498-518, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Iacumin
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra "M. Melloni", Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco, Area delle Scienze 157/A, 43100 Parma, Italy
| | - Antonietta Di Matteo
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra "M. Melloni", Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco, Area delle Scienze 157/A, 43100 Parma, Italy
| | - Donatella Usai
- Centro Studi Sudanesi e Sub-Sahariani, Via Canizzano, 128/D, 31100 Treviso, Italy
| | - Sandro Salvatori
- Centro Studi Sudanesi e Sub-Sahariani, Via Canizzano, 128/D, 31100 Treviso, Italy
| | - Giampiero Venturelli
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra "M. Melloni", Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco, Area delle Scienze 157/A, 43100 Parma, Italy
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