Enamel hypoplasia and health condition through social status in the Roman Imperial Age

Dental enamel hypoplasia is a deficit in enamel matrix formation occurring in childhood and resulting from nutritional deficiency or diseases. Examination of hypoplastic lesions in ancient skeletal remains provides an excellent index of developmental stress levels in the past. In this research, the incidence and distribution of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) were detected to investigate whether the social status had affected the health and nutritional conditions of the Romans during the Imperial Age. Dental enamel hypoplasia was observed in the teeth of 200 human skeletal remains found in two large necropoles from the Imperial Age in Rome (Italy). Both necropoles, dated back to (1st-2nd centuries A.D.), are located near the ancient centre of Rome and the presence of different typologies of graves, with monumental mausoleums and simple tombs, testifies that the cemeteries were used by diversified social classes. The availability of two sub-samples with different subsistence patterns in the same population permitted to evaluate the distribution of the dental stress markers evidencing the differences between the social classes. Enamel hypoplasia was collected in the whole dentition and differences were found between anterior and posterior teeth, male and female samples, upper and lower social classes. The results will be discussed taking into account other skeletal and dental indicators of health and life condition collected in the sample, and in relation to the economic and social life in Rome during the Imperial Age

Evidenze di un possibile trattamento chirurgico in uno scheletro del sepolcreto di Casal Bertone (Roma, I-III sec. d.C.)

Nel corso dello scavo di Casal Bertone, che ha restituito oltre 200 sepolture è stato rinvenuto un individuo con evidenti alterazioni dei piedi. Le ossa tarsali risultavano fuse, i metatarsali avevano epifisi sfrangiate e cavità pseudocistiche e la tuberosità del calcagno destro era attraversata da un foro di dubbia eziologia. L’ individuo, d’età alla morte compresa tra 50 e 60 anni, di sesso femminile, è di corporatura gracile con una statura pari a 147 cm ca. Al fine di comprendere la patologia che aveva colpito l’individuo e la natura del foro del calcagno, gli elementi dei piedi sono stati sottoposti ad indagine tramite tomografia assiale computerizzata (TAC). Dalle immagini ottenute si osserva che la zona adiacente al foro presenta una radiopacità molto elevata dovuta alla calcificazione dell’osso; tale dettaglio suggerisce che il foro sia stato praticato in vita. L’ipotesi di un possibile intervento chirurgico potrebbe essere avvalorata dal rinvenimento di tracce d’argento all’interno del foro. Le fonti storiche riportano che alcuni strumenti chirurgici e contenitori utilizzati per miscelare i farmaci potevano esserne rivestiti; inoltre in età imperiale è attestato l’utilizzo dell’argento nelle ricette, come componente di farmaci e impiastri per il trattamento di alcune patologie.During the excavation of Casal Bertone an individual was found with evident alterations of the feet. The tarsal bones were fused, the metatarsals had fringed epiphysis and pseudocyst cavities and the tuberosity of the right calcane was crossed by a hole of dubious etiology. The individual, aged between 50 and 60 years old, of a female gender, is of a gracile body with a height of about 147 cm. ..............

Diaspora Policies, Consular Services and Social Protection for Italian Citizens Abroad

AbstractAccording to some estimates, about 60 million people of Italian origin live outside of Italy today. To manage and, at first, encourage emigration, Italy has historically built a composite diaspora infrastructure. As discussed in the first part of this chapter, instruments to consult and represent politically citizens abroad have been core features of Italy's diaspora engagement policies. The second part of the chapter examines the social protection dimension of diaspora more closely and highlights the central role played by the Patronati (welfare advice centers). As explained, the Patronati are to this day a unique institution at the international level, by which Italians abroad can be helped, free of charge, to gain access to social protection in Italy and abroad

Palaeopathology of Human Remains from the Roman Imperial Age

The increasing attention of archaeological and anthropological research towards palaeopathological studies has allowed to focus the examination of many skeletal samples on this aspect and to evaluate the presence of many diseases afflicting ancient populations. This paper describes the most interesting diseases observed in skeletal samples from five necropolises found in urban and suburban areas of Rome during archaeological excavations in the last decades, and dating back to the Imperial Age. The diseases observed were grouped into the following categories: articular diseases, traumas, infections, metabolic or nutritional diseases, congenital diseases and tumors, and some examples are reported for each group. Although extensive epidemiological investigation in ancient skeletal records is impossible, palaeopathology allowed highlighting the spread of numerous illnesses, many of which can be related to the life and health conditions of the Roman population

Periodical reactivation of slow movements due to rainfall regime in the Orvieto overconsolidated clay slope

The northern slope of the Orvieto hill (Central Italy) is affected by slow intermittent movements within the overconsolidated clays at depth and in the overlying debris cover. Inclinometer and piezometer (Casagrande) measures show that reactivations are rainfall-induced. This encourages the interest in a predictive seepage model which allows to evaluate rainfall conditions determining pore pressure threshold for reactivation. Since the low permeability of the materials raised doubts on the correlations between piezometer and rainfall data, new boreholes were instrumented with vibrating wire cells. Their time histories are compared to those of Casagrande piezometers and the applicability of the two instruments is discussed. Finally, results of a preliminary model are presented, comparing calculated and measured time series of pore pressure in the shal-lower portion of the slope

Influence of infiltration on the periodic re-activation of slow movements in an overconsolidated clay slope

In Orvieto (central Italy), overconsolidated clay slopes are affected by intermittent slow movements at the top of the clay formation and within the landslide debris cover. Monthly data from inclinometers, Casagrande piezometers, and rainfall gauges show that velocity, pore pressure, and rainfall are closely related. A relationship is suggested to predict slope re-activation using rainfall history alone, once a pore pressure threshold has been reached and response of pore pressures to rainfall is understood. Pore pressures have been continuously monitored through vibrating wire cells. The threshold for shallow movements, critical for infrastructures and buildings, was identified by comparing displacement histories of a shallow movement, representative of many other ones recognized over the slope, and pore pressure, both measured at the centre of the sliding mass. The impact of infiltrated rainfall on groundwater flow was investigated through transient seepage analyses. Seepage analyses performed using hydraulic properties from laboratory and in situ tests do not fully depict the observed pore pressures because field data miss some structural characters and lithologic variations. The hydraulic properties of the shallower model layers were refined, based on field observations and interpretation of monitoring data, to have a good match between computed and measured pore pressures. Once the model is tested at different locations along a slope, it could be used to predict movement re-activation using only rainfall data

Periodical reactivation of slow movements due to rainfall regime in the Orvieto overconsolidated clay slope

The northern slope of the Orvieto hill (Central Italy) is affected by slow intermittent movements within the overconsolidated clays at depth and in the overlying debris cover. Inclinometer and piezometer (Casagrande) measures show that reactivations are rainfall-induced. This encourages the interest in a predictive seepage model which allows to evaluate rainfall conditions determining pore pressure threshold for reactivation. Since the low permeability of the materials raised doubts on the correlations between piezometer and rainfall data, new boreholes were instrumented with vibrating wire cells. Their time histories are compared to those of Casagrande piezometers and the applicability of the two instruments is discussed. Finally, results of a preliminary model are presented, comparing calculated and measured time series of pore pressure in the shal-lower portion of the slope

Il regime delle pressioni interstiziali nel pendio in argille sovraconsolidate di Orvieto: osservazioni sperimentali e modellazione numerica

none4Orvieto sorge su una rupe tufacea soggetta a fenomeni di instabilità connessi ai lenti movimenti del sottostante pendio in argille sovraconsolidate. La strumentazione di controllo installata sin dal 1982 sul versante nord del colle di Orvieto ha messo in evidenza la stretta correlazione fra l'intensità e la durata delle piogge, i livelli piezometrici e gli spostamenti registrati negli inclinometri. In particolare, in questa nota vengono messe a confronto le misure di pressione interstiziale effettuate con piezometri di Casagrande e con piezometri a corda vibrante installati recentemente. Sono inoltre presentati e discussi i risultati di una serie di analisi numeriche in condizioni transitorie per valutare l'effetto dell'infiltrazione sulle variazioni di pressione interstiziale nella fascia superficiale del versante.mixedP. Tommasi; L. Verrucci; D. Boldini; G. CaldariniP. Tommasi; L. Verrucci; D. Boldini; G. Caldarin