Aspetti rituali, sociali e paleodemografici di alcune necropoli protostoriche a cremazione dell’Italia Settentrionale

This study concerns five cremation cemeteries from Bronze Age (Middle, Recent and Final BA) to Early Iron Age (Villanovian culture) in Northern Italy (XVI-IX c. BC). 842 burials have been analyzed from Casinalbo (MBA-RBA), Montata (MBA-RBA), Scalvinetto (MBA-RBA), Narde (FBA), Brogo Panigale (EIA) in an anthropological point of view. Analysis on “cremains” are not so frequent, especially in the story of Italian anthropological studies, because of the fragmentation and transformation of bones, due to the pyre bruning. In consequence of a very large sample, many observations have been done, in terms of ritual practices, demographic structure, and social organization. Bones have been collected from the inside of the urns with a “stratigraphic” method (Casinalbo and Borgo Panigale), in order to recognize depoisitional sequences of anatomical parts. Observation on Minimum Number of Inividual, sex/age at death of the individuals, temperatures of cremation, fragmentation patterns, total weights, weights of skeletrical districts have been lead out. The funerary ritual shows a very articulated set of different actions and behaviours, each of them representing a specific simbolic meaning. It seems to develop from the Middle Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age towards a progressively simplified ceremony. The composition of the cemetries in terms of sex/age class frequencies also changes through the time. In the Terramare culture (MBA-RBA) new-born infants or younger than 1-2 years old were not inlcuded in the burial area, and neither in Narde (FBA). They were not cremated but were buried elsewhere (sometimes in settlements), maybe because they were not completely integrated in the community. The younger infants seem to be re-included in the funerary space during the EIA. The percentage of 0-6 years old children, in fact, is douoble in Borgo Panigale compared to earlier cemeteries. Among the Villanovian cremation burials many 0-1 years old children were found: this evidence shows a different conception of social structure, which also include very young infants. A specific topographic distribution of burials has been observed in Casinalbo, where separated groups are clearly identifiable. The most logic intrpretation is that the groups represent families. In the groups it is possible to notice an inner separation between categories of individuals based on sex/age class. In the largest group (K), in which burials seems to be spread along a wide chronological range, the adult males occupy the center and the adult females and subadults the periphery. This could be interpreted as a strong intention of underline the adult males (warriors?) status and hegemony

Aspetti rituali, sociali e paleodemografici di alcune necropoli protostoriche a cremazione dell’Italia Settentrionale

This study concerns five cremation cemeteries from Bronze Age (Middle, Recent and Final BA) to Early Iron Age (Villanovian culture) in Northern Italy (XVI-IX c. BC). 842 burials have been analyzed from Casinalbo (MBA-RBA), Montata (MBA-RBA), Scalvinetto (MBA-RBA), Narde (FBA), Brogo Panigale (EIA) in an anthropological point of view. Analysis on “cremains” are not so frequent, especially in the story of Italian anthropological studies, because of the fragmentation and transformation of bones, due to the pyre bruning. In consequence of a very large sample, many observations have been done, in terms of ritual practices, demographic structure, and social organization. Bones have been collected from the inside of the urns with a “stratigraphic” method (Casinalbo and Borgo Panigale), in order to recognize depoisitional sequences of anatomical parts. Observation on Minimum Number of Inividual, sex/age at death of the individuals, temperatures of cremation, fragmentation patterns, total weights, weights of skeletrical districts have been lead out. The funerary ritual shows a very articulated set of different actions and behaviours, each of them representing a specific simbolic meaning. It seems to develop from the Middle Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age towards a progressively simplified ceremony. The composition of the cemetries in terms of sex/age class frequencies also changes through the time. In the Terramare culture (MBA-RBA) new-born infants or younger than 1-2 years old were not inlcuded in the burial area, and neither in Narde (FBA). They were not cremated but were buried elsewhere (sometimes in settlements), maybe because they were not completely integrated in the community. The younger infants seem to be re-included in the funerary space during the EIA. The percentage of 0-6 years old children, in fact, is douoble in Borgo Panigale compared to earlier cemeteries. Among the Villanovian cremation burials many 0-1 years old children were found: this evidence shows a different conception of social structure, which also include very young infants. A specific topographic distribution of burials has been observed in Casinalbo, where separated groups are clearly identifiable. The most logic intrpretation is that the groups represent families. In the groups it is possible to notice an inner separation between categories of individuals based on sex/age class. In the largest group (K), in which burials seems to be spread along a wide chronological range, the adult males occupy the center and the adult females and subadults the periphery. This could be interpreted as a strong intention of underline the adult males (warriors?) status and hegemony

Mobile elites at Frattesina: flows of people in a Late Bronze Age ‘port of trade’ in northern Italy

Following a mid twelfth-century BC demographic crisis, Frattesina, in northern Italy, arose as a prominent hub linking continental Europe and the Mediterranean, as evidenced by the remarkable variety of exotic materials and commodities discovered at the site. Debate persists, however, about the extent to which migrants influenced the foundation and development of Frattesina. The authors present the results of strontium isotope analyses, which suggest significant migration to the site, particularly of elites, mostly from within a 50km radius. Among these non-indigenous people, the authors identify a \u2018warrior-chief\u2019, whom they interpret as representing a new, more hierarchical society

Dental twinning in the primary dentition: new archaeological cases from Italy

Dental twinning (or “double teeth”) is a rare developmental condition that implies the fusion of two or more adjacent teeth. Clinical literature reports individual cases and extensive population studies to clarify causation, distribution, heritability and differential diagnosis of the different types of dental twinning (i.e. fusion, gemination, and accretion) whereas, documentation for past populations is still scarce. Aims: the present study documents four new archaeological cases of dental twinning of deciduous teeth from four different Italian archeological sites and positions them within the framework of the known literature.Materials and methods: the observed cases include five deciduous teeth from four subadults from Sardinia (Monte Sirai, 7th-4th cent. BCE and Santa Filitica, 7th cent. CE), Campania (Velia, 1st-2nd cent. CE) and Latium (Villamagna, 13th-15th cent. CE). The identification, descriptions and differential diagnoses of the anomalies were performed with the use of morphological analyses and, in one case, radiographic means.Results: all cases fall within the category of double teeth; each involving a different set of processes (gemination and dental fusion), teeth (deciduous central incisors, lateral incisors and canines), locations (upper and lower) and occurrence (unilateral and bilateral). Conclusion: to this day, cases reported in literature of dental twinning in archaeological samples are sparse and limited to specific geographical areas. This study adds four more cases from Italy suggesting such anomalies should be recorded in dental analyses in order to, one day, obtain a more reliable modelling of the frequencies and distributions in past populations

Dental twinning in the primary dentition: new archaeological cases from Italy

Dental twinning (or “double teeth”) is a rare developmental condition that implies the fusion of two or more adjacent teeth. Clinical literature reports individual cases and extensive population studies to clarify causation, distribution, heritability and differential diagnosis of the different types of dental twinning (i.e. fusion, gemination, and accretion) whereas, documentation for past populations is still scarce. Aims: the present study documents four new archaeological cases of dental twinning of deciduous teeth from four different Italian archeological sites and positions them within the framework of the known literature.Materials and methods: the observed cases include five deciduous teeth from four subadults from Sardinia (Monte Sirai, 7th-4th cent. BCE and Santa Filitica, 7th cent. CE), Campania (Velia, 1st-2nd cent. CE) and Latium (Villamagna, 13th-15th cent. CE). The identification, descriptions and differential diagnoses of the anomalies were performed with the use of morphological analyses and, in one case, radiographic means.Results: all cases fall within the category of double teeth; each involving a different set of processes (gemination and dental fusion), teeth (deciduous central incisors, lateral incisors and canines), locations (upper and lower) and occurrence (unilateral and bilateral). Conclusion: to this day, cases reported in literature of dental twinning in archaeological samples are sparse and limited to specific geographical areas. This study adds four more cases from Italy suggesting such anomalies should be recorded in dental analyses in order to, one day, obtain a more reliable modelling of the frequencies and distributions in past populations

Establishing the Middle Sea: The Late Bronze Age of Mediterranean Europe (1700–900 BC)

The Late Bronze Age (1700–900 BC) represents an extremely dynamic period for Mediterranean Europe. Here, we provide a comparative survey of the archaeological record of over half a millennium within the entire northern littoral of the Mediterranean, from Greece to Iberia, incorporating archaeological, archaeometric, and bioarchaeological evidence. The picture that emerges, while certainly fragmented and not displaying a unique trajectory, reveals a number of broad trends in aspects as different as social organization, trade, transcultural phenomena, and human mobility. The contribution of such trends to the processes that caused the end of the Bronze Age is also examined. Taken together, they illustrate how networks of interaction, ranging from the short to the long range, became a defining aspect of the “Middle Sea” during this time, influencing the lives of the communities that inhabited its northern shore. They also highlight the importance of research that crosses modern boundaries for gaining a better understanding of broad comparable dynamics

Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya ‘urnfield’ and the life history of a high-status woman

In this study, we present osteological and strontium isotope data of 29 individuals (26 cremations and 3 inhumations) from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of the largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries in Hungary. The site is located in the northern part of the Csepel Island (a few kilometres south of Budapest) and was in use between c. 2150 and 1500 BC, a period that saw the rise, the apogee, and, ultimately, the collapse of the Vatya culture in the plains of Central Hungary. The main aim of our study was to identify variation in mobility patterns among individuals of different sex/age/social status and among individuals treated with different burial rites using strontium isotope analysis. Changes in funerary rituals in Hungary have traditionally been associated with the crises of the tell cultures and the introgression of newcomers from the area of the Tumulus Culture in Central Europe around 1500 BC. Our results show only slight discrepancies between inhumations and cremations, as well as differences between adult males and females. The case of the richly furnished grave n. 241 is of particular interest. The urn contains the cremated bones of an adult woman and two 7 to 8-month-old foetuses, as well as remarkably prestigious goods. Using 87Sr/86Sr analysis of different dental and skeletal remains, which form in different life stages, we were able to reconstruct the potential movements of this high-status woman over almost her entire lifetime, from birth to her final days. Our study confirms the informative potential of strontium isotopes analyses performed on different cremated tissues. From a more general, historical perspective, our results reinforce the idea that exogamic practices were common in Bronze Age Central Europe and that kinship ties among high-rank individuals were probably functional in establishing or strengthening interconnections, alliances, and economic partnerships

New insights on Celtic migration in Hungary and Italy through the analysis of non-metric dental traits

The Iron Age is characterized by an extended interweaving of movements by Celts in Europe. Several waves of Celts from Western and Central Europe migrated southeast and west from the core area of the La Téne culture (between Bourgogne and Bohemia). Through the analysis of non-metric dental traits, this work aims to understand the biological relationship among Celtic groups arrived in Italy and the Carpathian Basin, as well as between local populations and Celtic newcomers. A total of 10 non-metric dental traits were analyzed to evaluate biological affinities among Celts (Sopron-Krautacker and Pilismarót-Basaharc) and Scythians-related populations from Hungary (Tápiószele), Celts from continental Europe (Switzerland and Austria), two Iron Age Etruscan-Celtic sites from northern Italy (Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele), 13 Iron Age central-southern Italic necropolises, and the northern Italian Bronze Age necropolis of Scalvinetto. Strontium isotopes were measured on individuals from the necropolis of Monte Bibele to infer their local or non-local origin. Results highlight the existence of statistically significant differences between Celts and autochthonous Italian groups. Celtic groups from Hungary and Italy (i.e., non-local individuals of Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele) share a similar biological background, supporting the historical records mentioning a common origin for Celts migrated to the eastern and southern borders of today’s Europe. The presence of a supposed Steppean ancestry both in Celts from Hungary and Celts from northern Italy corroborates the hypothesis of the existence of a westward migration of individuals and genes from the Steppe towards northern Italy during the Bronze and Iron Age, which contributed to the biological variability of pre-Celtic and later Celtic populations, respectively. Conversely, individuals from central-southern Italy show an autochthonous pre-Iron Age background. Lastly, this work supports the existence of Celtic migratory routes in northern Italy, as shown by biological and cultural admixture between Celts and Italics living together.E.P. was funded from the Erasmus+ Traineeship Program/KA103, Agreement n. 2020-1-IT02-KA103-078332. T.H. and K.G. were supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (FK128013), the Bolyai Scholarship granted by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the ÚNKP-22-5 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Ancient oral microbiomes support gradual Neolithic dietary shifts towards agriculture

The human microbiome has recently become a valuable source of information about host life and health. To date little is known about how it may have evolved during key phases along our history, such as the Neolithic transition towards agriculture. Here, we shed light on the evolution experienced by the oral microbiome during this transition, comparing Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers with Neolithic and Copper Age farmers that populated a same restricted area in Italy. We integrate the analysis of 76 dental calculus oral microbiomes with the dietary information derived from the identification of embedded plant remains. We detect a stronger deviation from the hunter-gatherer microbiome composition in the last part of the Neolithic, while to a lesser extent in the early phases of the transition. Our findings demonstrate that the introduction of agriculture affected host microbiome, supporting the hypothesis of a gradual transition within the investigated populations