Crani di omicidi. Una diagnosi di antropologia criminale basata sui tratti atavici degenerativi

LetteraLetter

Osteological Evidence of Possible Tuberculosis from the Early Medieval Age (6th–11th Century), Northern Italy

We discuss the probable presence of tuberculosis in non-adults of a medieval rural com- munity in northern Italy with a biocultural perspective. Before birth, mother and child have a closely interconnected relationship, as suggested by the role of microchimerism on maternal health. To better understand maternal–child health and related stress factors, paleopathology has investigated the potential of this relationship in recent years. Diseases with environmental development factors such as infections depend on and are strongly affected by maternal control variables such as, for example, breastfeeding and the growth environment. This article presents ISZ2, the second possible case of childhood tuberculosis identified in northeastern Italy through recent paleopathological criteria. The subject is of primary importance as it not only represents a direct testimony of this infectious disease otherwise known only from historical sources, but also increases our knowledge on the state of health of infants in this area, which to date are scarcely analyze

A case of erosive polyarthropathy from Medieval northern Italy (12th–13th centuries)

Objective: To evaluate and differentially diagnose erosive skeletal lesions located on multiple joints of an individual archaeologically recovered in 2017. Materials: Skeletal remains of a well-preserved skeleton dating to the 12th–13th centuries from the Medieval church of San Biagio in Cittiglio (Varese, northern Italy). Methods: Macroscopic and radiographic imaging. Results: Erosive marginal symmetrical lesions are present on the metatarsophalangeal, metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints of an adult male, aged 55–75 years. Osteolytic changes, in the form of pocket erosions, surface resorptions and pseudocyst formations, are also macroscopically observed on some carpal and tarsal bones and on several large peripheral joints. Conclusions: A careful differential diagnosis of the lesions and their macroscopic and radiological appearance are suggestive of a case of rheumatoid arthritis-like polyarthropathy. Significance: This case contributes to the debate regarding the antiquity of erosive polyarthropathies, providing additional evidence for the existence of these diseases in the Old World prior to the discovery of the Americas. Limitations: Small sample size limits discussion of the scope of the disease in antiquity. Suggestions for further research: This case highlights the need for further macroscopic, radiographic, and biomolecular studies of pre-modern European skeletal samples to investigate the hypothesized pre-existence of these pathological conditions in Europe prior to 1492

IZMEĐU MEDICINE I VJERE. POVIJEST NAVODNOGA BLAŽENOG ALBERTA BESOZZIJA I AUTENTIČNOST NJEGOVIH RELIKVIJA

The monastery of Saint Catherine of Sasso was built overhanging the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore in the municipality of Leggiuno (VA). In particular, our paper concerns the relics housed in the Sacellum of the church of St. Caterina. According to the tradition, the first Sacellum dedicated to the saint was built before the 16th century over a medieval hermit’s refuge. The chronicle, the Historieta, remembers that, in the 12th century, a merchant of Arolo, Alberto Besozzi, survived the lake crossing shipwreck and made a vow to St. Catherine of Alexandria. He decided to retreat in prayer in a cave on that part of the coast. The Sacellum, now incorporated in the monastery complex (at the bottom of the central nave of the church), preserved human remains of Blessed Alberto in the past. We present the important role that the Sacellum and the relics have played not only for the faith, but also for the devotion of pilgrims and local people. In this context, this monument is related to the sense of religiosity and spirituality that pervaded medieval life, where every form of prayer is to be materialized in the physicality of a tangible creation.Samostan Santa Caterina del Sasso sagrađen je na litici istočne obale jezera Maggiore, u op-ćini Leggiuno (VA). Članak se posebno odnosi na relikvije smještene u sacellumu crkve svete Katarine. Prema tradiciji, prvi sacellum posvećen svecu sagrađen je prije 16. stoljeća nad srednjovjekovnim pustinjačkim skloništem. Kronika Historieta bilježi da je u 12. stoljeću tr-govac iz Arola, Alberto Besozzi, preživio potapanje broda dok je prelazio jezero i zavjetovao se svetoj Katarini Aleksandrijskoj. Odlučio se povući u molitvu u špilju na tom dijelu obale.Sacellum, koji je sada ugrađen u samostanski kompleks (u dnu središnjeg broda crkve), u prošlosti je čuvao ljudske ostatke blaženog Alberta.Predstavljamo važnu ulogu koju su sacellum i relikvije imali ne samo za vjeru već i za pre-danost hodočasnika i domaćeg stanovništva. U tom kontekstu, ovaj je spomenik povezan s osjećajem religioznosti i duhovnosti, koji su prožimali srednjovjekovni život u kojemu se svaki oblik molitve materijalizira u tjelesno opipljive tvorevine

Human, All Too Human: Differentiating Non-Human from Human Bones in Protohistoric Cremation Contexts from Northern Italy

Differentiating cremated non-human bones from human ones in archaeological contexts is a challenging task. This analysis aims at proposing a rather solid criterion based on an osteoarchaeological sample. In this work, the main issues of taxonomic identification of cremated remains are analysed and a research methodology tested on an Italian protohistoric sample is proposed. The 314 subjects composing the sample come from 298 tombs of the Golasecca Civilization (1st millennium BC in north-eastern Italy). On a morphological basis, 246 bone fragments were selected from which as many thin sections were obtained for a histomorphological evaluation. From the analyses, we identified the presence of animals in burials, whereas a mere morphometric analysis was not able to recognize them. Furthermore, the taxonomic identification has allowed us to propose new hypotheses on the funerary rite of Golasecca linked to the zooarchaeological remains

Sepolture infantili bassomedievali: il caso della chiesa della Natività della Vergine Maria di Segno (Taio - TN)

La chiesa della Natività della Vergine Maria si trova a Segno, in val di Non, nella parte nord occidentale della provincia di Trento (Trentino Alto Adige, Italia). Sebbene le prime attestazioni di un edificio a possibile carattere religioso siano documentate sin dal 1327 è soltanto a partire dalla fine del XV secolo d.C. che i pressi della chiesa vengono connotati da una costante funzione sepolcrale, che perdura perlomeno fino alla prima metà del XVII secolo d.C. Questo cimitero, dedicato ai bambini, è stato archeologicamente indagato tra il 2003 e il 2004. In questo contribuito sono presentate le analisi antropologiche e paleopatologiche del campione. Questi dati, raffrontati con le analisi archeologiche, i documenti storici e le ricerche d’archivio hanno permesso di corroborare e aumentare le nostre conoscenze sullo stato di salute e la qualità di vita di una popolazione rurale fra XV e prima metà del XVII secolo d.C. in ItaliaThe St Mary’s Nativity church is situated in Segno, in Val di Non, in the North Western part of Trento Province (Trentino Alto Adige, Italy). The earliest recorded mention of a religious building in Segno is in 1327. A burial ground was realized near the church from the end of the XVth century AD and it was used at least until the first half of the XVIIth century AD. This cemetery area, used for children burials, was archeologically excavated from 2003 to 2004. This paper presents the anthropological and palaeopathological analysis of the sample. These data, compared to archaeological analyses, historical documents and archival researches allowing to corroborate or improve our knowledge about the health condition and the quality of life of an Italian rural population from the end of the XVth until the first half of the XVIIth century AD