The Late Iron Age in Switzerland: a review of anthropological, funerary, and isotopic studies

The Iron Age in continental Europe is a period of profound cultural and biological importance with heterogeneous trends through space and time. Regional overviews are therefore useful for better understanding the main cultural and biological patterns characterizing this period across the European regions. For the area of modern Switzerland, a rich archeological and anthropological record represents the Late Iron Age. However, no review of the main anthropological and funerary patterns for this period is available to date. Here we assess the available demographic, paleopathological, funerary, and isotopic data for the Late Iron Age in the Swiss territory, and summarize the cultural and biological patterns emerging from the available literature. Finally, we highlight a series of research avenues for future studies

Verso una riflessione formativa su colorismo e “passing”

Always new, but in reality 'old' forms of racism are manifesting themselves even where they seemed erased and unrepeatable. At the same time, in contrast to the nineteenth and, above all, the twentieth century, very few proclaim themselves openly as racists. This situation proves – precisely because it is denied – very insidious and pernicious as such it further conceals racist perceptions, conceptions and acts. Faced with it, there is a need for reflection and counteracting actions that call into question formative processes and confront them with complex relational phenomenologies such as those of colourism and “passing”. These phenomenologies are linked and, at the same time, distinct; however, both are the result of oppression and "demand" to be taken over by formative practices of study, explication and understanding.Sempre nuove, ma in realtà “vecchie” forme di razzismo, si manifestano anche dove sembravano cancellate e irripetibili. Nello stesso tempo, al contrario di quello che è successo nell’ottocento e, soprattutto, nel novecento, pochissimi si proclamano apertamente razzisti. Questa situazione si rivela – proprio perché negata – molto subdola e insidiosa, in quanto nasconde ulteriormente percezioni, concezioni e agiti razzisti. Di fronte ad essa vi è il bisogno di riflessioni e azioni di contrasto che chiamino in causa i processi formativi e li pongano di fronte a fenomenologie relazionali complesse come quelle del colorismo e del “passing”. Tali fenomenologie sono collegate e, nello stesso tempo, distinte; entrambe, però, sono frutto di oppressione e “chiedono” di essere prese in carico da pratiche di studio, esplicitazione e comprensione formative

Mondi (im)possibili e scuola

La scuola vissuta dai suoi protagonisti è una realtà interdipendente dal modo con cui viene concepita e prefigurata. Anche a scuola s’impara e si può insegnare a prefigurare, a fare ipotesi sul nostro futuro. Tali ipotesi retroagiscono sul come viviamo il nostro presente. Sussiste una connessione tra il bisogno umano, presente fin dall’infanzia, di non appiattirsi sull’esistente e la necessità che la scuola sia, essa stessa, prefigurata in maniera dissonante da un’impotenza senza speranza

La tensione formativa verso il futuro

Tending and moving towards the future is not a very commonly practised exercise; consequently, it is rarely taught and learned. In fact, forming towards the future implies a real fight against indifference, a new awareness about one’s own and others’ perceptions and conceptions as well as expectations about what will happen. Such a tension provides for an attention to the consequencesof the actions and the events of the past and of the present on the future. However, predicting and foreseeing are constituent activities of the humanity itself who constantly live of possibilities and in possibilities. Memory and imagination intersect each other in order to permeate the “worlds” of possibilities that humanity build and inhabit. The creativity and the relational quality of these worlds are a main responsibility of those formative processes that are bent on giving up repetitiveness.Tendere e protendersi verso il futuro non è un esercizio molto praticato; raramente, quindi, è insegnato e appreso. Formare al futuro implica, infatti, una vera e propria lotta contro l’indifferenza, una mai esaustiva presa di consapevolezza delle proprie e altrui percezioni e concezioni, nonché delle aspettative verso ciò che verrà. Una tale tensione contempla un’attenzione alle conseguenze delle azioni e degli eventi del passato e del presente sul futuro. Prevedere e prefigurare sono attività, comunque, costitutive dell’umanità stessa, che vive costantemente dell’eventualità e nell’eventualità. Memoria e immaginazione s’intersecano indissolubilmente nel permeare i “mondi” della possibilità che l’umanità costruisce e “abita”. La creatività e la qualità relazionale di questi mondi sono precipua responsabilità di quei processi formativi che vogliono rinunciare alla ripetitività

Perimortem Skeletal Sharp Force Trauma: Detection Reliability on CT Data, Demographics and Anatomical Patterns from a Forensic Dataset

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The increased use of computed tomography images in forensic anthropology is easily explained with a variety of benefits: among other reasons they are digitally stored, they can easily be shared and they are non-invasive. However, it is not clear how suitable these images are for forensic anthropologists to detect sharp force trauma. Therefore, we analyzed computed tomography images, by observing digital images of 41 forensic cases in different viewing modalities. In addition, we looked for anatomical injury patterns in the soft- and hard-tissues and any significant correlations between the manner of death (suicide or homicide) with different parameters. Our findings indicated a superiority of viewing the images in 2D, but not all bone lesions were detected. The manner of death was significantly correlated to some of the parameters, which could be extrapolated to future forensic anthropological cases. We promote the inclusion of imaging training into the anthropological curricula. ABSTRACT: The increasing importance of trauma analysis by means of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is insufficiently reflected in forensic curricula, nor are best practice manuals available. We attempt to detect sharp force bone lesions on PMCT of closed forensic cases with the aims of assessing errors and pointing out patterns in anatomical location and manner of death (MOD). We investigated 41 closed sharp force fatality cases, with available PMCT and forensic reports. Two observers with different radiological training assessed the lesions on PMCT scans (2D and 3D) for comparison with the reports. Between 3% (suicides) and 15.3% (homicides) of sharp force injuries caused visible bone lesions. While our observations were repeatable, each forensic investigation left a similar number of bone lesions undetected. Injury patterns differed between MOD, with thoracic bone lesions being most frequent overall. Soft tissue injury location varied between the MOD. Associations between MOD and age as well as number of injuries were significant. The detection of bone lesions on PMCT for untrained forensic specialists is challenging, curricula and pertinent manuals are desirable. With the low frequency of bone lesions compared to soft tissue injuries, we should be aware when analyzing decomposed bodies

Perimortem skeletal sharp force trauma on postmortem CTs

While ethical discussions about identified human bone collections are on the rise, digital skeletal repositories are of increasing importance in forensics. In addition, there is a global trend within anthropology towards anonymized open access radiological databases. However, the validation of osteological methods on the virtual modality is essential. The paucity of research in this area has led us to analyze the usefulness of CT data in conjunction with skeletal sharp force lesions. Furthermore, little data exists so far on the association between soft- and hard-tissue lesions caused by sharp force, on anatomical injury patterns and on the overall rate of sharp force lesions penetrating to the bone. We collected 41 cases of fatal sharp force trauma from the IRM Bern database and analyzed the pertaining postmortem CT (PMCT) on 2D and 3D, and carried out intra- and interobserver, as well as intermodality agreement tests. We investigated possible correlations between the manner of death (suicide/homicide) and various parameters (sex, age-at-death, presence and number of injuries and affected anatomical regions). All agreement tests (intra- and interobserver, as well as intermodality) resulted in Cohen's kappa (κ-) values between 0.474 and 1 (moderate to perfect). We found that only 11.4% of all sharp force injuries in our sample penetrated to the bone, differing between the manners of death (3% in suicides, 15.3% in homicides). Overall, bone lesions were most frequent on the thorax. We obtained significant results (P-value <0.05) for the manner of death correlating with age-at-death, and with the number of soft- and hard-tissue injuries. The insight gained from PMCT is mutually beneficial for all disciplines involved in forensic cases, stressing the added value of collaboration

Perimortem skeletal sharp force trauma on postmortem CTs

The study of skeletal sharp force lesions is an important step of a forensic anthropological analysis. However, most forensic literature on traumatic lesions focuses on injuries detected on soft-tissue. The links between the type and location of violent skeletal lesions, and skeletal injury patterns are not well explored. Here we address this topic by presenting a tomographic study of sharp force lesions in an identified forensic sample. Our study includes 41 cases of fatal sharp force trauma from the database of the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IRM) in Bern. For each individual we: 1) studied the available postmortem CT data and evaluated the reliability of CT data in revealing these lesions by means of intra- and interobserver agreement tests; 2) explored the possible association between manner of death (suicide vs. homicide) and other parameters (sex, age-at-death, presence and number of injuries and affected anatomical regions). Agreement ranged between moderate and perfect (Cohen's kappa values between 0.474 and 1). Only 11.4% of sharp force injuries penetrated to the bone, differing between the manners of death (3% in suicides, 15.3% in homicides). Bone lesions were most frequent on the thorax (59.2%), head and neck region (38%) and upper extremities (2.8%). No bone lesions were visible on the abdomen and the lower extremities. Self-inflicted bone lesions were found exclusively on the thorax, while soft-tissue injuries were most frequent on the head and neck. A statistically significant association linked manner of death with age-at-death and number of injuries. Our data are relevant for studies attempting to reconstruct violent interactions from skeletal remains in any context featuring sharp force trauma (forensic, bioarchaeological or genocide). Since only 11.4% of sharp force trauma leave traces on the skeleton, investigators need to be aware of the deriving bias

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence: Perimortem skeletal sharp force trauma on postmortem CT

Responding to both modern research sharing requirements and ethical concerns, digital osteological databases are increasingly implemented across the world. Of these, postmortem CT (PMCT) datasets stand as a relevant source of information, especially for forensically oriented research. However, the potential error affecting conclusions based on PMCT observations by anthropologists devoid of a radiological background has not yet been clarified. Here, we address this issue by focusing on the detection of sharp force bone lesions on PMCT images. We screened the database of the Institut für Rechtsmedizin (IRM), Bern, and selected 41 cases involving inflicted and self-inflicted sharp force trauma. We blindly studied each PMCT dataset and then compared our results with those from the original autopsy and radiology reports. We observed each case by means of both 2D transverse slices and 3D reconstructions. We investigated any association between the manner of death with demographic and injury-related parameters. Moreover, we analyzed the relationship between soft- and hard-tissue lesions caused by sharp force. Only 11.4% of all sharp force injuries penetrated to the bone, differing between the manners of death (3% in suicides, 15.3% in homicides). Overall, bone lesions were most frequent on the thorax. The obtained results were significant (P-value <0.05) for the manner of death correlating with age-at-death, and with the number of soft- and hard-tissue injuries. The low ratio between soft-tissue and bone lesions call for caution when inferring violent events from osteological analyses. Our results strongly suggest the potential benefits from the inclusion of virtual observations and virtual protocols into both forensic anthropological and osteoarchaeological curricula

Patterns of funerary variability, diet, and developmental stress in a Celtic population from NE Italy (3rd-1st c BC)

Little is known about the types of social organization characterizing the pre-Roman Celtic populations of Italy. Here, we explore the funerary variability characterizing the late Iron Age site of Seminario Vescovile (SV: Verona, Italy, 3rd-1st c. BC), and test its possible correlation to diet and relative exposure to developmental stressors. Patterns on funerary treatment (N = 125), δ13C and δ15N (N = 90), and linear enamel hypoplasia (N = 47) from SV are compared, and their possible association with sex and age-at-death further discussed. Results point to the presence at SV of variable funerary customs while at the same time demonstrating a rather homogenous diet and exposure to developmental stressors: funerary treatment is mainly correlated to age-at-death but do not appear to be associated to either isotopic patterns or hypoplasia frequencies. Accordingly, even if some weak social differentiation may have characterized the individuals buried at SV, this was not reflected in markedly differing living conditions. Our study is the first to attempt an exploration of the links between age, sex, funerary variability, and diet in a pre-Roman Celtic community from Italy. While highlighting the potential of a multifaceted approach in bioarcheology, it also points to a series of analytical and theoretical issues relevant when trying to disentangle the cultural and biological dimensions of social differentiation in the past

Patterns of Irregular Burials in Western Europe (1st-5th Century AD)

International audienceBackground :Irregular burials (IB-burials showing features that contrast with the majority of others in their geographic and chronological context) have been the focus of archaeological study because of their relative rarity and enigmatic appearance. Interpretations of IB often refer to supposed fear of the dead or to social processes taking place in time-specific contexts. However, a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of IB for various geographical contexts is still lacking, a fact that hampers any discussion of these burials on a larger scale. Methods :Here, we collected a bibliographic dataset of 375 IB from both Britain and Continental Europe, altogether spanning a time period from the 1st to the 5th century AD. Each burial has been coded according to ten dichotomous variables, further analyzed by means of chi-squared tests on absolute frequencies, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and cluster analysis. Results :Even acknowledging the limits of this study, and in particular the bias represented by the available literature, our results point to interesting patterns. Geographically, IB show a contrast between Britain and Continental Europe, possibly related to historical processes specific to these regions. Different types of IB (especially prone depositions and depositions with the cephalic extremity displaced) present a series of characteristics and associations between features that permit a more detailed conceptualization of these occurrences from a socio-cultural perspective that aids to elucidate their funerary meaning. Conclusions and Significance :Altogether, the present work stresses the variability of IB, and the need to contextualize them in a proper archaeological and historical context. It contributes to the discussion of IB by providing a specific geographic and chronological frame of reference that supports a series of hypotheses about the cultural processes possibly underlying their occurrence