Towards understanding health, diet and mobility in early medieval valleys, South Tyrol (Alto Adige-Südtirol) Italy

Im Frühmittelalter (500-1000 n. Chr.) spielte Südtirol in den italienischen Alpen eine wichtige militärische und geographische Rolle als Transitgebiet zwischen Süd- und Nordeuropa. Die wenigen historischen Quellen aus dem Frühmittelalter dokumentieren einen Wandel der alpinen Gesellschaften nach der Schwächung des Weströmischen Reiches, dem Rückzug der römischen Truppen aus den Alpen und dem Aufstieg der römisch-barbarischen Königreiche. Archäologische Quellen bezeugen den gegenseitigen kulturellen Austausch zwischen zuvor sesshaften (rätischen) und allochthonen Völkern (βάρβαροι oder “Barbaren”) durch einen komplexen Prozess der kulturellen Hybridisierung im Laufe der Zeit. Sowohl historische als auch archäologische Quellen sind jedoch nicht immer schlüssig, was die Ansiedlung barbarischer Gruppen in diesem Gebiet betrifft. Zwar könnten anthropologische und paläopathologische Analysen dazu beitragen, die damalige Lebensweise direkt aus menschlichen Überresten zu rekonstruieren, doch wurden bisher nur wenige solcher Untersuchungen in diesem Gebiet durchgeführt, und es wurden bisher keine Daten zu stabilen Isotopen veröffentlicht. Daher fördert die vorliegende kumulative Dissertation eine multidisziplinäre Synergie zwischen den Forschungsgebieten der Anthropologie, Paläopathologie und Geochemie (Analyse stabiler Isotope). Die Ziele sind: 1) Einblicke in den Gesundheitszustand der Bewohner des frühmittelalterlichen Südtirols mit Schwerpunkt auf Stoffwechselkrankheiten und Traumata zu geben, 2) Ernährungs- und 3) Mobilitätsmuster innerhalb und zwischen den Tälern zu erforschen. Um das erste Ziel zu erreichen, befassen sich die beiden in Artikel I und Artikel II vorgestellten Studien mit der Paläopathologie und geben erste Hinweise zum Gesundheitszustand der Individuen, die zuvor noch nie anthropologisch untersucht worden waren. Insbesondere stellt der erste Artikel (Artikel I) Fälle von subadultem Skorbut (Vitamin-C-Mangel) auf dem frühmittelalterlichen Friedhof von Castel Tirol im Meraner Becken vor. Die Hinweise auf Unterernährung lieferten neue Erkenntnisse über mögliche klimatische Ereignisse sowie über den bisher wenig verstandenen soziokulturellen und lokalhistorischen Kontext, die ein anderes Szenario nahelegen, als bisher aufgrund der archäologischen Untersuchungen vermutet worden war. Die Ergebnisse der zweiten paläopathologischen Studie (Artikel II) liefern Einzelheiten zur zwischenmenschlichen Gewalt im frühmittelalterlichen Säben-Sabiona (Eisacktal), bei dem ein junger erwachsener Mann (SK63) sowohl im Schädel als auch im Postkranium traumatische Läsionen aufwies, unter anderem perimortales Trauma durch scharfe Gewalt. Um das zweite und dritte Ziel der Dissertation zu behandeln, untersucht Artikel III mittels Analyse stabiler δ15N, δ13C und δ34S Isotopen die Ernährungs- und Mobilitätsmuster frühmittelalterlicher Menschen und Tiere aus verschiedenen Tälern, Höhenlagen und Standorten in Südtirol. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Unterschiede in den Subsistenzstrategien vom Umweltkontext, vor allem von den Höhenlagen, abhängig waren und auf einen höheren Mobilitätsgrad an niedrigeren Standorten (Etschtal) als in höheren Gebieten (Vinschgau) hinwiesen. Insgesamt legt die vorgelegte Dissertation nahe, dass die neu gewonnenen paläopathologischen und isotopischen Ergebnisse besser im Kontext von ökologischen und geomorphologischen (durch das römische Straßennetz zugänglich gemacht) Faktoren interpretiert werden können, als im Hinblick auf damalige wirtschaftliche oder kulturelle Aspekte, z.B. Handel oder Austausch von Kultur oder Technologie. Es kann jedoch nicht ausgeschlossen werden, dass einige historische Ereignisse (z.B. Militarisierung des Territoriums, Durchzug und provisorische Ansiedlung von Truppen in bestimmten Gebieten, Begegnungen/Streitigkeiten zwischen Gruppen) auch den Gesundheitszustand der Personen beeinflusst haben könnten (z.B. sporadische Episoden von Vitamin-C-Mangel oder zwischenmenschliche Gewalt). Der angewandte multidisziplinäre Dialog ist ein wirksamer Ansatz, um unser Verständnis der frühmittelalterlichen Bevölkerung in den nordöstlichen italienischen Alpen voranzubringen und produktive Forschungsbereiche für zukünftige Studien hervorzuheben.In the Early Middle Ages (500-1000 AD), South Tyrol, in the Italian Alps, played a key military and geographical role as a transit area between southern and northern Europe. The limited early medieval historical sources document a change in the Alpine societies, following the weakening of the Western Roman Empire, the withdrawal of Roman troops from the Alps and the rise of the Romano-Barbarian kingdoms. Archaeological sources attest mutual cultural exchanges among previously settled (Raetho-roman) and allochthonous (βάρβαροι or barbari) peoples through a complex process of cultural hybridization over time. However, both historical and archaeological sources are often inconclusive on the settling of barbaric groups in this territory. While anthropological and paleopathological analyses could help to reconstruct the lifestyle at that time directly from human remains, few such studies have been performed in this area, and no isotopic data have been published to date. Therefore, the present cumulative dissertation promotes a multidisciplinary synergy between the research fields of anthropology, paleopathology and geochemistry (analysis of stable isotopes). The objectives are: 1) to provide insights into the health condition of the inhabitants of early medieval South Tyrol, focusing on metabolic diseases and trauma analyses, 2) to explore their dietary and (3) mobility patterns within and between valleys. To address the first objective, the two studies presented in Article I and Article II deal with paleopathology, giving first information on the health status of the individuals, which had never anthropologically examined before. In particular, the first article (Article I) presents the subadult scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) cases in the early medieval cemetery of Castel Tirolo in Merano basin. Indication of malnutrition provided new insights into possible climatic events, as well as on the poorly understood sociocultural and local historical context, suggesting a different scenario to what had previously been supposed based on the archaeological investigations. Results of the second paleopathological study (Article II) provide details on interpersonal violence in early medieval Sabiona-Säben (Isarco valley), where a young adult male (SK63) exhibited traumatic lesions in both the cranium and postcranium, including perimortem sharp force trauma. To address the second and third objectives of the dissertation, Article III investigates, by means of stable δ15N, δ13C and δ34S isotopes analysis, the dietary and mobility patterns of early medieval human communities and fauna from various valleys, altitudes and sites in South Tyrol. The results show that the differences in subsistence strategies were dependent on the environmental context, mainly altitudes, and they indicated a higher degree of mobility at lower sites (Adige valley) than at higher areas (Venosta valley). Overall, the presented doctoral thesis suggests that the newly obtained paleopathological and isotopic results can be better interpreted in the light of environmental and geomorphological (exploited by the Roman road network) factors rather than economical or cultural aspects, e.g. trading, cultural or technologies exchanges, at that time. However, it cannot be ruled out that some historical events (e.g., militarization of the territory, passage and provisional settlement of troops in certain areas, encounters/disputes between groups) might also have influenced the individuals’ health status (e.g., sporadic episodes of vitamin C deficiency or interpersonal violence). The applied multidisciplinary dialogue was an effective approach towards progressing our understanding of early medieval populations in north-eastern Italian Alps, highlighting productive areas of research for future studies

Metagenomic analysis of ancient dental calculus reveals unexplored diversity of oral archaeal Methanobrevibacter

Background Dental calculus (mineralised dental plaque) preserves many types of microfossils and biomolecules, including microbial and host DNA, and ancient calculus are thus an important source of information regarding our ancestral human oral microbiome. In this study, we taxonomically characterised the dental calculus microbiome from 20 ancient human skeletal remains originating from Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy, dating from the Neolithic (6000–3500 BCE) to the Early Middle Ages (400–1000 CE). Results We found a high abundance of the archaeal genus Methanobrevibacter in the calculus. However, only a fraction of the sequences showed high similarity to Methanobrevibacter oralis, the only described Methanobrevibacter species in the human oral microbiome so far. To further investigate the diversity of this genus, we used de novo metagenome assembly to reconstruct 11 Methanobrevibacter genomes from the ancient calculus samples. Besides the presence of M. oralis in one of the samples, our phylogenetic analysis revealed two hitherto uncharacterised and unnamed oral Methanobrevibacter species that are prevalent in ancient calculus samples sampled from a broad range of geographical locations and time periods. Conclusions We have shown the potential of using de novo metagenomic assembly on ancient samples to explore microbial diversity and evolution. Our study suggests that there has been a possible shift in the human oral microbiome member Methanobrevibacter over the last millennia

Genetic Predisposition of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Ancient Human Remains

Background: Several computed tomographic studies have shown the presence of atherosclerosis in ancient human remains. However, while it is important to understand the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), genetic data concerning the prevalence of the disease-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in our ancestors are scarce. Objective: For a better understanding of the role of genetics in the evolution of ASCVD, we applied an enrichment capture sequencing approach to mummified human remains from different geographic regions and time periods. Methods: Twenty-two mummified individuals were analyzed for their genetic predisposition of ASCVD. Next-generation sequencing methods were applied to ancient DNA (aDNA) samples, including a novel enrichment approach specifically designed to capture SNPs associated with ASCVD in genome-wide association studies of modern humans. Findings: Five out of 22 ancient individuals passed all filter steps for calculating a weighted polygenic risk score (PRS) based on 87 SNPs in 56 genes. PRSs were correlated to scores obtained from contemporary people from around the world and cover their complete range. The genetic results of the ancient individuals reflect their phenotypic results, given that the only two mummies showing calcified atherosclerotic arterial plaques on computed tomography scans are the ones exhibiting the highest calculated PRSs. Conclusions: These data show that alleles associated with ASCVD have been widespread for at least 5,000 years. Despite some limitations due to the nature of aDNA, our approach has the potential to lead to a better understanding of the interaction between environmental and genetic influences on the development of ASCVD

"Until death do us part". A multidisciplinary study on human- Animal co- burials from the Late Iron Age necropolis of Seminario Vescovile in Verona (Northern Italy, 3rd-1st c. BCE).

Animal remains are a common find in prehistoric and protohistoric funerary contexts. While taphonomic and osteological data provide insights about the proximate (depositional) factors responsible for these findings, the ultimate cultural causes leading to this observed mortuary behavior are obscured by the opacity of the archaeological record and the lack of written sources. Here, we apply an interdisciplinary suite of analytical approaches (zooarchaeological, anthropological, archaeological, paleogenetic, and isotopic) to explore the funerary deposition of animal remains and the nature of joint human-animal burials at Seminario Vescovile (Verona, Northern Italy 3rd-1st c. BCE). This context, culturally attributed to the Cenomane culture, features 161 inhumations, of which only 16 included animal remains in the form of full skeletons, isolated skeletal parts, or food offerings. Of these, four are of particular interest as they contain either horses (Equus caballus) or dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)-animals that did not play a dietary role. Analyses show no demographic, dietary, funerary similarities, or genetic relatedness between individuals buried with animals. Isotopic data from two analyzed dogs suggest differing management strategies for these animals, possibly linked to economic and/or ritual factors. Overall, our results point to the unsuitability of simple, straightforward explanations for the observed funerary variability. At the same time, they connect the evidence from Seminario Vescovile with documented Transalpine cultural traditions possibly influenced by local and Roman customs

The Iceman's Last Meal Consisted of Fat, Wild Meat, and Cereals

The history of humankind is marked by the constant adoption of new dietary habits affecting human physiology, metabolism, and even the development of nutrition-related disorders. Despite clear archaeological evidence for the shift from hunter-gatherer lifestyle to agriculture in Neolithic Europe [1], very little information exists on the daily dietary habits of our ancestors. By undertaking a complementary -omics approach combined with microscopy, we analyzed the stomach content of the Iceman, a 5,300-yearold European glacier mummy [2, 3]. He seems to have had a remarkably high proportion of fat in his diet, supplemented with fresh or dried wild meat, cereals, and traces of toxic bracken. Our multipronged approach provides unprecedented analytical depth, deciphering the nutritional habit, meal composition, and food-processing methods of this Copper Age individual

Morphologic-anthropological investigations in tomb K93.12 at Dra’ Abu el-Naga (Western Thebes, Egypt)

In this study we present the analysis of the human remains from tomb K93.12 in the Ancient Egyptian necropolis of Dra’ Abu el-Naga, located opposite the modern city of Luxor in Upper Egypt on the western bank of the Nile. Archaeological findings indicate that the rock tomb was originally built in the early 18th dynasty. Remains of two tomb-temples of the 20th dynasty and the looted burial of the High Priest of Amun Amenhotep have been identified. After the New Kingdom the tomb was reused as a burial place until the 26th dynasty. The skeletal and mummified material of the different tomb areas underwent a detailed anthropological and paleopathological analysis. The human remains were mostly damaged and scattered due to extensive grave robberies. In total, 79 individuals could be partly reconstructed and investigated. The age and sex distribution revealed a male predominance and a high percentage of young children (< 6 years) and adults in the range of 20 to 40 years. The paleopathological analysis showed a high prevalence of stress markers such as cribra orbitalia in the younger individuals, and other pathological conditions such as dental diseases, degenerative diseases and a possible case of ankylosing spondylitis. Additionally, 13 mummies of an intrusive waste pit could be attributed to three different groups belonging to earlier time periods based on their style of mummification and materials used. The study revealed important information on the age and sex distribution and diseases of the individuals buried in tomb K93.12