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Combined approach to the analysis of human cremated remains: Uncovering new aspects of rituals and funerary practices in the Iron Age Golasecca Celtic Civilisation (Northwestern Italy, 9th-4th century BCE)
Journal of Archeological Science: Reports 2025; 61, 104934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104934 Combined approach to the analysis of human cremated remains: Uncovering new aspects of rituals and funerary practices in the Iron Age Golasecca Celtic Civilisation (Northwestern Italy, 9th-4th century BCE)
The analysis of archaeological cremations is a lengthy and complex process, primarily aimed at determining the biological profile of the individuals and reconstructing the funerary rituals practiced by the community. This goal is both ambitious and intricate, as cremated remains result from a series of actions and variables often unverifiable through the sole analysis of the archaeological record. Certain aspects can be inferred from qualitative characteristics of the burned bones, such as colour, which is often linked to the combustion temperature achieved. Other aspects can be deduced from quantitative data, such as the number of fragments and their weight. This study combines both approaches, employing qualitative criteria for the anatomical recognition of fragments and quantitative data regarding their weight. The research is driven by a specific question: Did the Golasecca Celtic Civilisation, like surrounding regions, place particular emphasis on the skull? Through the anthropological analysis of all the available Italian cremations (n 323) and the statistical analysis of the acquired data, this study addresses this question, revealing aspects otherwise invisible through exclusive qualitative or quantitative analysis. Additionally, the study considers the spatial analysis of the remains within ossuaries, hypothesizing the presence of a specific order in the deposition of skeletal parts within urns. This combination of methods has allowed for a deeper understanding of the ritual practices in the Golasecca culture, offering new perspectives on the management and significance of cremated remains. The comparison with contemporary Italian anthropological and archaeological data, as well as information available for the transalpine Celts, has further enabled the identification of this phenomenon within the broader context of Iron Age Europe, allowing us to hypothesize that the Golasecca Celtic Civilization performed rituals with a particular focus on the skulls of their deceased.
An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Late Islamic Cemeteries Within the Cathedral (15th–18th Century CE) and the Ruins of Adulis (Mid-19th–Early 20th Century CE), Massawa, Eritrea: Funerary Architecture, Funerary Rituals, Burial Rites, and Bioarcheological Data Identifying Late Islamic Graves in Central Eastern Eritrea
Heritage, 2025; 8(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage801001An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Late Islamic Cemeteries Within the Cathedral (15th–18th Century CE) and the Ruins of Adulis (Mid-19th–Early 20th Century CE), Massawa, Eritrea: Funerary Architecture, Funerary Rituals, Burial Rites, and Bioarcheological Data Identifying Late Islamic Graves in Central Eastern Eritrea
Systematic studies on Late Islamic cemeteries that integrate architectural, ritual, and biological aspects remain relatively rare, particularly in Islamic countries or regions with an active Muslim presence. Typically, available research focuses more on epigraphic and artistic features. Since 2018, excavations at the Cathedral and surveys in the ruins of the city of Adulis (Massawa, Eritrea) have uncovered 326 Muslim graves: six dating to the 15th and 18th centuries CE and 320 attributed to the mid-19th to the early 20th century CE. These discoveries have enabled, for the first time in Eritrea, a detailed scientific study of the biological characteristics of the human remains, the funerary architecture, and the burial rites of Muslim communities from the 15th to the early 20th century. The skeletal remains were analyzed through taphonomic and anthropological studies. The graves were categorized into various typologies based on their structural features, while evidence of funerary rituals was documented as indicative elements of the burial practices adopted. These findings were further enriched by ethnographic sources and collaborative work with local communities, who acted as custodians of the historical memory and traditions of the region. The results provide insights into a historical period of Eritrea that is otherwise poorly documented. More broadly, they contribute to the understanding of the history of the Horn of Africa, a region with limited data from funerary and archaeological contexts. The Muslim cemeteries of Adulis represent the most extensively investigated Muslim burial site in recent years, providing critical insights into the historical Muslim presence in the region. These findings also allow researchers to hypothesize the succession of various communities that chose Adulis as a central location for interring their deceased, reflecting its enduring significance as a focal point for cultural and ritual practices across different periods.
Dwarfism-related skeletal dysplasia in Italy. Multi-analytic study of 8th century CE human remains from Azzio (Varese) and biocultural implications of a pathology
Journal of Archeological Science: Reports 2024; 59, 104793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104793 Dwarfism-related skeletal dysplasia in Italy. Multi-analytic study of 8th century CE human remains from Azzio (Varese) and biocultural implications of a pathology
Skeletal dysplasias are a broad family of genetic disorders, often challenging to diagnose even in clinical literature without molecular analysis. Some cases of possible skeletal dysplasia have also been identified in osteoarchaeological samples, although achieving a definitive diagnosis is fraught with difficulties. This paper presents the analysis of the osteological remains of AZ-III-3, discovered in the archaeological context of the Church of Sant’Antonio and Eusebio in Azzio (Varese province, Italy). The study aims to demonstrate that even with limited skeletal elements, a diagnosis can be hypothesised using macroscopic morphometric and radio diagnostic techniques. These methods, compared with clinical and paleopathological literature, have allowed for the identification of a rare Italian case of dwarfism-related skeletal dysplasia. This contribution seeks to address the biocultural presence of individuals affected by these skeletal dysplasias, listing and discussing all published Italian cases, including that of AZ-III-3, whose chronological framework was established through both archaeological context analysis and 14C dating.
Cranial selection in the cremated remains of the Iron Age Golasecca Celtic Civilization (Northwestern Italy, 9-4th century BCE)
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2024; 34(2), e3292. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3292 Cranial selection in the cremated remains of the Iron Age Golasecca Celtic Civilization (Northwestern Italy, 9-4th century BCE)
The Golasecca Celtic Civilization (GCC) developed in the Italian Iron Age, between the 9th and 4th centuries BCE, and is characterized by the predominant use of cremation as a funerary ritual in the Italian area. Reconstructing the steps of the cremation ritual in archaeology is a complex challenge, as many anthropic actions leave only faint traces in cremated remains. Within the funerary rituals of prehistoric and protohistoric Italy, the skull has received particular attention from numerous archaeological cultures and civilizations. The context of via Marconi 2020 (Sesto Calende, Varese, northern Italy) has allowed hinting at this practice also in GCC, through the anthropological analysis of cremated remains found in two different but spatially close tombs. The analysis of the cremated remains identified the selection of some elements of the skull of an adult individual and the post-cranium of a non-adult individual in the first tomb, and the presence of only the skull of the non-adult individual in the second tomb. The possibility of a ritual attention of the GCC reserved for the skull has been proven for the first time thanks to the analysis of these subjects. This work provides new data on funerary ritual behaviors of the GCC, allowing for a better understanding within the Italian and European panorama.
Rituals and funerary rites of the Golsecca Celtic Civilisation - Rituali e riti funerari della Civiltà celtica di Golasecca
BAR Publishing - Oxford, 2023. https://www.barpublishing.com/rituali-e-riti-funerari-della-civilta-celtica-di-golasecca.html Rituals and funerary rites of the Golsecca Celtic Civilisation - Rituali e riti funerari della Civiltà celtica di Golasecca
This volume provides an interesting perspective on two crucial and urgent issues in the bioarchaeological world: the reconstruction of individual 'osteo-biographies' from each skeleton, especially from cremations, and the attempt to gather data from different necropolises, which are too often scattered and never considered from a unified and comparative perspective.The first issue is certainly linked to the complex nature of cremated remains, often reduced to a few hundred burnt fragments that represent what was once a human body. Reading between the lines of this work, one can appreciate the intellectual honesty of those who do not disdain a traditional, morphological approach, but at the same time increasingly apply and look at an analytical method that is being (and will be) enhanced – albeit slowly – by new technologies, ranging from microscopy to radiology and genetics. Therefore, there remains the hope and expectation that even cremations, as seen here and in other contexts, can and must provide increasingly detailed information about ancient populations if the methodological approach is correct.The second major effort of this work is to venture down a path less traveled by bioarchaeologists, namely, attempting to provide a holistic view of a period or population by gathering and comparing data from multiple necropolises, which is even rarer among the cremated than among the inhumed. This approach has certainly led to interesting and relevant results, thanks to the expanded biocultural horizons through comparisons across multiple datasets, including the application of statistical criteria.This writing will, therefore, be of great interest to various professionals from different perspectives: archaeologists and historians for their contribution to the understanding of the Golasecca civilization, bioarchaeological specialists for the methodological approach and multidisciplinary perspective, especially from a technical and comparative standpoint. Preface of Professor Cristina Cattaneo - Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Italy.
Human, all too human: differentiating non-human from human bones in protohistoric cremation contexts from northern Italy
Heritage, 2023; 6(1), 647-661. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/heritage6010034 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.
Probable micronutrient deficiency diseases in a rural community. The nonadults of Mary’s Nativity church, 16th century, Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2023; 47, 03774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103774 Probable micronutrient deficiency diseases in a rural community. The nonadults of Mary’s Nativity church, 16th century, Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy
This paper discuss, with a biocultural perspective, the connection between living condition related to the Great Peasants’ Revolt and health status of the nonadult population from the 16th century North-eastern Italy, with a particular focus on those caused by micronutrients C and D. We analysed forty-one skeletons of nonadults in primary deposition with macroscopic examination coupled with a literature review aimed at providing a differential diagnosis. Eleven nonadults present probable cases of rickets, twelve show evidence that seems to be related to scurvy, while ten individuals feature a pattern consistent with a co-occurrence condition. Finally, eight subjects have no pathological changes or evidence, and that may be considered strictly related to C or D deficiency. This study provides a significant example of pathological lesion on nonadults coming from the same area and framed in a limited chronological period. In addition, the sample is distinguished by the number of subjects and the good preservation of their bone tissue. Finally, the work is of primary importance as the Italian panorama lacks exhaustive paleopathological publications.
A possible case of “kissing” osteochondroma and multiple enchondromas in a medieval skeleton from the church of Sant’Agostino in Caravate
Anthropologischer Anzeiger, 2023; 80(2), 191-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103774 A possible case of “kissing” osteochondroma and multiple enchondromas in a medieval skeleton from the church of Sant’Agostino in Caravate
This work presents the neoplastic bone changes found in the lower limb of a medieval skeleton from the church of Sant’ Agostino in Caravate (Northern Italy). After briefly assessing the individual’s overall pathological picture, a differential diagnosis for the neoplastic changes is now proposed. These changes were analysed macroscopically and radiographically and subsequently evaluated considering the paleopathological and clinical literature available. The differential diagnosis allowed us to recognize a tibiofibular osteochondroma and some enchondromas in the medullary cavity of the tibia. The results presented here highlight the importance of radiological analyses in the recognition and study of bone neoplasms in the paleopathological field, further contributing to our knowledge of the presence of neoplasms in Medieval Northern Italy.
A probable case of subligamentous tuberculous spondylitis: The concealed body of the Late Modern Period (early 16th century to early 20th century), Franciscan crypt of St. Anthony and St. Eusebius church, Lombardy, Italy
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2020; 30(2), 180-196. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2845 A probable case of subligamentous tuberculous spondylitis: The concealed body of the Late Modern Period (early 16th century to early 20th century), Franciscan crypt of St. Anthony and St. Eusebius church, Lombardy, Italy
This paper presents a probable case of subligamentous tuberculous spondylitis (STBS), a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, diagnosed in the skeleton of a middle-aged male discovered in the ossuary of the Franciscan crypt of the St. Anthony and St. Eusebius church, which lies in north-western Italy. The skeleton can be dated back between the 17th and 19th centuries. This rare type of tuberculosis was identified in the thoracic and lumbar spine, with no further evidences at the level of the cranial and other postcranial bones. The concomitance of osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities, scalloping, reactive bone formation area, anterior, and lateral ligaments ossification was observed and allowed us to perform a morphological STBS diagnosis. The subject presented here contributes to the literature related to the prevalence of tuberculosis in Italy during the last centuries. Moreover, we also focus our attention on some osteopathological criteria that can prove useful for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
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