A5079222452- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Forensic and Genetic Research
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Ancient Near East History
- Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History
- Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies
- Educational and Social Studies
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes
- Classical Antiquity Studies
- Italian Social Issues and Migration
- Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Conservation Techniques and Studies
- Musculoskeletal Disorders and Rehabilitation
- Archaeological and Historical Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
- Hip disorders and treatments
- Bone Tumor Diagnosis and Treatments
- Italian Literature and Culture
- Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
University of Bern
2019-2025
University of Perugia
2017-2024
University of Zurich
2012-2020
Fondazione Audiologica Varese
2020
Zürich Zoological Garden
2016-2019
Royal Anthropological Institute
2013
Alma Mater Europaea
2013
Entheseal changes are traditionally included in a large array of skeletal features commonly referred to as "skeletal markers activity." However, medical studies and recent anthropological analyses identified series suggest complex combination physiological biomechanical factors underlying the variability such "markers." The aim this study is examine relationship between age, sex, physical activity, entheseal variability. To end, 23 postcranial entheses examined (N = 484) Italian contemporary...
The social organization of the first fully sedentary societies that emerged during Neolithic period in Southwest Asia remains enigmatic,1Kuijt I. People and Space Early Agricultural Villages: Exploring Daily Lives, Community Size, Architecture Late Pre-Pottery Neolithic.J. Anthropol. Archaeol. 2000; 19: 75-102https://doi.org/10.1006/jaar.1999.0352Crossref Scopus (125) Google Scholar mainly because material culture studies provide limited insight into this issue. However, Anatolian...
Significance Bioarchaeological investigation of human remains from Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey, contributes to a growing body data documenting population dynamics, health, and lifestyle early farmers in Holocene settings the Near East globally. The extensive archaeological context foodways, material culture, housing, environment, ecology, structure size, social interaction, community living informs interpretation bioarchaeological record representing nearly 1,200 continuous years life. This...
Significance The cavity system of the inner ear—the so-called bony labyrinth—houses senses balance and hearing. This structure is embedded in dense petrous bone, fully formed by birth generally well preserved human skeletal remains, thus providing a rich source morphological information about past populations. Here we show that labyrinthine morphology tracks genetic distances geography an isolation-by-distance model with dispersal from Africa. Because bones have become prime targets ancient...
ABSTRACT Analyses of entheseal changes (EC) in identified skeletal samples employ a common research strategy based on the comparison between occupations grouped basis shared biomechanical and/or social characteristics. Results from this approach are often ambiguous, with some studies that point to differences EC occupational and others failing provide evidence behavioral effects EC. Here we investigate patterns among documented by means multivariate analysis robusticity scores nine...
The quantification of cranial sexual dimorphism (CSD) among modern humans is relevant in evolutionary studies morphological variation and a forensic context. Despite the abundance quantitative CSD, few have specifically examined intra-sex variability. Here we quantify CSD geographically homogeneous sample adult crania, which includes Italian individuals from 19th 20th centuries. Cranial morphology described with 92 3D landmarks analyzed using Procrustean geometric morphometrics (PGMM). Size...
ABSTRACT Studies on identified skeletal collections yield discordant results about the association between osseous changes and activity. These dissonances can be ascribed to several factors: variability of selected for observation, inconsistency their interpretative criteria inhomogeneous classification occupation, here used as synonym profession, within each study. The need standardize concept occupation in its biomechanical socio‐cultural expression is currently addressed by authors,...
Osteological collections are an essential source of information on human biological and cultural variability, providing insights about developmental, evolutionary, biocultural processes. Among osteological series, documented (DHOC) especially useful due to the opportunity control parameters such as age-at-death sex, which typically unknown in archaeological or forensic cases. Raising ethical concerns collection, management, study remains poses anthropologists with renewed responsibilities....
The cultural use of pigments in human societies is associated with ritual activities and the creation social memory. Neolithic Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7100-5950 cal BC) provides a unique case study for exploration links between burials, demographic data colourants contemporary architectural contexts. This presents first combined analysis funerary evidence pigment Anatolia discusses possible processes underlying observed statistical patterns. Results reveal that were either applied directly to...
The increased use of virtual bone images in forensic anthropology requires a comprehensive study on the observational errors between dry bones and CT reconstructions. Here, we focus consistency nonmetric sex estimation traits human skull.
Animal remains are a common find in prehistoric and protohistoric funerary contexts. While taphonomic osteological data provide insights about the proximate (depositional) factors responsible for these findings, ultimate cultural causes leading to this observed mortuary behavior obscured by opacity of archaeological record lack written sources. Here, we apply an interdisciplinary suite analytical approaches (zooarchaeological, anthropological, archaeological, paleogenetic, isotopic) explore...
Abstract Arguments have long suggested that the advent of early farming in Near East and Anatolia was linked to a ‘Mother Goddess’ cult. However, evidence for dominant female role these societies has been scarce. We studied social organisation, mobility patterns gendered practices Neolithic Southwest Asia using 131 paleogenomes from Çatalhöyük Mound (7100-5950 BCE), major settlement Central with an uninterrupted occupation apparent egalitarian structure. In contrast widespread genetic...
Abstract Vertebrate activity can significantly affect forensic investigations. Trauma interpretation is impaired when vertebrates scavenge on injuries and inflict damage, scavengers hinder the recovery of human remains through dispersal. However, scavenging research scarce in Europe lacking for Switzerland. We conducted a 2‐month baseline study followed by 5‐month experiment with six domestic pig ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) carcasses Swiss forest during summer fall. monitored each three caged...
Abstract Objectives Warfare is assumed to be one of the defining cultural characteristics steppe nomads in Eastern Eurasia. For first‐centuries CE, a period political turmoil Northern China and Southern Siberia, relatively few data are, however, available about degree variability violence these communities. Here, we provide new on among during CE by analyzing type, anatomical distribution, demographic distribution perimortem trauma at Tunnug1 (Tuva, Siberia—second fourth c. CE). Materials...
The presence of a gendered subdivision labor has been bioarchaeologically investigated in various prehistoric and historical contexts. Little is known, however, about the type differences daily activities characterizing men women among Celtic communities Italy. focus present study analysis patterns entheseal changes (ECs) long bone shape robusticity between sexes Cenomani Gauls Seminario Vescovile (SV-Verona, Italy, third-first century BC).The sample includes 56 adult individuals (22 females...
Irregular burials (IB--burials showing features that contrast with the majority of others in their geographic and chronological context) have been focus archaeological study because relative rarity enigmatic appearance. Interpretations IB often refer to supposed fear dead or social processes taking place time-specific contexts. However, a comprehensive quantitative analysis for various geographical contexts is still lacking, fact hampers any discussion these on larger scale.Here, we...
Cornaux/Les Sauges (Switzerland, Late Iron Age) revealed remnants of a wooden bridge, artifacts, and human animal skeletal remains. The relationship between the collapsed structure material, whether it indicates potential accident or cultural practices, remains elusive. We evaluate most plausible scenario for Cornaux based on osteological, taphonomic, isotopic, paleogenomic analysis recovered individuals. latter amount to at least 20 individuals, mostly adult males. Perimortem lesions...
Little is known about the types of social organization characterizing pre-Roman Celtic populations Italy. Here, we explore funerary variability late Iron Age site Seminario Vescovile (SV: Verona, Italy, 3rd-1st c. BC), and test its possible correlation to diet relative exposure developmental stressors. Patterns on treatment (N = 125), δ13C δ15N 90), linear enamel hypoplasia 47) from SV are compared, their association with sex age-at-death further discussed. Results point presence at variable...
Survey studies of osteoarchaeological collections occasionally yield specimens exhibiting rare skeletal developmental disorders. Beyond paleopathological diagnosis, however, it is often difficult to gain insight into the processes, mechanisms, and consequences pathology, notably because archaeological are fragmentary. Here, we propose a combination virtual reconstruction (VR) geometric morphometrics (GM) address these issues. As an example, use VR reconstruct only known specimen persistence...
Abstract Objectives The present study tests the effectiveness of entheseal robusticity (ER) as a potential predictor adult age‐at‐death by applying multiple regression models to large contemporary identified skeletal sample. Materials and Methods ER was recorded for 23 bilateral postcranial entheses on 481 individuals (271 females 210 males) from Frassetto collection Sassari (Italy), following method Mariotti et al. 2007. scores were used predictors in analyses with age dependent variable;...
Paleopathological cases of skeletal dysplasias (SD) are particularly interesting from a biological as well biocultural perspective. Evidence SD is relevant when discussing the antiquity specific mutations, social perception disease in past. Here we propose differential diagnosis for Neolithic case and discuss possible correlates observed condition. The subject this study, child with an age at death about 12 years Late site Schweizersbild (Northern Switzerland), presents bilateral shortening...
Entheseal changes have been widely studied with regard to their correlation biomechanical stress and usefulness for biocultural reconstructions. However, anthropological medical studies demonstrated the marked influence of both age sex on development these features. Studies entheseal are mostly aimed in testing functional hypotheses focused modern humans, few data available non-human primates. The lack comparative effect represent a gap our understanding evolutionary basis degeneration human...