Peer-reviewed article

Proceedings of the VI National Meeting of the Italian Group of Paleopathology (GIPaleo)

Giuffra V, Minozzi S, Lencioni R, Naccarato A, Castagna M et al. · 1 Jun 2022

Abstract

The presence of numerous scientific contributions in the program is certainly demonstrative of the fact that research in the field of paleopathology and anthropology has not stopped since the beginning of Covid-19. Furthermore, the same emergency that we are still partially feeling, has pushed our community scientific research to question itself more intensely in connection to the epidemic relationship and measures that repeatedly led to profound transformations in the societies of the past from different points of view: demographic, economic, social and the history buried under the bioarchaeological strata is today more capable than ever to show this connection. It can do this by bringing to light the paleodemographic data that is obtained from the study of human remains. Today we will listen to many paleopathological stories and among these I am very happy to also present ours. Twenty years ago, the University of Insubria started a collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendence of Lombardy for the study of osteological remains found mostly during emergency archaeology recoveries. These experiences led us to reach those bioarchaeological sites again with the aim of extracting all those cemetery layers that remained there because they were not subjected at that time by building reclamation interventions. Returning to those sites that in the past brought to light fragmentary anthropological data means allowing oneself the possibility of obtaining new palaeodemographic and palaeopathological data which are decisive for reconstructing the demographic and epidemiological history of the populations of the past. These new interventions led us to create an operational model that immediately intended to underline the importance of an evident continuity between the archaeological recovery and the anthropological study of the finds through the setting up of physical anthropology and paleopathology laboratories directly on the sites of the finds. All this in harmony with the final design of the projects or the museumization of bioarchaeological sites in their complexity aimed at enhancing cultural tourist routes in the area. In this regard, I would like to thank the community foundation of Varese and the Cariplo foundation for supporting our current initiatives. These include the project financed by the emblematic provincial tender and which has as its final objective the enhancement of three bioarchaeological sites in Valcuvia: the medieval sites of San Biagio in Cittiglio, Sant’Agostino in Caravate, and the modern crypt of the church of the Convent of Azzio. Today, our Research Centre works in Piedmont in different sites in the province of Vercelli and Alessandria. Aware of the importance of a physical anthropological approach in the field, our young Centre goes beyond the continental borders to reach Eritrea, the ancient city of Adulis, because it is in dissecting the taphonomic events and the funeral actions that will make it possible to identify the funerary ritual adopted by the ancient populations. The operational model of paleopathological research, which gradually enriches itself thanks to the multidisciplinary nature of the interventions and thanks to the individual experiences in the field, is thus continuously transferred and adapted to other anthropological contexts that retain potential both in terms of investigative and enhancement of the bioarchaeological heritage. Through the musealization of the sites it is also possible to acquire an attractive force towards all those potentially bioarchaeological areas but which today are in conditions of neglect because they are marginal with respect to the conventionally understood cultural tourist good. And we all know how important it is to transfer the study data even outside the academic context because making this aspect of archaeology, the truly human one, usable too, cannot fail to arouse a strong awareness of our past. We also know how much more we will have to work, following in the footsteps of the professors who started this path, to ensure that the disciplines of paleopathology and physical anthropology arrive within all those degree courses still discovered today by these teachings to heal an important lack: knowing the human past from a physical and pathological point of view allows us to understand the evolutionary path of some pathologies, especially those of infectious nature. If my title of the speech “Paleopathology and osteoarchaeology in the province of Varese” does not respond to what is being said today, it is because my feeling about paleopathology and osteoarchaeology in the province of Varese is understood as that of carrying out research, what I could feel everywhere, through the operational model, the enthusiasm for paleopathological research and of course the people I am lucky enough to work with. Studying the relics of saints and blesseds has sometimes made it possible to discover aspects of their lives that are not documented in historical and literary sources. In some cases, it has also allowed research data to be compared with legends. The authors illustrate the case study of Blessed Egidio da Laurenzana. In 1917, on the occasion of the celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Blessed Egidio da Laurenzana (1443-1515), the reliquary containing his remains was opened for examination and to allow their state of conservation to be assessed. Bernardino di Bello (this was his secular name) entered the local Franciscan monastery when he was 30 years old. His saintly vocation was immediately clear as he had a marked sense of ascetic and contemplative spirituality, and naturally embraced a life punctuated by ecstasy and prayer. However, according to legend, as well as the accounts of his brothers in the order, he was also plagued by the continuous presence of the devil, who would physically attack him as he prayed at night. The last of these terrible attacks took place in church on Christmas night 1517, when the devil breathed fire on him, burning his left hand, and poured boiling lamp oil over him. He sustained terrible burns, and despite the attentive care of a noblewoman named Donna Lucrezia Trara, a procurator for the friars, who dressed his wounds, he died on January 10th, 1518 after experiencing great suffering. Egidio immediately became a figure of worship in Laurenzana, a small Italian town in the Province of Potenza. His beatification was confirmed in 1880. The examination of the mummy, by the Anthropology Unit of the G. d’Annunzio di Chieti University of Pescara, revealed that its condition had deteriorated since its previous inspection in 1940. Therefore, before the restoration work could begin, various procedures, including microscopic, microanalytical and radiological studies, had to be carried out. These analyses provided some interesting clues about the blessed’s general state of health (stones, arthritis, cleft lip), but above all regarding the causes of his death. Macroscopically, burn marks were found on the bones of the left shoulder girdle, the base of the skull and the anterior aspect of the bodies of the first thoracic vertebrae. The radiological studies revealed signs of bone necrosis on the left scapula, in the form of hypodense subcircular-shaped areas at whose periphery there were found micro-areas of thickening around areas of necrosis. Finally, scanning electron microscopy and microanalytical analyses of ectopic lamellar bone present on the scapula revealed the presence, on one of its surfaces, of tightly woven textile fibres containing traces of aluminum and copper; the appearance of the other surface was similar to that of skin. The micromorphological characteristics support the hypothesis that these fibers may be the remains of a dressing. Overall, the results of the analyses indicate that he suffered very serious burns, compatible with third degree lesions, which were treated with bandages impregnated with a therapeutic ointment. The extent and severity of the lesions were such that Blessed Egidio died two weeks after sustaining them. The medieval deserted village of Geridu, near Sorso, in the North of Sardinia, is mentioned in historical sources since the XIIth century and reached its maximum development during the XIVth century, when its population was about 1500 people. The village had been deserted before 1427, as the sources suggest, for several reasons, such as fiscal pressure, wars and pestilence. The village’s cemetery, near the church of Saint Andrews, was excavated in 1997-1998. The archaeologists dug 26 burials and discovered an hypogeic structure, most ancient, used in XIVth century as an ossuary. More than 90 cm of human remains were found, including some portions of skeletons in anatomical connection in the most ancient part of the ossuary. Therefore, archaeologists hypothesized the use of the structure also as a primary burial place for some individuals, especially for non-adults. In fact, the high presence of all subadult bones, found in the most ancient part of the ossuary, can suggest that some children were buried directly in the ossuary. Based on pottery found in ossuary’s obliteration the structure was closed definitively in the XVth century. The aim of the anthropological study was to determine the bioarchaeology of Geridu from the commingled bones from the ossuary. The osteological study focused on adults remains from the most recent part of the ossuary, separated from the first period of use by a layer of lime, and on several portion in connection found in the US 2812, the most ancient stratigraphical unit. Therefore, 180 commingled bones and 36 parts of individuals in connection has been analyzed. The paleopathological aspect seems to be very interesting; it confirms the results of individuals’ study from the cemetery burials, in addition to providing new data. The sample contained two cases of DISH, Diffuse Idiopatic Skeletal Hyperostosis, already found in Geridu, several bones affected by infectious diseases, such as a femur with pathological traces of osteomyelitis and a tibia with a probable case of Sclerosing osteomyelitis of Garré. Furthermore, a probable case of Osteosarcoma has been found, is an adult femur with extensive lithic lesions that have completely altered the proximal bone profile. For a better diagnosis the bones with traces of pathological lesions were analyzed with XR and Spiral CT scan by a team of Radiology from the University Hospital (A.O.U.) of Sassari. Despite the impossibility to complete a differential analysis, due to the absence of the rest of the skeleton, the hypotheses advanced seem to be confirmed by a CT scan. The study, even if incomplete, shows that important information can also be obtained from contexts such as ossuaries, which give a general picture on the state of health of past populations.