The study of commingled non-adult human remains: Insights from the 16th–18th centuries community of Roccapelago (Italy). (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Figus, Carla; Traversari, Mirko; Scalise, Lucia Martina; Oxilia, Gregorio; Vazzana, Antonino; Buti, Laura; Sorrentino, Rita; Gruppioni, Giorgio; Benazzi, Stefano
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 14(2017)
• Page Start: 382
• Page End: 391
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: Juvenile -- Paleopathology -- Parish Records -- Infant Mortality -- Age Estimation; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.06.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Abstract: A post medieval mass grave containing hundreds of skeletons, many of which belonging to non-adults, has been discovered. A large-scale multidisciplinary study has been undertaken, thanks to the good preservation of the human remains and the availability of the parish records. This is the first study focused on the juvenile post medieval community of Roccapelago, which aims to provide new data about infant mortality and paleopathology during the 16th and 18th centuries, through the comparison of anthropological data to information available by parish records. The specimen under investigation belongs to the most ancient stratigraphic context of the crypt discovered under the floor of the church, part of an ongoing study. Standard anthropological protocols were used to assess the minimum number of individuals, age-at-death and pathologies. Results show a high mortality range between the last few weeks in utero and the first postnatal year. The comparison shows that historical records lines up with biological data, providing a unique opportunity to compare anthropological protocols for age estimation to the information registered in parish records when dealing with commingled juvenile remains. Highlights: Study of commingled non-adult human remains from archaeological context Results highlight high mortality rates among perinates. Comparison of anthropological and historical data supports our findings.