Archaeology and osteology

This note describes the preliminary findings of the first campaign conducted in Zubbio (swallow hole) of Cozzo S. Pietro, on Monte Catalfano (Bagheria) which highlighted the potential of the site for the study of western Sicilan prehistory and for palaeo-ecological interpretations of the area. All the contributions which characterized this investigation stress the effectiveness of multidisciplinary approach to a taphonomic reconstruction. The study helped to outline a first palaeo-environmental reconstruction referred to the places where lived the human group who used Zubbio as burial cave, like other cavities already known in the territory of Palermo.

Four recently discovered frozen child mummies from two of the highest peaks in the south central Andes now yield tantalizing evidence of the preparatory stages leading to Inca ritual killing as represented by the unique capacocha rite. Our interdisciplinary study examined hair from the mummies to obtain detailed genetic and diachronic isotopic information. This approach has allowed us to reconstruct aspects of individual identity and diet, make inferences concerning social background, and gain insight on the hitherto unknown processes by which victims were selected, elevated in social status, prepared for a high-altitude pilgrimage, and killed. Such direct information amplifies, yet also partly contrasts with, Spanish historical accounts. ancient DNA bioarchaeology South America stable light isotopes ice mummies

Historical evidence documents mass migration from Ireland to London during the period of the Great Irish Famine of 1845–52. The rural Irish were reliant on a restricted diet based on potatoes but maize, a C4 plant, was imported from the United States of America in 1846–47 to mitigate against Famine. In London, Irish migrants joined a population with a more varied diet. To investigate and characterize their diet, carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were obtained from bone collagen of 119 and hair keratin of six individuals from Lukin Street cemetery, Tower Hamlets (1843–54), and bone collagen of 20 individuals from the cemetery at Kilkenny Union Workhouse in Ireland (1847–51). A comparison of the results with other contemporaneous English populations suggests that Londoners may have elevated d15N compared with their contemporaries in other cities. In comparison, the Irish group have lower d15N. Hair analysis combined with bone collagen allows the reconstruction of perimortem dietary changes. Three children aged 5–15 years from Kilkenny have bone collagen d13C values that indicate consumption of maize (C4). As maize was only imported into Ireland in quantity from late 1846 and 1847, these results demonstrate relatively rapid bone collagen turnover in children and highlight the importance of age-related bone turnover rates, and the impact the age of the individual can have on studies of short-term dietary change or recent migration. Stable light isotope data in this study are consistent with the epigraphic and documentary evidence for the presence of migrants within the London cemetery.

Using an Osteobiographical approach, this contribution considers the identity of the woman found alongside the St Bees Man, one of the best-preserved archaeological bodies ever discovered. Osteological, isotopic and radiocarbon analyses, combined with the archaeological context of the burial and documented social history, provide the basis for the identification of a late 14th-century heiress whose activities were at the heart of medieval northern English geopolitics.

Las colecciones que contienen restos humanos son una parte fundamental del patrimonio cultural, ya que no sólo contribuyen al fortalecimiento de la identidad sino
que también ofrecen herramientas insustituibles en el ámbito científico para reconstruir los estilos de vida de las sociedades prehispánicas. Una de sus características principales es que constituyen un material único y no renovable, por lo que cualquier
alteración restringiría la información disponible sobre los grupos humanos del pasado (AABA 2007). Por ello, se hace necesario no sólo incluir en su custodia aspectos técnicos de conservación sino también establecer políticas de manejo, documentación
y sistematización de la información (Aranda y Del Papa 2009; Aranda et al. 2009; Mesa Ramírez 2005; Lemp Urzúa et al. 2008).

RESUMEN. Este trabajo presenta los principales resultados y discusiones llevadas adelante durante el III Taller Nacional de Bioarqueología y Paleopatología, celebrado en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata los días 19 y 20 de mayo de 2016. Durante la realización del taller se presentaron ponencias que versaron sobre el estudio de restos esqueléticos y dentales, focalizando en las ventajas, desventajas y factibilidad de la aplicación de los métodos y técnicas complementarias o alternativas. Las mesas de discusión se organizaron siguiendo diferentes líneas temáticas como Antropología dental; Paleopatología, paleoparasitología y tafonomía, donde se expusieron trabajos relativos al uso del cuerpo, alimentación, salud y alteraciones culturales; Análisis microscópicos y densitométricos, donde se presentaron los alcances y dificultades en la realización de estos estudios; y por último, Determinación del sexo, donde se analizaron muestras arqueológicas de individuos adultos y se realizaron propuestas para la determinación sobre restos de individuos inmaduros investigando colecciones documentadas. Independientemente de los temas específicos que fueron trabajados, se discutieron temas como la necesidad de definir criterios que contribuyan a que las instituciones encargadas de la guarda de las colecciones de restos esqueléticos ofrezcan autorización para el análisis con equipamiento específico y se argumentó la necesidad de enfatizar en la divulgación de los resultados de los estudios bioarqueológicos y paleopatológicos en ámbitos académicos y no académicos.
ABSTRACT. This paper presents the main results and discussions carried out during the Third National Workshop on Bioarchaeology and Paleopathology, held at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of La Plata, on May 19-20, 2016. During the workshop, oral communications about the study of skeletal and dental remains were presented, focusing on the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of the implementation of complementary or alternative research methods and techniques. The oral presentations were organized in scientific sessions along different thematic lines. The first session focused on Dental anthropology; the second one, that included expositions about Paleopathology, paleoparasitology and taphonomy, included research that discussed about the use of the body, health and cultural alterations. In the third session, concerning Microscopic and densitometric analysis, the scope and difficulties of conducting these studies were considered. Finally, the last session focused on Sex determination methodologies; in this case, archaeological adult samples were analyzed, and proposals for immature sex determination were conducted. During the meeting, the need to define criteria that contribute to the institutions responsible for the care of the collections of skeletal remains to provide authorization for analysis with specific equipment was expressed. Also, the need to emphasize the divulgation of the results of bioarchaeological and paleopathological studies in academic and non-academic areas was strongly argued.