Across Europe, the genetics of the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition is increasingly characteriz... more Across Europe, the genetics of the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition is increasingly characterized in terms of an influx of Steppe-related ancestry. The effect of this major shift on the genetic structure of populations in the Italian Peninsula remains underexplored. Here, genome-wide shotgun data for 22 individuals from commingled cave and single burials in Northeastern and Central Italy dated between 3200 and 1500 BCE provide the first genomic characterization of Bronze Age individuals (n = 8; 0.001-1.2× coverage) from the central Italian Peninsula, filling a gap in the literature between 1950 and 1500 BCE. Our study confirms a diversity of ancestry components during the Chalcolithic and the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in the central Italian Peninsula as early as 1600 BCE, with this ancestry component increasing through time. We detect close patrilineal kinship in the burial patterns of Chalcolithic commingled cave burials and a shift away from this in the Bronze Age (2200-900 BCE) along with lowered runs of homozygosity, which may reflect larger changes in population structure. Finally, we find no evidence that the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in Central Italy directly led to changes in frequency of 115 phenotypes present in the dataset, rather that the post-Roman Imperial period had a stronger influence, particularly on the frequency of variants associated with protection against Hansen's disease (leprosy). Our study provides a closer look at local dynamics of demography and phenotypic shifts as they occurred as part of a broader phenomenon of widespread admixture during the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition.
Documented and undocumented skeletal collections offer unique windows into life in the past and a... more Documented and undocumented skeletal collections offer unique windows into life in the past and are integral for research in biological anthropology. The objective of this article is to describe the documented and undocumented collections curated by the Museum of Anthropology at Padua University (Italy) to demonstrate their potential for research and encourage researchers to consider them for future projects. The collection was established by Prof. Enrico Tedeschi at the beginning of 20th century, and dates to the late 19th and early 20th century. The collection consists primarily of individuals excavated from cemeteries, ossarios, or unclaimed individuals donated by hospitals or other institutions. Both documented and undocumented human skeletal remains are included in the collection, totalling 1,580 individuals. Associated documented information including age at death, date of death, sex, occupation, and cause of death is available in different combinations for 293 individuals of ...
The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of... more The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of Padua coming from archaeological excavations dated to the end of 19th and 20th century, is a great opportunity to disseminate still unpublished anthropological data. The aim of this work was the analysis through modern anthropological methodology of the human skeletal remains brought to light in 1983 at the necropolis of Biverone, municipality of San Stino di Livenza (Venice, Northeast Italy). The site, close to Livenza River, began its decadence in the Late Ancient period (4th-5th c. AD) as a result of regional morphological variations and barbarian invasions, that caused an important local depopulation. The study focused on the anthropological analysis of 121 skeletal individuals, trying to better understand the paleodemographic profile, the state of health and the way of life of the ancient population of Biverone. A preliminary identification of the ancestry was attempted, considerin...
The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of... more The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of Padua coming from archaeological excavations dated to the end of 19th and 20th century, is a great opportunity to disseminate still unpublished anthropological data. The aim of this work was the analysis through modern anthropological methodology of the human skeletal remains brought to light in 1983 at the necropolis of Biverone, municipality of San Stino di Livenza (Venice, Northeast Italy). The site, close to Livenza River, began its decadence in the Late Ancient period (4th-5th c. AD) as a result of regional morphological variations and barbarian invasions, that caused an important local depopulation. The study focused on the anthropological analysis of 121 skeletal individuals, trying to better understand the paleodemographic profile, the state of health and the way of life of the ancient population of Biverone. A preliminary identification of the ancestry was attempted, considerin...
In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been t... more In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been transferred in a single location-Palazzo Cavalli-after many decades of alternate events. Here it is intended to reach a rapid conclusion of the cataloguing, studying and valorisation of the entire osteoarchaeological collection. The copious collection (currently it is esteemed that its numerical consistency is around thirty thousand finds) has an undeniable scientific value and it is largely unknown.The finds come from archaeological excavations, different in chronology and geographic sites. The project started with the systematic cataloguing, in order to evaluate the antiquity, the origin of the human osteological finds and reexamine them with the current anthropological methodologies.This paper reports the study of the human skeletal remains found during the archaeological campaigns carried out in 1978 and 1981 at Herdonia (southeast Italy) and reveals new unexpected palaeopathological ...
In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been t... more In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been transferred in a single location – Palazzo Cavalli – after many decades of alternate events. Here it is intended to reach a rapid conclusion of the cataloguing, studying and valorisation of the entire osteoarchaeological collection. The copious collection (currently it is esteemed that its numerical consistency is around thirty thousand finds) has an undeniable scientific value and it is largely unknown.The finds come from archaeological excavations, different in chronology and geographic sites. The project started with the systematic cataloguing, in order to evaluate the antiquity, the origin of the human osteological finds and re-examine them with the current anthropological methodologies.This paper reports the study of the human skeletal remains found during the archaeological campaigns carried out in 1978 and 1981 at Herdonia (southeast Italy) and reveals new unexpected palaeopatholog...
The theme of the study and on the exposure of human remains in museums is very topical and debate... more The theme of the study and on the exposure of human remains in museums is very topical and debated. It is a fruit of a greater attention to these particular museum specimens which present unique ethical problems. Within this debate, we want to bring the contribution of two cases occurred at the Padua University Museum of Anthropology. The first concerns the osteological human collections preserved, both those coming from archaeological excavations and the modern ones. A multi-disciplinary study for these collections has started with the aim of increasing the knowledge of these finds, providing a suitable key of presentation for future exposure. The second case linked to the Egyptian mummy wants to reflect on the importance of language in exhibiting thus particular finds: the choice of a complete and clear communication about the scientific investigations carried out on the specimen appears the best thing to do.
SummaryThe geographical location and shape of Apulia, a narrow land stretching out in the sea at ... more SummaryThe geographical location and shape of Apulia, a narrow land stretching out in the sea at the South of Italy, made this region a Mediterranean crossroads connecting Western Europe and the Balkans. Such movements culminated at the beginning of the Iron Age with the Iapygian civilization which consisted of three cultures: Peucetians, Messapians and Daunians. Among them, the Daunians left a peculiar cultural heritage, with one-of-a-kind stelae and pottery, but, despite the extensive archaeological literature, their origin has been lost to time. In order to shed light on this and to provide a genetic picture of Iron Age Southern Italy, we collected and sequenced human remains from three archaeological sites geographically located in Northern Apulia (the area historically inhabited by Daunians) and radiocarbon dated between 1157 and 275 calBCE. We find that Iron Age Apulian samples are still distant from the genetic variability of modern-day Apulians, they show a remarkable geneti...
Across Europe, the genetics of the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition is increasingly characteriz... more Across Europe, the genetics of the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition is increasingly characterized in terms of an influx of Steppe-related ancestry. The effect of this major shift on the genetic structure of populations in the Italian Peninsula remains underexplored. Here, genome-wide shotgun data for 22 individuals from commingled cave and single burials in Northeastern and Central Italy dated between 3200 and 1500 BCE provide the first genomic characterization of Bronze Age individuals (n = 8; 0.001-1.2× coverage) from the central Italian Peninsula, filling a gap in the literature between 1950 and 1500 BCE. Our study confirms a diversity of ancestry components during the Chalcolithic and the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in the central Italian Peninsula as early as 1600 BCE, with this ancestry component increasing through time. We detect close patrilineal kinship in the burial patterns of Chalcolithic commingled cave burials and a shift away from this in the Bronze Age (2200-900 BCE) along with lowered runs of homozygosity, which may reflect larger changes in population structure. Finally, we find no evidence that the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in Central Italy directly led to changes in frequency of 115 phenotypes present in the dataset, rather that the post-Roman Imperial period had a stronger influence, particularly on the frequency of variants associated with protection against Hansen's disease (leprosy). Our study provides a closer look at local dynamics of demography and phenotypic shifts as they occurred as part of a broader phenomenon of widespread admixture during the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition.
Documented and undocumented skeletal collections offer unique windows into life in the past and a... more Documented and undocumented skeletal collections offer unique windows into life in the past and are integral for research in biological anthropology. The objective of this article is to describe the documented and undocumented collections curated by the Museum of Anthropology at Padua University (Italy) to demonstrate their potential for research and encourage researchers to consider them for future projects. The collection was established by Prof. Enrico Tedeschi at the beginning of 20th century, and dates to the late 19th and early 20th century. The collection consists primarily of individuals excavated from cemeteries, ossarios, or unclaimed individuals donated by hospitals or other institutions. Both documented and undocumented human skeletal remains are included in the collection, totalling 1,580 individuals. Associated documented information including age at death, date of death, sex, occupation, and cause of death is available in different combinations for 293 individuals of ...
The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of... more The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of Padua coming from archaeological excavations dated to the end of 19th and 20th century, is a great opportunity to disseminate still unpublished anthropological data. The aim of this work was the analysis through modern anthropological methodology of the human skeletal remains brought to light in 1983 at the necropolis of Biverone, municipality of San Stino di Livenza (Venice, Northeast Italy). The site, close to Livenza River, began its decadence in the Late Ancient period (4th-5th c. AD) as a result of regional morphological variations and barbarian invasions, that caused an important local depopulation. The study focused on the anthropological analysis of 121 skeletal individuals, trying to better understand the paleodemographic profile, the state of health and the way of life of the ancient population of Biverone. A preliminary identification of the ancestry was attempted, considerin...
The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of... more The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of Padua coming from archaeological excavations dated to the end of 19th and 20th century, is a great opportunity to disseminate still unpublished anthropological data. The aim of this work was the analysis through modern anthropological methodology of the human skeletal remains brought to light in 1983 at the necropolis of Biverone, municipality of San Stino di Livenza (Venice, Northeast Italy). The site, close to Livenza River, began its decadence in the Late Ancient period (4th-5th c. AD) as a result of regional morphological variations and barbarian invasions, that caused an important local depopulation. The study focused on the anthropological analysis of 121 skeletal individuals, trying to better understand the paleodemographic profile, the state of health and the way of life of the ancient population of Biverone. A preliminary identification of the ancestry was attempted, considerin...
In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been t... more In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been transferred in a single location-Palazzo Cavalli-after many decades of alternate events. Here it is intended to reach a rapid conclusion of the cataloguing, studying and valorisation of the entire osteoarchaeological collection. The copious collection (currently it is esteemed that its numerical consistency is around thirty thousand finds) has an undeniable scientific value and it is largely unknown.The finds come from archaeological excavations, different in chronology and geographic sites. The project started with the systematic cataloguing, in order to evaluate the antiquity, the origin of the human osteological finds and reexamine them with the current anthropological methodologies.This paper reports the study of the human skeletal remains found during the archaeological campaigns carried out in 1978 and 1981 at Herdonia (southeast Italy) and reveals new unexpected palaeopathological ...
In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been t... more In Spring of 2015 the collections of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Padua, have been transferred in a single location – Palazzo Cavalli – after many decades of alternate events. Here it is intended to reach a rapid conclusion of the cataloguing, studying and valorisation of the entire osteoarchaeological collection. The copious collection (currently it is esteemed that its numerical consistency is around thirty thousand finds) has an undeniable scientific value and it is largely unknown.The finds come from archaeological excavations, different in chronology and geographic sites. The project started with the systematic cataloguing, in order to evaluate the antiquity, the origin of the human osteological finds and re-examine them with the current anthropological methodologies.This paper reports the study of the human skeletal remains found during the archaeological campaigns carried out in 1978 and 1981 at Herdonia (southeast Italy) and reveals new unexpected palaeopatholog...
The theme of the study and on the exposure of human remains in museums is very topical and debate... more The theme of the study and on the exposure of human remains in museums is very topical and debated. It is a fruit of a greater attention to these particular museum specimens which present unique ethical problems. Within this debate, we want to bring the contribution of two cases occurred at the Padua University Museum of Anthropology. The first concerns the osteological human collections preserved, both those coming from archaeological excavations and the modern ones. A multi-disciplinary study for these collections has started with the aim of increasing the knowledge of these finds, providing a suitable key of presentation for future exposure. The second case linked to the Egyptian mummy wants to reflect on the importance of language in exhibiting thus particular finds: the choice of a complete and clear communication about the scientific investigations carried out on the specimen appears the best thing to do.
SummaryThe geographical location and shape of Apulia, a narrow land stretching out in the sea at ... more SummaryThe geographical location and shape of Apulia, a narrow land stretching out in the sea at the South of Italy, made this region a Mediterranean crossroads connecting Western Europe and the Balkans. Such movements culminated at the beginning of the Iron Age with the Iapygian civilization which consisted of three cultures: Peucetians, Messapians and Daunians. Among them, the Daunians left a peculiar cultural heritage, with one-of-a-kind stelae and pottery, but, despite the extensive archaeological literature, their origin has been lost to time. In order to shed light on this and to provide a genetic picture of Iron Age Southern Italy, we collected and sequenced human remains from three archaeological sites geographically located in Northern Apulia (the area historically inhabited by Daunians) and radiocarbon dated between 1157 and 275 calBCE. We find that Iron Age Apulian samples are still distant from the genetic variability of modern-day Apulians, they show a remarkable geneti...
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