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In this communication we present key new evidence on the story of the famous Salafia embalming manuscript that further clarifies the genesis of a series of studies on this topic and corroborates our assumptions published in previous articles on this matter. In the second part of the paper, we provide a concise ethical analysis of Rosalia Lombardo’s case and try to establish a level of evidence in the assessment of her preservation by comparing facts and interpretations. Finally, we call for an independent assessment of the mummy’s state of preservation and the disclosure of the full content of the Salafia manuscript. Rosalia

The Human Embalming Project© team is currently focusing on the study of Sicilian archival documents and human bioarchaeological material. In the best spirit of the Code of Conduct of the Paleopathology Association, we would like to share information on the laws and guidelines applied in Sicily with a broader readership of colleagues.

On the Descent of Man by Charles Robert Darwin. A continuous debate since 1871

La Grotta d’Oriente, sull’isola di Favignana (Egadi, Sicilia) ha restituito una serie di sepolture e resti umani ascrivibili all’Epigravettiano finale e al Mesolitico. La Sepoltura cosiddetta Oriente A, epigravettiana, è caratterizzata da un corredo fittile consistente in conchiglie e in un ciottolo con tracce di ocra rossa. Da un punto di vista della ricostruzione ar-cheologica e della definizione degli scenari di ecologia preistorica è molto importante la caratterizzazione chimica e la deter-minazione della provenienza di questo pigmento che, com’è noto, caratterizza molti scenari paleolitici. La ricerca presenta i dati preliminari dell’analisi SEM/EDS/EDAX dei pigmenti ocracei prelevati da un ciottolo, facente parte del corredo fune-rario. L’analisi comparativa di questi pigmenti con una serie di Terre Rosse di Favignana, del trapanese e di Monte Pellegri-no, ha messo in evidenza che l’ocra di Oriente A non deriva dalle Terre Rosse di Favignana e non ha una composizione rife-ribile neppure ai suoli del trapanese e di Monte Pellegrino. Seppur da dei dati preliminari emerge l’importanza dell’applicazione di un approccio tecnico-scientifico multidisciplinare per la definizione di orizzonti archeologici ed antropo-logici preistorici. SUMMARY - PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE COMPOSITION AND PROVENANCE OF OCHRE FROM THE EPIGRAVETTIAN BURIAL OF GROTTA D’ORIENTE A, FAVIGNANA (EGADI, SICILY) - The Grotta d’Oriente, on the island of Favignana (Egadi, Sicily) has returned a series of burials and human remains attributable to the final Epigravettian and Mesolithic. The so-called Ori-ente A Burial, Epigravettian, is characterized by a funerary set consisting of shells and a pebble with traces of red ochre. From the point of view of the archaeological reconstruction and the definition of pre-historic ecology scenarios, the chemi-cal characterization and determination of the origin of this pigment which, as is well known, characterizes many Palaeolihic scenarios, is very important. The research presents preliminary data from the SEM/EDS/EDAX analysis of ochre pigments obtained from a pebble, which are part of the funerary equipment. The comparative analysis of these pigments with a series of red earths from Favignana, Trapani countryside and Monte Pellegrino, highlighted that the ochre of Oriente A does not derive from the Terre Rosse of Favignana and does not have a composition referable even to same soils of Trapani and Monte Pellegrino. Although coming from preliminary data, these show the importance of applying a multidisciplinary tech-nical-scientific approach for the definition of prehistoric archaeological and anthropological horizons.

This paper presents a multidisciplinary summary of the most recent discoveries and hypotheses concerning factors driving the human subsistence economy and landscape shaping in Sicily during the Holocene. A number of scientific papers have recently pointed out the key role played by paleogeography, resource (water, food) availability and natural disturbances (volcanic eruptions, tsunamis) in local human activities. Modern anthropology and archaeology increasingly use biological remains (e.g. soils, bones, wood, plant macroremains, pollen) to better understand how human communities managed to survive and spread. Likewise, refined reconstructions of past human demographic fluxes and socio-economic structures may enable a better understanding of landscape dynamics. Specifically, this historical perspective on the management of natural resources allows the finding of past episodes of unsustainable land use (e.g. forest destruction, overgrazing), thus providing a useful basis for future nature protection and maintaining sustainable ecosystem services.

The work presents the results of the anthropological and paleopathological analysis carried out on human skeletal remains of an individual (T-173) found in a burial from the necropolis “sector 96”, Messina, Sicily, dating back to the Roman Empire (1st century BCE – 1st century CE). The study aimed to acquire the information necessary for the reconstruction of the biological profi le. In fact, T173 is an adult male which is particularly interesting from a paleopathological point of view, showing skeletal anomalies from the cranial to the post-cranial skeleton probably caused by variations of genetic, neoplastic, articular and dental nature. Furthermore, the analyses have highlighted the possible cause of death, related to two perimortem traumatic lesions on parietal bones.

Modern humans have populated Europe for more than 45,000 years1,2. Our knowledge of the genetic relatedness and structure of ancient hunter-gatherers is however limited, owing to the scarceness and poor molecular preservation of human remains from that period3. Here we analyse 356 ancient hunter-gatherer genomes, including new genomic data for 116 individuals from 14 countries in western and central Eurasia, spanning between 35,000 and 5,000 years ago. We identify a genetic ancestry profile in individuals associated with Upper Palaeolithic Gravettian assemblages from western Europe that is distinct from contemporaneous groups related to this archaeological culture in central and southern Europe4, but resembles that of preceding individuals associated with the Aurignacian culture. This ancestry profile survived during the Last Glacial Maximum (25,000 to 19,000 years ago) in human populations from southwestern Europe associated with the Solutrean culture, and with the following Magdalenian culture that re-expanded northeastward after the Last Glacial Maximum. Conversely, we reveal a genetic turnover in southern Europe suggesting a local replacement of human groups around the time of the Last Glacial Maximum, accompanied by a north-to-south dispersal of populations associated with the Epigravettian culture. From at least 14,000 years ago, an ancestry related to this culture spread from the south across the rest of Europe, largely replacing the Magdalenian-associated gene pool. After a period of limited admixture that spanned the beginning of the Mesolithic, we find genetic interactions between western and eastern European hunter-gatherers, who were also characterized by marked differences in phenotypically relevant variants. Ancient DNA data generation Before the LGM LGM in southwestern and western Europe Post-LGM in the Italian peninsula Post-LGM in western and central Europe Post-14 ka to Neolithic Phenotypically relevant variants Discussion and conclusions Methods

Summary ― The «Painted Hypogeum of Crispia Salvia» is the most important monument of the ancient Punic-Roman necropolis of Lilibeo (today's Marsala). It is the only known paradigmatic example in Sicily of pictorial wall decoration. Iulius Demetrius commissioned the monument in memory of his wife Crispia Salvia, a noblewoman descended from two very important Sicilian families. Here we report on a preliminary anthropological study of Tombs 3 and 4 (Crispia Salvia and Iulius Demetrius). We integrated the historical-cultural context with the osteological data. The results combining laboratory and archaeological research confirm the presence of two high-ranking individuals characterized by conditions and lifestyle that were exclusive to Roman patrician families.

Riassunto ― Il lavoro presenta i risultati delle analisi bio-archeologiche effettuate su resti scheletrici umani rinvenuti in quattordici sepolture di epoca medioevale rinvenute nel Parco Archeologico della Valle dei Templi di Agrigento (Sicilia). L’obiettivo è stato l’acquisizione delle informazioni necessarie per la ricostruzione del profilo biologico di ciascun individuo, al fine di determinarne il sesso, la stima dell’età biologica alla morte, la stima della statura e la valutazione delle patologie e degli indicatori di stress occupazionale mediante le correnti metodologie e tecniche diagnostiche di tipo antropologico. Sebbene il cattivo stato di conservazione di alcuni individui non ne abbia consentito la caratterizzazione antropologica, le indagini hanno messo in luce l’eterogeneità relativa alle classi d’età e hanno permesso di constatare la manifestazione di alterazioni di natura patologica nei soggetti di età matura, talvolta di eziologia non ancora accertata, come la DISH (Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis). La dimensione del campione non è rappresentativa dell’intera popolazione, ma approfondimenti successivi forniranno una migliore comprensione delle dinamiche popolazionistiche di Agrigento medievale.

Book's Abstract. Non–human primates have been perceived and classified with different approaches according to different cultural and philosophical traditions throughout the centuries. This book contains contributions that illustrate various aspects of the development of non-human primate natural history, starting from the ancient Greek world, through the Renaissance and European expansion, to the rise of Darwinism and finally to the work of Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese scholars of the 20th and 21th centuries, concluding with an original work regarding the role of images in primate taxonomy and conservation.

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the interpretation of human remains and funerary rituals recently uncovered in the Archaic Necropolis of Motya. During the 20th century about 350 graves were brought to light by earlier explorations, showing that – apart from rare exceptions – adult cremation was the most common rite performed in archaic times (ca. 730-550 BC). This picture can be now changed in the light of the results of our recent fieldwork (seasons 2013-2017), showing that a large quantity of graves strikingly house remains of sub-adult individuals (i.e. foetuses, perinatals and children). While a few of them are cremated, the numerous inhumations recovered show clear patterns of short-life expectancy and precarious health conditions on the island, as frequently highlighted by an early age of death as well as by deficiency pathologies and their effects on human bones. El objetivo de este estudio es presentar nuevos datos sobre la interpretación de los rituales funerarios recientemente descubiertos en la Necrópolis Arcaica de Motya. Las primeras exploraciones realizadas durante el siglo XX sacaron a la luz en torno a 350 tumbas que demostraron que, salvo raras excepciones, la cremación de adultos era el rito más común en tiempos arcaicos (ca. 730-550 a. C.). Los resultados de nuestro reciente trabajo de campo (temporadas 2013-2017), muestran sorprendentemente que una gran cantidad de tumbas son restos de individuos subadultos (perinatales e infantiles). A pesar de que en algunas de las tumbas se encontraron restos de cremaciones, la mayoría de las tumbas excavadas pertenecían a enterramientos que muestran claramente una esperanza de vida corta y unas condiciones de salud precarias en la isla frecuentemente materializado en muertes a edad temprana, así como por los problemas patológicos y sus efectos en los huesos humanos.

Si riportano i primi dati dell’analisi antropologica eseguita sui resti scheletrici recuperati, da deposizioni primarie e secondarie, durante le recenti campagne di scavo effettuate nella necropoli meridionale di Tharros nell’ambito della Concessione ministeriale di ricerche e scavi archeologici in carico all’Università di Bologna. Tale studio rappresenta una nota preliminare dell’indagine bioarcheologica in corso ad opera del Laboratorio di Antropologia dell’Università degli Studi di Palermo con la Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni archeologici dell’Università di Bologna, sui resti antropologici tharrensi, e si inserisce in un più ampio progetto di ricerca rivolto alla ricostruzione del panorama funerario della colonia punica dell’Oristanese, nonché alla determinazione della fisionomia antropica e delle consuetudini alimentari e lavorative della sua comunità. L’analisi scheletrica dei resti umani, combusti e inumati, ascrivibili a tombe a pozzetto, a fossa e a camera ipogeica, ha rilevato un buon campione d’individui, da infans ad adulti. Allo stato attuale ciò che si evince dai dati elaborati fornisce importanti informazioni sull’età di morte, sulla costituzione e lo stile di vita degli individui. The first data of the anthropological analysis performed on the skeletal remains recovered, from primary and secondary depositions, during the recent excavation campaigns carried out in the necropolis southern Tharros as part of the Ministerial Concession for archaeological research and excavations in uploaded to the University of Bologna. This study represents a preliminary note of the investigation bioarchaeological underway by the Anthropology Laboratory of the University of Palermo with the School of Specialization in Archaeological Heritage of the University of Bologna, on the remains anthropological tharrensi, and is part of a larger research project aimed at reconstruction of the funerary landscape of the Punic colony of Oristano, as well as the determination of anthropic physiognomy and the food and work habits of his community. Theskeletal analysis of human remains, burned and inhumed, attributable to well, pit and chamber tombs hypogean, found a good sample of individuals, from infans to adults. At present what it is deduces from the processed data provides important information on the age of death, the constitution and the lifestyle of individuals.

l'autore svolge una disamina storica sul termine razza e sull'esigenza crescente di rivalutare l'adeguatezza della sua posizione nell'articolo 3 della Costituzione italiana

The aim of this paper is to examine the fresh evidences retrieved in the early cemetery or "archaic necropolis" of the island of Motya, one of the main Phoenician colonies in the Mediterranean.

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), known as red palm weevil (RPW) was accidentally introduced and established in Sicily (Italy) since 2005. As like in other Mediterranean sites, RPW has been causing extensive damage to palm trees and on its new host Phoenix canariensis Chabaud (Canary Island palms), acquired concomitantly with the colonization of the area. RPW shows a good ecological plasticity and slightly but significant morphological polymorphism (colour patterns and length of the rostrum in male individuals) that can be appreciated within different geographical populations. The aim of the present work was to investigate if this ecological plasticity and phenotypic variability can be accompanied by features in chromosomes like changes in diploid number or chromosome morphology, when compared to other RPW populations. Literature data on karyotype analysis reveals a diploid number (2n = 22). In this paper, the karyotypes of different morphotypes of RPW Sicilian populations, collected from P. canariensis, were analysed using conventional staining, C-banding and sequential staining with the fluorochromes chromomycin-A3/4-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (CMA3/DAPI). The analyses of metaphases obtained from the testes of adults showed that the species has 2n = 22 chromosomes, with 10 autosomal pairs and a sex chromosome pair. The eu-heterochromatic composition investigated with CTG banding, DAPI, CMA3, and NOR do not indicate any peculiarity in the populations investigated. R. ferrugineus has a Coleoptera Curculionoidea chromosomal asset and functional compartimentalization. RPW presents a karyotype with intermediate characteristics between Dryophthorinae and Curculioninae such as micro Y chromosome and the typical “sphere-shape” of the sexual bivalent in prophase-I or after C-banding.

Summary - The animal and plant biodiversity of the Italian territory is known to be one of the richest in the Mediterranean basin and Europe as a whole, but does the genetic diversity of extant human populations show a comparable pattern? According to a number of studies, the genetic structure of Italian populations retains the signatures of complex peopling processes which took place from the Paleolithic to modern era. Although the observed patterns highlight a remarkable degree of genetic heterogeneity, they do not, however, take into account an important source of variation. In fact, Italy is home to numerous ethnolinguistic minorities which have yet to be studied systematically. Due to their difference in geographical origin and demographic history, such groups not only signal the cultural and social diversity of our country, but they are also potential contributors to its bio-anthropological heterogeneity. To fill this gap, research groups from four Italian Universities (Bologna, Cagliari, Pisa and Roma Sapienza) started a collaborative study in 2007, which was funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and received partial support by the Istituto Italiano di Antropologia. In this paper, we present an account of the results obtained in the course of this initiative. Four case-studies relative to linguistic minorities from the Eastern Alps, Sardinia, Apennines and Southern Italy are first described and discussed, focusing on their micro-evolutionary and anthropological implications. Thereafter, we present the results of a systematic analysis of the relations between linguistic, geographic and genetic isolation. Integrating the data obtained in the course of the long-term study with literature and unpublished results on Italian populations, we show that a combination of linguistic and geographic factors is probably responsible for the presence of the most robust signatures of genetic isolation. Finally, we evaluate the magnitude of the diversity of Italian populations in the European context. The human genetic diversity of our country was found to be greater than observed throughout the continent at short (0-200 km) and intermediate (700-800km) distances, and accounted for most of the highest values of genetic distances observed at all geographic ranges. Interestingly, an important contribution to this pattern comes from the “linguistic islands” (e.g. German speaking groups of Sappada and Luserna from the Eastern Italian Alps), further proof of the importance of considering social and cultural factors when studying human genetic variation.

Platyrrhini are characterized by a high intra and intergeneric genome variability. This genome variability due to intra and inter-chromosomal rearrangements occurred during evolution could be possibly link to the involvement of telomeric and heterochromatin sequences. Telomeres, the terminal regions of chromosomes, constituted of particular repeated DNA sequences (TTAGGG)n and proteins, are called true telomeres and have their role in determining the replication and the stability of chromosomes. The DNA component of telomeres can be also found at intra-chromosomal sites such as close the centromeres and between centromere and telomeres, and are known as Interstitial Telomeric Sequences (ITSs). Traditionally considered just “junk DNA”, ITSs have been on the contrary associated with chromosomal evolution even if their role has not been yet elucidated. Chromosomal localization of ITS sequences was analyzed mapping telomeric (TTAGGG)n sequence (PNA probe) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on: Callithrix argentata,Callithrix jacchus, Cebuella pygmaea, Saguinus oedipus, Saimiri sciureus Aotus nacymaae, Aotus lemurinus griseimembra (Cebidae), Lagothrix lagotricha (Atelidae), Callicebus moloch (Pithecidae). Telomeric sequences are localized not only at the terminal ends of all chromosomes but our results indicate that different types of ITSs (centromeric, interstitial and acrosubtelomeric) are present into three among the nine analyzed, in Lagothrix lagotricha and the two Aotus. We discuss ITSs possible role in chromosomal evolution and as potential markers in phylogenetic studies for close related species. More molecular cytogenetics studies will permit a better understanding of the mechanism of ITSs origin and contribution to chromosomal evolution in Neotropical primates.

Le sepolture esaminate e descritte in questa fase preliminare sono due: T2 e T15. Ambedue si trovano sul lato destro dell’ipogeo; assimilabili per forma e dimensioni sono scavate nella matrice calcarea dell’ipogeo ed hanno un orientamento nord-Sud e non si discostano tipologicamente dalle altre tombe dell’ipogeo. La tomba n. 2 si presenta rialzata ed addossata alla parete. La tomba n. 15 è più in basso (Fig. 6).Le ossa sono state estratte dalle us in un’unica sessione di scavo. In laboratorio si è proceduto alla pulitura, siglatura ed analisi antroposcopica. I reperti sono stati misurati in accordo alla metodologia di Martin e Saller (1959). Si è proceduto alla valutazione del numero minimo di individui presenti, all’attribuzione delle classi di età e a valutazioni riguardo il sesso o lo stato di salute.Da notare che, sia nel caso della tomba 2, priva di copertura, che nel caso della tomba 15, chiusa da lastre, lo stato di conservazione del materiale è molto precario, sintomo di un’intensa tafonomia legata presumibilmente alla biostratinomia, al forte rimaneggiamento delle tombe in antico ma anche alla diagenesi determinata dalle caratteristiche ambientali dell’ipogeo e di quelle chimico-fisiche del terreno

Among the several factors affecting the genetic makeup of human populations, language represents a crucial component, potentially acting as a genetic barrier separating different ethnic groups. The Albanian-speaking Arbërëshe are one of the largest linguistic minorities in Italy, whose origin is generally connected with population movements of Albanians occurred between the 15th and the 16th centuries, mainly linked to the invasion of Balkans by the Ottoman Empire. Actually, the presence of these populations in Italy is the complex result of several migration waves (at least eight), whether coming directly from Albania or arrived in Italy after intermediate steps in Greece (Peloponnese). Originating from a restricted number of founders and having preserved their isolation from the surrounding populations, Arbërëshe groups are characterized by high levels of within village endogamy and inbreeding, and marked differentiation among different villages. Furthermore, despite many scholars generally agree that Arbërisht (language spoken by Arbërëshe) belongs to the Tosk dialect group, the Albanian spoken in Italy is actually not completely homogeneous among all Arbërëshe communities. History, identity and culture of each Arbërëshe group are therefore the distinct product of different origin and migration processes, as well as of different degrees of isolation or interaction with surrounding populations, over five centuries of independent evolution. In this context, we used a micro-geographic approach aimed at comparing different linguistic isolates with their geographic neighbors and putative source populations, to facilitate the reconstruction of historical and micro-evolutionary processes shaping current population genetic structure, particularly focusing on the role of culture vs. geography. For this purpose more than 500 samples from Arbërëshe of Sicily and Calabria, together as samples from both Sicily/South-Italy and the Balkans, have been analyzed for Y-chromosome diversity by using 32 SNPs and 17 STRs. The comparison with Italian and Balkan genetic landscapes will allow to 1) describe the genetic structure of Arbërëshe communities and evaluate the degree of isolation or admixture of each group, 2) investigate the genetic ancestry of each isolate by assessing the genetic connection with putative source populations. Preliminary results reveal high levels of within-population genetic variability and a marked genetic differentiation between the two Arbërëshe group. Accordingly, comparison with Italian and Balkan populations suggests distinct origins and different degrees of admixture. Ongoing analysis on this dataset, together with the maternal perspective, will help to shed light on factors affecting the gene-culture co-evolution processes in these model-populations.

Il culto di Demetra e Kore era uno tra i più diffusi del mondo antico di cultura greca. Tuttavia, a causa della sua forte componente misterica, le modalità secondo le quali si articolavano alcuni riti ad esso connessi rimangono poco chiare e le fonti storiche ci forniscono poche e incerte informazioni in merito. Uno dei riti chiave avveniva durante le Tesmoforie, le principali feste in onore di Demetra e Kore, e consisteva nel rito del Megarizein. Il rituale prevedeva che dei maialini venissero gettati all’interno di cavità ipogee (megara) e che successivamente venissero recuperate le loro carcasse decomposte da offrire alle divinità. Qui presentiamo i risultati preliminari di un esperimento di bio tafonomia condotto attraverso l'utilizzo di specifici sistemi biologici (carcasse di maialini) posizionati all'interno di un ambiente carsico analogo a quello che si ipotizza venisse utilizzato durante il megarizein. In particolare, il nostro studio mira a riprodurre e ad analizzare gli effetti dell'attacco sia microbico (MFD) sia entomologico sulla carcassa. Porzioni di osso sono state prelevate con l'intenzione di comparare l'eventuale presenza di tracce riferibili ad un attacco microbico, con quelle rilevabili su un campione osteologico proveniente da contesti archeologici. I nostri dati preliminari forniscono nuove informazioni riguardo uno degli argomenti più dibattuti riferiti all'ambito dell'archeologia dei culti demetriaci e che riguarda la durata del periodo di tempo che intercorreva tra il posizionamento dei maialini all'interno della cavità e il recupero delle loro carcasse. Il nostro studio sperimentale evidenzia un rapido processo di decomposizione delle carcasse posizionate all'interno degli ambienti carsici dell'area mediterranea e, pertanto, permetterebbe di ipotizzare che la completa articolazione del rito ricadesse all'interno della durata delle tesmoforie.