Peasants, nobles and religious. Mortuary archaeology in the church of SS. Eusebio and Antonio of Azzio, Varese (Northwest Italy)
Main Article Content
Keywords
Modern Age , burial , Bioarchaeology, analyses , anthropology, body treatment
Abstract
In this paper, we present a summary of the bioarchaeological analyses carried out in the church of SS. Eusebio and Antonio of Azzio, Varese, between 2012 and 2022. Ten years of studies have qualified this church as a context of primary importance as regards some aspects related to the mortuary archaeology of a human sample composed by peasants, nobles and religious. Indeed, the context allow us to acquire data about i.e., the treatment of the body, the tomb types, the funerary ritual and the entomofauna of the context. Several analyses have been proposed and many methods adopted, from time to time to respond to different needs. This paper wants to present an overview of the analyses that have been carried out in the context also thanks to the collaboration of various scholars who have made it possible to form a multidisciplinary team.
References
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D’ Ortenzio, L., Kahlon, B., Peacock, T., Salahuddin, H., & Brickley, M. (2018). The rachitic tooth: refining the use of interglobular dentine in diagnosing vitamin d deficiency. International Journal of Paleopathology, 22, 101–108. https://doi.org/doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.07.001
D’Ortenzio, L., Ribot, I., Kahlon, B., Bertrand, B., Bocaege, E., Raguin, E., Schattmann, A., & Brickley, M. (2017). The rachitic tooth: the use of radiographs as a screening technique. International Journal of Paleopathology, 23, 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2017.10.001
Fornaciari, A. (2013) Scheletrizzare o mummificare: pratiche e strutture per la sepoltura secondaria nell’Italia del sud durante l’età moderna e contemporanea. Medicina nei secoli arte e scienza, 205–238.
Fornaciari, A., Giuffra, V., & Pezzini, F. (2008). Processi di tanatometamorfosi: pratiche di scolatura dei corpi e mummificazione nel regno delle due Sicilie, borgo san Lorenzo. All’insegna del Giglio.
Fusco, R., Larentis, O., Cermesoni, B., Ravagnan, A., & Tesi, C. (2018). The “Mummy of Erba”: A study proposal for the analysis of a mummified Egyptian specimen. Medicina Historica, 2(3), 163-165. https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index. php/MedHistor/article/view/7938
Fusco, R., Licata, M., Larentis, O., Cermesoni, B., Ravagnan, A., Ciliberti, R., Pinto, A., & Tesi C. (2020). Mummies outside their closets. Paleoradiological investigation of egyptian mummified remains. Forensic Imaging, 22, 200397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fri.2020.200397
Henderson, C. Y., Mariotti, V., Panykucera, D., Villotte, S., & Wilczak, C. (2016). The new ‘Coimbra method’: a biologically appropriate method for recording specific features of fibrocartilaginous entheseal changes. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 26, 925–932. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2477
Imbesi, F. (2020). Antropologia della morte, contesti socio-culturali e consuetudini funerarie in due putridaria di Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. Imbesi F ed., Sicilia millenaria dalla microstoria
alla dimensione mediterranea, Atti del III convegno, 8-10 novembre 2019, Università degli Studi di Messina e sala consiliare di Rometta Marea. Società nissena di storia patria.
Iscan, M. Y., Loth, S.R., & Wright, R.K. (1984). Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: white males. Journal of Forensic Science, 29(4), 1094–1104.
Iscan, M. Y., Loth, S.R., & Wright, R. K. (1985). Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: white females. Journal of Forensic Science, 30(3), 853–863.
Langè, S. (1968). Ville delle province di Como. Sisar, Sondrio e Varese.
Larentis, O. (2017). San Martino di Lundo (Trento) Grave 1. Case study of an individual introducing possibilities markers of horse riding. Medicina Historica, 1(2), 103–110.https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/6380
Larentis, O., & Gorini, I. (2019). Bioarcheology in the northwest Italy. Our experience. Medicina Historica, 3(1), 46–47. https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/8318
Larentis, O., Tonina, E., Iorio, S., Gorini, I., & Licata, M. (2019). Osteological evidence of metabolic disease from a post medieval north Italy archaeological site. Journal of Maternal Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 18(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2018.1560405
Larentis, O., Tonina, E., Tesi, C., Rossetti, C., Gorini, I., Ciliberti, R., & Licata, M. (2020). A probable case of subligamentous tuberculous spondylitis: the concealed body of the late modern period (early 16th century to early 20th century), franciscan crypt of st. Anthony and st. Eusebius church, lombardy, italy. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 30(2), 180–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2845
Licata, M., Larentis, O., Badino, P., Fusco, R., & Tesi, C. (2020). Toward the valorization of our anthropological and paleopathological heritage. The musealization of the osteoarchaeological contexts. Medicina Historica, 4(1), 45–46. https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/93811.
Licata, M., Larentis, O., Tesi, C., & Ciliberti, R. (2020). Infectious disease in asylums: a fact-finding investigation to prevent tuberculosis contagion in the early twentieth century in Italy. Neurological science, 42(3), 1185–1188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04744-4
Licata, M., Larentis, O., Tesi, C., Fusco, R., & Ciliberti, R. (2021). Tourism in the Time of Coronavirus. Fruition of the “Minor Heritage” through the Development of Bioarchaeological Sites - A Proposal–2). Heritage 2,, 759–774. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4020042
Lovejoy, C. O., Meindl, R. S., Pryzbecj, T. R., & Mensforth, R. P. (1985) Chronological metamorphosis of the auricular surface of the ilium: a new method for the determination of adult skeletal age at death. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 68, 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330680103
Lovell, N. C. (1997). Trauma analysis in paleopathology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 105(25), 139–170. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(1997)25+<139:AIDAJPA6>3.0.CO;2-%23
Murail, P., Bruzek, J., Houët, F., & Cunha, E. (2005). Dsp: a tool for probabilistic sex diagnosis using worldwide variability in hip-bone measurements. Bulletins et mémoires de la Sociétéd’Anthropologie de Paris, 17(3-4), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23282
Pradelli, J., Rossetti, C., Tuccia, F., Giordani, G.., Licata, M.,
Birkhoff, J., Verzeletti, A., & Vanin, S. (2019). Environmental necrophagous fauna selection in a funerary hypogeal context: the putridarium of the Franciscan monastery of Azzio (northern Italy). Journal of Archaeological Science Report, 24, 683–692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.02.028
Purkait, R. (2003). Sex determination from femoral head measure-ments: a new approach. Legal Medicine, 5(1), 347–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00169-4
Souza, M. A., Soares, J., Luiz, A. V., Santos, M. A., & Vaisbich, M. H. (2010). Dental abnormalities and oral health in patients with hypophosphatemic rickets. Clinics, 65(10), 1023–1026. https//doi:10.1590/s1807-59322010001000017
Squires, K, Roberts, C. A., & Marquez-Grant, N. (2022). Ethical considerations and publishing in human bioarchaeology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 177(4), 615–619.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24467
Tesi, C., Giuffra, V., Fornaciari, G., Larentis, O., Motto, M., & Licata, M. (2019). A case of erosive polyarthropathy from medieval northern Italy (12th–13th centuries). International Journal of Paleopatology, 25, 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.03.002
Tonina, E., Licata, M., Pangrazzi, C., Maspero, U., Romano, L., & Larentis, O. (2018). A case of Concha Bullosa and potentially related evidences. Concha bullosa discovered in the bones of a medieval skeleton from Brentonico, northeast Italy: a case report. Medicina Historica, 2(2), 94–98. https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/7481
Trotter, M. (1970). Estimation of Stature from Intact Long Bones. In: Stewart, T. D., Eds., Personal Identification of Mass Disasters. Smithsonian Institution, Washington.
Veselka, B., & Snoeck, C. (2021). Interglobular dentine attributed to vitamin d deficiency visible in cremated human teeth. Science report, 11, 20958. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00380-w
Zambrano, M., Nikitakis, N., Sanchez-Quevedo, C., Sauk, J. J., Sedano, H., & Rivera, H. (2003). Oral and dental manifestations of vitamin d–dependent rickets type i: report of a pediatric case. Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics, 95, 705–709.https://doi.org/10.1067/moe.2003.116
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02437238
Bruzek, J., Santos, F., Dutailly, B., Murail. P., & Cunha, E. (2017). Validation and reliability of the sex estimation of the human os coxae using freely available dsp2 software for bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 164(2), 440–449. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23282
Buikstra, J. (2019). Ortner’s identification of pathological conditions in human skeletal remains. Cambridge Press.
D’ Ortenzio, L., Kahlon, B., Peacock, T., Salahuddin, H., & Brickley, M. (2018). The rachitic tooth: refining the use of interglobular dentine in diagnosing vitamin d deficiency. International Journal of Paleopathology, 22, 101–108. https://doi.org/doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.07.001
D’Ortenzio, L., Ribot, I., Kahlon, B., Bertrand, B., Bocaege, E., Raguin, E., Schattmann, A., & Brickley, M. (2017). The rachitic tooth: the use of radiographs as a screening technique. International Journal of Paleopathology, 23, 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2017.10.001
Fornaciari, A. (2013) Scheletrizzare o mummificare: pratiche e strutture per la sepoltura secondaria nell’Italia del sud durante l’età moderna e contemporanea. Medicina nei secoli arte e scienza, 205–238.
Fornaciari, A., Giuffra, V., & Pezzini, F. (2008). Processi di tanatometamorfosi: pratiche di scolatura dei corpi e mummificazione nel regno delle due Sicilie, borgo san Lorenzo. All’insegna del Giglio.
Fusco, R., Larentis, O., Cermesoni, B., Ravagnan, A., & Tesi, C. (2018). The “Mummy of Erba”: A study proposal for the analysis of a mummified Egyptian specimen. Medicina Historica, 2(3), 163-165. https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index. php/MedHistor/article/view/7938
Fusco, R., Licata, M., Larentis, O., Cermesoni, B., Ravagnan, A., Ciliberti, R., Pinto, A., & Tesi C. (2020). Mummies outside their closets. Paleoradiological investigation of egyptian mummified remains. Forensic Imaging, 22, 200397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fri.2020.200397
Henderson, C. Y., Mariotti, V., Panykucera, D., Villotte, S., & Wilczak, C. (2016). The new ‘Coimbra method’: a biologically appropriate method for recording specific features of fibrocartilaginous entheseal changes. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 26, 925–932. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2477
Imbesi, F. (2020). Antropologia della morte, contesti socio-culturali e consuetudini funerarie in due putridaria di Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. Imbesi F ed., Sicilia millenaria dalla microstoria
alla dimensione mediterranea, Atti del III convegno, 8-10 novembre 2019, Università degli Studi di Messina e sala consiliare di Rometta Marea. Società nissena di storia patria.
Iscan, M. Y., Loth, S.R., & Wright, R.K. (1984). Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: white males. Journal of Forensic Science, 29(4), 1094–1104.
Iscan, M. Y., Loth, S.R., & Wright, R. K. (1985). Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: white females. Journal of Forensic Science, 30(3), 853–863.
Langè, S. (1968). Ville delle province di Como. Sisar, Sondrio e Varese.
Larentis, O. (2017). San Martino di Lundo (Trento) Grave 1. Case study of an individual introducing possibilities markers of horse riding. Medicina Historica, 1(2), 103–110.https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/6380
Larentis, O., & Gorini, I. (2019). Bioarcheology in the northwest Italy. Our experience. Medicina Historica, 3(1), 46–47. https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/8318
Larentis, O., Tonina, E., Iorio, S., Gorini, I., & Licata, M. (2019). Osteological evidence of metabolic disease from a post medieval north Italy archaeological site. Journal of Maternal Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 18(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2018.1560405
Larentis, O., Tonina, E., Tesi, C., Rossetti, C., Gorini, I., Ciliberti, R., & Licata, M. (2020). A probable case of subligamentous tuberculous spondylitis: the concealed body of the late modern period (early 16th century to early 20th century), franciscan crypt of st. Anthony and st. Eusebius church, lombardy, italy. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 30(2), 180–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2845
Licata, M., Larentis, O., Badino, P., Fusco, R., & Tesi, C. (2020). Toward the valorization of our anthropological and paleopathological heritage. The musealization of the osteoarchaeological contexts. Medicina Historica, 4(1), 45–46. https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/93811.
Licata, M., Larentis, O., Tesi, C., & Ciliberti, R. (2020). Infectious disease in asylums: a fact-finding investigation to prevent tuberculosis contagion in the early twentieth century in Italy. Neurological science, 42(3), 1185–1188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04744-4
Licata, M., Larentis, O., Tesi, C., Fusco, R., & Ciliberti, R. (2021). Tourism in the Time of Coronavirus. Fruition of the “Minor Heritage” through the Development of Bioarchaeological Sites - A Proposal–2). Heritage 2,, 759–774. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4020042
Lovejoy, C. O., Meindl, R. S., Pryzbecj, T. R., & Mensforth, R. P. (1985) Chronological metamorphosis of the auricular surface of the ilium: a new method for the determination of adult skeletal age at death. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 68, 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330680103
Lovell, N. C. (1997). Trauma analysis in paleopathology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 105(25), 139–170. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(1997)25+<139:AIDAJPA6>3.0.CO;2-%23
Murail, P., Bruzek, J., Houët, F., & Cunha, E. (2005). Dsp: a tool for probabilistic sex diagnosis using worldwide variability in hip-bone measurements. Bulletins et mémoires de la Sociétéd’Anthropologie de Paris, 17(3-4), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23282
Pradelli, J., Rossetti, C., Tuccia, F., Giordani, G.., Licata, M.,
Birkhoff, J., Verzeletti, A., & Vanin, S. (2019). Environmental necrophagous fauna selection in a funerary hypogeal context: the putridarium of the Franciscan monastery of Azzio (northern Italy). Journal of Archaeological Science Report, 24, 683–692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.02.028
Purkait, R. (2003). Sex determination from femoral head measure-ments: a new approach. Legal Medicine, 5(1), 347–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1344-6223(02)00169-4
Souza, M. A., Soares, J., Luiz, A. V., Santos, M. A., & Vaisbich, M. H. (2010). Dental abnormalities and oral health in patients with hypophosphatemic rickets. Clinics, 65(10), 1023–1026. https//doi:10.1590/s1807-59322010001000017
Squires, K, Roberts, C. A., & Marquez-Grant, N. (2022). Ethical considerations and publishing in human bioarchaeology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 177(4), 615–619.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24467
Tesi, C., Giuffra, V., Fornaciari, G., Larentis, O., Motto, M., & Licata, M. (2019). A case of erosive polyarthropathy from medieval northern Italy (12th–13th centuries). International Journal of Paleopatology, 25, 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.03.002
Tonina, E., Licata, M., Pangrazzi, C., Maspero, U., Romano, L., & Larentis, O. (2018). A case of Concha Bullosa and potentially related evidences. Concha bullosa discovered in the bones of a medieval skeleton from Brentonico, northeast Italy: a case report. Medicina Historica, 2(2), 94–98. https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/7481
Trotter, M. (1970). Estimation of Stature from Intact Long Bones. In: Stewart, T. D., Eds., Personal Identification of Mass Disasters. Smithsonian Institution, Washington.
Veselka, B., & Snoeck, C. (2021). Interglobular dentine attributed to vitamin d deficiency visible in cremated human teeth. Science report, 11, 20958. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00380-w
Zambrano, M., Nikitakis, N., Sanchez-Quevedo, C., Sauk, J. J., Sedano, H., & Rivera, H. (2003). Oral and dental manifestations of vitamin d–dependent rickets type i: report of a pediatric case. Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics, 95, 705–709.https://doi.org/10.1067/moe.2003.116
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Feb 7, 2023
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Peasants, nobles and religious. Mortuary archaeology in the church of SS. Eusebio and Antonio of Azzio, Varese (Northwest Italy). JBR [Internet]. 2023 Feb. 7 [cited 2024 Apr. 18];1(1):e2023002. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/JBR/article/view/13946
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Original Article: Physical Anthropology
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How to Cite
1.
Peasants, nobles and religious. Mortuary archaeology in the church of SS. Eusebio and Antonio of Azzio, Varese (Northwest Italy). JBR [Internet]. 2023 Feb. 7 [cited 2024 Apr. 18];1(1):e2023002. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/JBR/article/view/13946