Alessandra Varalli - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Talks by Alessandra Varalli
We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal... more We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal. BP-from Arma di Nasino in Liguria, northwestern Italy, an area rich in Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic attestations, but for which little information on Early Holocene occupation was available. The multiproxy isotopic profile of the two individuals reveals that-despite the proximity of the site to the Mediterranean seashore and the use of shellfish as decorative elements in burials-the ecology of these foragers was based on the exploitation of high-altitude resources, presumably in the nearby western Alps. This constitutes the first direct evidence in northwestern Italy of a significant ecological shift towards higher altitudes following deglaciation, especially when compared to isotopic data of the Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from the nearby site of Arene Candide Cave, who exploited terrestrial resources nearer to the coast and at lower altitudes. While the biochemistry of Nasino's skeletal assemblage revealed new details on Early Holocene lifeways in the area, the osteobiography of one individual offers glimpses into the life experience of a specific female forager, depicting a scenario of early skeletal trauma, developmental disturbances, long-term impairments, and resilience amongst the last European hunter-gatherers. Between the beginning of the Holocene (11,700 cal. BP 1) and the diffusion of the Neolithic in Europe, Mesolithic foragers adapted to the rapidly warming climate by modifying the subsistence patterns that had characterized the preceding Upper Paleolithic, or by adopting new ones altogether 2,3. As the land was freed from ice by the warming climate, new high-altitude hunting grounds began to be exploited in mountainous areas such as the Alps, while in coastal areas of the Atlantic façade and in the southern Baltic region, the exploitation of coastal resources-primarily shellfish-became important 3. However, our knowledge about the paleoecology of Early Mesolithic foragers (ca. 1100-8500 cal. BP) is often limited and biased by the facts that most sites are surface artifact scatters 2 , and that most of the coastal sites occupied in the earlier phases are now under water 3,4. In this context, human remains and burials can provide rare glimpses of direct information on several aspects of human biocultural adaptations that most sites cannot, such as diet 5,6 , mobility and activity patterns 7-9 , and social complexity 3,10 .
Dietary practices, economical and environmental influences during Prehistory: stable isotope and anthropological studies in Western Mediterranean”
Goude G, Varalli A.
INDAGINE PALEONUTRIZIONALE NELL’ETÀ DEL BRONZO IN ITALIA ATTRAVERSO LO STUDIO DEGLI ISOTOPI STABILI
Varalli A, Moggi Cecchi J, Goude G.
RECONSTRUCTING THE DIET OF ITALIAN PEOPLE DURING BRONZE AGE: COMPARISON OF FOOD PATTERNS USING STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS
Varalli A., Moggi Cecchi J., Goude G.
"The Bronze Age is a crucial period of change, when “non-organized” human groups give way to more... more "The Bronze Age is a crucial period of change, when “non-organized” human groups give way to more structured and hierarchical communities, trade activities leads to new social relationships and agriculture and livestock farming become the key changes of new life habits. This progress is sustained by the introduction of new crops and improvements in the food production capacity. The variability of dietary patterns is one of the resultants of these modifications. Our paper presents dietary trends in Italy during Bronze Age (2300-1120 BC) evaluated through multi-element stable isotope analyses (C, N, S), measured on bone collagen. We present original data from 4 sites in 3 Italian regions (n=169), compared with previous results from 3 sites in central Italy (n=43). The results highlight different food choices due to the local environment, social complexity and probably different purposes of the area chosen for the necropolis. Presence of non-local individuals and first introduction of millet during Middle Bronze Age are discussed. At one site, the high level protein diet hints at marine food consumption for a few individuals. The different trends of dietary patterns emerging from the analysis will contribute to the comprehension of the evolution of food habits during the Bronze Age.
"
Investigation of Italian Bronze Age dietary patterns: an anthropological and multi-element stable isotope approach
Varalli A, Goude G, Moggi Cecchi J.
The italian diet during Bronze Age: multi-stable isotope approach to reconstruct food patterns of central Italy populations
A.Varalli, J.Moggi Cecchi, G.Goude
FIRST DATA OF THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ON THE HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS OF THE EARLY BRONZE AGE NECROPOLIS OF ARANO DI CELLORE (ILLASI, VERONA)
Dori I., Varalli A., Boccone S., Bortoluzzi S., Tafuri M., Moggi Cecchi J.
The excavation of the necropolis of Arano (2007) has unearthed 68 burials for a total of 74 indiv... more The excavation of the necropolis of Arano (2007) has unearthed 68 burials for a total of 74 individuals and, for the sample size, this is the most important finding in Northern Italy for the Early Bronze Age. Conservation was very poor and a long restoration process was required. To the present day 38 individuals have been examined: 16 males, 5 females and 17 undetermined (14 subadults).
Some individuals have been sampled to reconstruct the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type (barley, wheat: “Neolithic package”), whereas in other sites more or less contemporary from Northern Italy, a different agricultural practice has been recorded with production and consumption of millet (C4 plant type).
In this paper we are reporting the preliminary results of anthropological investigations and stable isotopes analysis.
Dietary complexity in Bronze Age Italy: the isotopic evidence
Mary Anne Tafuri, Michele Cupitò, Luciano Salzani, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi, Alessandra Varalli, Alessandro Canci
With most palaeoeconomic studies continuing to equate economy with a list of the foods humans ate... more With most palaeoeconomic studies continuing to equate economy with a list of the foods humans ate, the complexity of dietary practices in prehistoric Italy has seldom been questioned. This is particularly true for later phases of the prehistory, when the onset of fully productive economies has diverted the attention on food as a proxy of cultural change. One reason for this has been limited methodologies for investigating not only what foods were produced but also what foods people consumed. Stable Carbon and Nitrogen isotope analysis of human collagen preserved in ancient skeletal remains represents a direct scientific method to investigate on the diet of past populations, and is increasingly applied in archaeological investigations.
We have undertaken an isotope investigation on human and animal collagen from several Bronze Age sites of the Peninsula. Our results have revealed substantial distinctions between northern and southern regions, with the presence of specialized crops at very early phases. Intrasite differences are also indicative of social complexity and might relate to conflict and warfare.
Stable isotopes analysis of the Early Bronze Age remains from the necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi, Verona).
Varalli A., Tafuri M., Boccone S., Bortoluzzi S., Salzani L., Salzani P., Moggi Cecchi J.
The skeletal remains from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi-Verona), ha... more The skeletal remains from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi-Verona), have been studied for their stable isotopes content, aimed at the reconstruction of the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture in Arano was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type, typical of the so-called 'Neolithic package' consisting in barley, corn and wheat. In particular, the analysis yielded isotope values concentrated in a very narrow range, that indicates an homogeneous diet with no significant differences between the categories identified (burials with and without grave goods, deposition of the body on the left and right side, orientation of the skull to the North and South). Differences are apparent between sexes with slightly higher nitrogen values for men – although this results need to be confirmed. When the Arano stable isotope results are compared with the more or less contemporary sites from Northern Italy, as Sedegliano (UD) and Olmo di Nogara (VR), a different agricultural practice is evident. At the two latter sites a production and consumption of millet and C4 plant types, identified by different isotopic values, can be suggested. The exploitation of these plants in Central and Northern Europe suggests communications and trades with these areas, for which similar studies revealed a consumption of C4 species in the middle and late Bronze Age.
Papers by Alessandra Varalli
L’âge du Bronze en France (2500 à 800 avant notre ère) Synthèses thématiques (Ed. C. Marcigny, C. Mordant). Recherche archéologiques 29 : 157-163., 2025
Ash-sharq, 2025
This paper examines the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age dry-stone funerary monuments... more This paper examines the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age dry-stone funerary monuments discovered along the northern coast of Kuwait Bay. The latter are studied in terms of funerary architecture, burial practices and socioeconomic dynamics. Kuwait Bay appears to be situated at the crossroads between the influences of northern Arabian Neolithic tribes, as well as of Mesopotamian-and later-Dilmun trade networks. As such, its populations might have been part of a translocal economic scheme based on the trade of goods, either bound for, or originating from within these different realms. Accordingly, we aimed to assess the impact of these socioeconomic and socio-cultural dynamics on a micro-regional scale, focusing on the imprint they might have left on Al-Subiyah's communities and their architectural traditions, funerary behaviours and material cultures.
Scientific Reports
Where "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in ... more Where "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in the northwestern corner of the cave against the wall (Supplementary Information Figure )" now reads "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in the northwestern corner of the cave against the wall (Supplementary Information 1)" where "We therefore investigated the diet of the two adult Mesolithic individuals by comparing them with earlier Upper Paleolithic foragers that lived in the same area: the Late Epigravettian individuals (n = 13) from the Arene Candide Cave necropolis, dated between 12,800-12,500 and 12,100-11,800 cal. BP25, analyzed for this study, and the published data for the Gravettian "Il Principe" ("The Prince") from Arene Candide Cave, dated to ca. 27,900-27,300 cal. BP37 (Fig. ; raw data in Supplementary Information 1). " now reads "We therefore investigated the diet of the two adult Mesolithic individuals by comparing them with earlier Upper Paleolithic foragers that lived in the same area: the Late Epigravettian individuals (n = 13) from the Arene Candide Cave necropolis, dated between 12,800-12,500 and 12,100-11,800 cal. BP25, analyzed for this study, and the published data for the Gravettian "Il Principe" ("The Prince") from Arene Candide Cave, dated to ca. 27,900-27,300 cal. BP37 (Fig. ; raw data in Supplementary information 2).
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 1, 2018
HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific r... more HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.
Archaeothanathology and palaeopathology of the burials and “scattered human remains” from Arma dell’Aquila (Finale Ligure, Savona)
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2018
International audienc
Lifestyle and feeding in Italian caves during the metal ages: the contribution of stable isotopes analysis
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Apr 16, 2016
International audienc
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approach
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2017
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropolog... more Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approac
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
The Upper Seine Valley sees during the Bronze Age an increase in settlements and cemeteries chara... more The Upper Seine Valley sees during the Bronze Age an increase in settlements and cemeteries characterized by a variety of architectures and funerary practices. This variability originates from the coalescence of two cultural traditions, the Atlantic culture from the northwest and the Continental culture from the east, which find its roots in the Upper Rhine area. In this context, our research aims to understand the cultural identity of these communities by reconstructing subsistence economy and palaeodietary patterns and to trace human mobility, which influenced lifestyle and social–economic dynamics. Adding new 10 AMS dating and using multi-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) and multi-proxy (botanical, animal and human remains) biochemical investigations, we detected changes in dietary habits throughout the Bronze Age linked to varying C3 and C4 plant consumption and diverse animal protein intake by humans. Three main outcomes are highlighted: (1) a variety of farming strategies with diffe...
Modèles de perturbations de croissance à partir de l’analyse (via macrophotographie) dans un échantillon néolitique de Ligurie (nord-ouest de l’Italie)
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2019
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Apr 17, 2018
Bulletins et mémoires de la société d'anthropologie de Paris
Ce document a été généré automatiquement le 25 décembre 2023. Le texte seul est utilisable sous l... more Ce document a été généré automatiquement le 25 décembre 2023. Le texte seul est utilisable sous licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Les autres éléments (illustrations, fichiers annexes importés) sont « Tous droits réservés », sauf mention contraire.
We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal... more We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal. BP-from Arma di Nasino in Liguria, northwestern Italy, an area rich in Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic attestations, but for which little information on Early Holocene occupation was available. The multiproxy isotopic profile of the two individuals reveals that-despite the proximity of the site to the Mediterranean seashore and the use of shellfish as decorative elements in burials-the ecology of these foragers was based on the exploitation of high-altitude resources, presumably in the nearby western Alps. This constitutes the first direct evidence in northwestern Italy of a significant ecological shift towards higher altitudes following deglaciation, especially when compared to isotopic data of the Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from the nearby site of Arene Candide Cave, who exploited terrestrial resources nearer to the coast and at lower altitudes. While the biochemistry of Nasino's skeletal assemblage revealed new details on Early Holocene lifeways in the area, the osteobiography of one individual offers glimpses into the life experience of a specific female forager, depicting a scenario of early skeletal trauma, developmental disturbances, long-term impairments, and resilience amongst the last European hunter-gatherers. Between the beginning of the Holocene (11,700 cal. BP 1) and the diffusion of the Neolithic in Europe, Mesolithic foragers adapted to the rapidly warming climate by modifying the subsistence patterns that had characterized the preceding Upper Paleolithic, or by adopting new ones altogether 2,3. As the land was freed from ice by the warming climate, new high-altitude hunting grounds began to be exploited in mountainous areas such as the Alps, while in coastal areas of the Atlantic façade and in the southern Baltic region, the exploitation of coastal resources-primarily shellfish-became important 3. However, our knowledge about the paleoecology of Early Mesolithic foragers (ca. 1100-8500 cal. BP) is often limited and biased by the facts that most sites are surface artifact scatters 2 , and that most of the coastal sites occupied in the earlier phases are now under water 3,4. In this context, human remains and burials can provide rare glimpses of direct information on several aspects of human biocultural adaptations that most sites cannot, such as diet 5,6 , mobility and activity patterns 7-9 , and social complexity 3,10 .
Dietary practices, economical and environmental influences during Prehistory: stable isotope and anthropological studies in Western Mediterranean”
Goude G, Varalli A.
INDAGINE PALEONUTRIZIONALE NELL’ETÀ DEL BRONZO IN ITALIA ATTRAVERSO LO STUDIO DEGLI ISOTOPI STABILI
Varalli A, Moggi Cecchi J, Goude G.
RECONSTRUCTING THE DIET OF ITALIAN PEOPLE DURING BRONZE AGE: COMPARISON OF FOOD PATTERNS USING STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS
Varalli A., Moggi Cecchi J., Goude G.
"The Bronze Age is a crucial period of change, when “non-organized” human groups give way to more... more "The Bronze Age is a crucial period of change, when “non-organized” human groups give way to more structured and hierarchical communities, trade activities leads to new social relationships and agriculture and livestock farming become the key changes of new life habits. This progress is sustained by the introduction of new crops and improvements in the food production capacity. The variability of dietary patterns is one of the resultants of these modifications. Our paper presents dietary trends in Italy during Bronze Age (2300-1120 BC) evaluated through multi-element stable isotope analyses (C, N, S), measured on bone collagen. We present original data from 4 sites in 3 Italian regions (n=169), compared with previous results from 3 sites in central Italy (n=43). The results highlight different food choices due to the local environment, social complexity and probably different purposes of the area chosen for the necropolis. Presence of non-local individuals and first introduction of millet during Middle Bronze Age are discussed. At one site, the high level protein diet hints at marine food consumption for a few individuals. The different trends of dietary patterns emerging from the analysis will contribute to the comprehension of the evolution of food habits during the Bronze Age.
"
Investigation of Italian Bronze Age dietary patterns: an anthropological and multi-element stable isotope approach
Varalli A, Goude G, Moggi Cecchi J.
The italian diet during Bronze Age: multi-stable isotope approach to reconstruct food patterns of central Italy populations
A.Varalli, J.Moggi Cecchi, G.Goude
FIRST DATA OF THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ON THE HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS OF THE EARLY BRONZE AGE NECROPOLIS OF ARANO DI CELLORE (ILLASI, VERONA)
Dori I., Varalli A., Boccone S., Bortoluzzi S., Tafuri M., Moggi Cecchi J.
The excavation of the necropolis of Arano (2007) has unearthed 68 burials for a total of 74 indiv... more The excavation of the necropolis of Arano (2007) has unearthed 68 burials for a total of 74 individuals and, for the sample size, this is the most important finding in Northern Italy for the Early Bronze Age. Conservation was very poor and a long restoration process was required. To the present day 38 individuals have been examined: 16 males, 5 females and 17 undetermined (14 subadults).
Some individuals have been sampled to reconstruct the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type (barley, wheat: “Neolithic package”), whereas in other sites more or less contemporary from Northern Italy, a different agricultural practice has been recorded with production and consumption of millet (C4 plant type).
In this paper we are reporting the preliminary results of anthropological investigations and stable isotopes analysis.
Dietary complexity in Bronze Age Italy: the isotopic evidence
Mary Anne Tafuri, Michele Cupitò, Luciano Salzani, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi, Alessandra Varalli, Alessandro Canci
With most palaeoeconomic studies continuing to equate economy with a list of the foods humans ate... more With most palaeoeconomic studies continuing to equate economy with a list of the foods humans ate, the complexity of dietary practices in prehistoric Italy has seldom been questioned. This is particularly true for later phases of the prehistory, when the onset of fully productive economies has diverted the attention on food as a proxy of cultural change. One reason for this has been limited methodologies for investigating not only what foods were produced but also what foods people consumed. Stable Carbon and Nitrogen isotope analysis of human collagen preserved in ancient skeletal remains represents a direct scientific method to investigate on the diet of past populations, and is increasingly applied in archaeological investigations.
We have undertaken an isotope investigation on human and animal collagen from several Bronze Age sites of the Peninsula. Our results have revealed substantial distinctions between northern and southern regions, with the presence of specialized crops at very early phases. Intrasite differences are also indicative of social complexity and might relate to conflict and warfare.
Stable isotopes analysis of the Early Bronze Age remains from the necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi, Verona).
Varalli A., Tafuri M., Boccone S., Bortoluzzi S., Salzani L., Salzani P., Moggi Cecchi J.
The skeletal remains from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi-Verona), ha... more The skeletal remains from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi-Verona), have been studied for their stable isotopes content, aimed at the reconstruction of the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture in Arano was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type, typical of the so-called 'Neolithic package' consisting in barley, corn and wheat. In particular, the analysis yielded isotope values concentrated in a very narrow range, that indicates an homogeneous diet with no significant differences between the categories identified (burials with and without grave goods, deposition of the body on the left and right side, orientation of the skull to the North and South). Differences are apparent between sexes with slightly higher nitrogen values for men – although this results need to be confirmed. When the Arano stable isotope results are compared with the more or less contemporary sites from Northern Italy, as Sedegliano (UD) and Olmo di Nogara (VR), a different agricultural practice is evident. At the two latter sites a production and consumption of millet and C4 plant types, identified by different isotopic values, can be suggested. The exploitation of these plants in Central and Northern Europe suggests communications and trades with these areas, for which similar studies revealed a consumption of C4 species in the middle and late Bronze Age.
L’âge du Bronze en France (2500 à 800 avant notre ère) Synthèses thématiques (Ed. C. Marcigny, C. Mordant). Recherche archéologiques 29 : 157-163., 2025
Ash-sharq, 2025
This paper examines the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age dry-stone funerary monuments... more This paper examines the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age dry-stone funerary monuments discovered along the northern coast of Kuwait Bay. The latter are studied in terms of funerary architecture, burial practices and socioeconomic dynamics. Kuwait Bay appears to be situated at the crossroads between the influences of northern Arabian Neolithic tribes, as well as of Mesopotamian-and later-Dilmun trade networks. As such, its populations might have been part of a translocal economic scheme based on the trade of goods, either bound for, or originating from within these different realms. Accordingly, we aimed to assess the impact of these socioeconomic and socio-cultural dynamics on a micro-regional scale, focusing on the imprint they might have left on Al-Subiyah's communities and their architectural traditions, funerary behaviours and material cultures.
Scientific Reports
Where "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in ... more Where "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in the northwestern corner of the cave against the wall (Supplementary Information Figure )" now reads "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in the northwestern corner of the cave against the wall (Supplementary Information 1)" where "We therefore investigated the diet of the two adult Mesolithic individuals by comparing them with earlier Upper Paleolithic foragers that lived in the same area: the Late Epigravettian individuals (n = 13) from the Arene Candide Cave necropolis, dated between 12,800-12,500 and 12,100-11,800 cal. BP25, analyzed for this study, and the published data for the Gravettian "Il Principe" ("The Prince") from Arene Candide Cave, dated to ca. 27,900-27,300 cal. BP37 (Fig. ; raw data in Supplementary Information 1). " now reads "We therefore investigated the diet of the two adult Mesolithic individuals by comparing them with earlier Upper Paleolithic foragers that lived in the same area: the Late Epigravettian individuals (n = 13) from the Arene Candide Cave necropolis, dated between 12,800-12,500 and 12,100-11,800 cal. BP25, analyzed for this study, and the published data for the Gravettian "Il Principe" ("The Prince") from Arene Candide Cave, dated to ca. 27,900-27,300 cal. BP37 (Fig. ; raw data in Supplementary information 2).
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 1, 2018
HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific r... more HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.
Archaeothanathology and palaeopathology of the burials and “scattered human remains” from Arma dell’Aquila (Finale Ligure, Savona)
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2018
International audienc
Lifestyle and feeding in Italian caves during the metal ages: the contribution of stable isotopes analysis
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Apr 16, 2016
International audienc
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approach
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2017
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropolog... more Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approac
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
The Upper Seine Valley sees during the Bronze Age an increase in settlements and cemeteries chara... more The Upper Seine Valley sees during the Bronze Age an increase in settlements and cemeteries characterized by a variety of architectures and funerary practices. This variability originates from the coalescence of two cultural traditions, the Atlantic culture from the northwest and the Continental culture from the east, which find its roots in the Upper Rhine area. In this context, our research aims to understand the cultural identity of these communities by reconstructing subsistence economy and palaeodietary patterns and to trace human mobility, which influenced lifestyle and social–economic dynamics. Adding new 10 AMS dating and using multi-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) and multi-proxy (botanical, animal and human remains) biochemical investigations, we detected changes in dietary habits throughout the Bronze Age linked to varying C3 and C4 plant consumption and diverse animal protein intake by humans. Three main outcomes are highlighted: (1) a variety of farming strategies with diffe...
Modèles de perturbations de croissance à partir de l’analyse (via macrophotographie) dans un échantillon néolitique de Ligurie (nord-ouest de l’Italie)
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2019
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Apr 17, 2018
Bulletins et mémoires de la société d'anthropologie de Paris
Ce document a été généré automatiquement le 25 décembre 2023. Le texte seul est utilisable sous l... more Ce document a été généré automatiquement le 25 décembre 2023. Le texte seul est utilisable sous licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Les autres éléments (illustrations, fichiers annexes importés) sont « Tous droits réservés », sauf mention contraire.
Investigating patterns of growth disturbances in a Neolithic sample from Liguria (northwestern Italy, 4800-4400 BCE) from the analysis of enamel defects and diet
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Mar 1, 2019
Lifestyle and feeding in Italian caves during the metal ages: the contribution of stable isotopes analysis
International audienc
Prehistoric human behaviours in Liguria (Italy): dietary, pathological and biomechanical perspectives
International audienc
Archaeothanathology and palaeopathology of the burials and “scattered human remains” from Arma dell’Aquila (Finale Ligure, Savona)
International audienc
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approach
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2017
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropolog... more Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approac
Les populations de l'âge du Bronze en Ile-de-France. Recherches sur la paléoalimentation et la mobilité : le PCR Bronz'Pal
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2021
International audienc
Corrigendum to “Dating the funerary use of caves in Liguria (northwestern Italy) from the Neolithic to historic times: Results from a large-scale AMS campaign on human skeletal series” [Quat. Int. 536 (2020) 30–44]
Quaternary International, 2020
In Appendix 1, and Supplementary Information Tables S1 and S2, the age class of individual [AC672... more In Appendix 1, and Supplementary Information Tables S1 and S2, the age class of individual [AC6726.4 (Prob. AC EIV BB)/ACN 030] is indicated as “adolescent”; the correct age class is “adult”. In Appendix 1, and Supplementary Information Tables S1 and S2, the age class of individual [AC V BB/ACN 031] is indicated as “adult”; the correct age class is “adolescent”, as also discussed in the text. The mistake does not change the results in Table 4
Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, 2024
C crops such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) have played a sig... more C crops such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) have played a significant role in the economic livelihood in arid and semi-arid zones of tropical and sub-tropical Africa since prehistoric times. However, to date, our knowledge of their past management practices is limited. Stable isotope analysis of archaeobotanical remains has been recognized as a valuable tool for reconstructing past agricultural practices, e.g. water management, and fertilization. Nonetheless, our limited understanding of the isotopic variability of C plants calls for further research on modern plant before application to archaeobotanical remains. In this paper, we aim to enhance our understanding of modern C botanical remains' isotopic variability by analyzing sorghum and finger millet plants. These crops were cultivated according to traditional local practices and collected from ten villages located in the Konso Zone (South Ethiopia) and Tigray Regional State (North Ethiopia), where they are among the daily ingredients for food, and traditional alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. We analyzed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of seeds and biosilica content in cha , as it has been suggested that a relationship can exist between silicon and C:N. Carbon isotope values show significant variability, positively correlated with altitude. By demonstrating the sensitivity of C grain carbon stable isotope to altitude variations, which are likely connected to water availability, this study o ers invaluable insights for the accurate assessment of isotopic values derived from ancient C crops. The absence of significant correlations with δ N suggests that nitrogen isotope values may be less e ective for understanding environmental variations in this kind of context. This highlights the limitations of nitrogen isotope data for interpreting ancient agricultural practices and underscores the importance of relying more on carbon isotopes for insights related to environmental conditions and altitude. Furthermore, we confirm that the amount of assimilated carbon may depend also on the biosilica content, which is in turn modulated by environmental parameters such as water availability or soil silicon levels.
Scientific Reports
This study investigates changes in dietary practices and subsistence strategies in Bronze Age Ita... more This study investigates changes in dietary practices and subsistence strategies in Bronze Age Italy integrating isotopic analyses with archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data. By investigating food habits, we contribute to reconstructing human lifestyles and highlighting possible links with the economic/social organization when the rise of stratified societies and new economic activities affected subsistence practices. Stable isotopes analyses in humans and animals were performed on 6 Italian sites dating from 2300 to 900 cal. BC, followed by a complete review of additional 19 sites, which forms the basis of a diachronic and geographic comparison for Bronze Age Italy. The geographic analysis shows a more varied diet in northern and central Italy, compared to the south. The diachronic analysis highlights the homogeneity of food habits during the Early Bronze Age, contrary to the later phases when an increase in dietary variability and a higher animal protein consumption are revea...
Modèles des perturbations de croissance à partir de l’analyse de l’hypoplasie linéaire de l’émail (via macrophotographie) dans un échantillon néolithique de Ligurie (nord-ouest de l'Italie)
1844èmes Journées de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris, 2019
La transition vers le mode de vie néolithique (économie basée sur la domestication des plantes et... more La transition vers le mode de vie néolithique (économie basée sur la domestication des plantes et animaux) a impacté en manière significative l’état sanitaire, l'alimentation, et l'activité humaine. Les nouvelles stratégies de subsistance ont permis l’introduction d’aliments de sevrage qui ont réduit la durée de l'allaitement et limité les intervalles entre les naissances, donnant lieu à une croissance démographique. En même temps, plusieurs études suggèrent que le passage à l'agriculture ait pu provoquer une détérioration des conditions de vie et sanitaires. Les groupes néolithiques ont été impacté par des facteurs de stress environnementaux, probablement causés par des changements des pratiques alimentaires, des stratégies de subsistance, de la pression démographique et de la diffusion de nouveaux pathogènes. Reconstituer l’histoire-de-vie d’un individu de la naissance jusqu'à la fin de l’enfance, est fondamental pour apprécier les adaptations humaines. La Ligurie (nord-ouest de l'Italie) est une région clé pour l'étude des adaptations bio-culturelles humaines néolithiques grâce à la découverte de nombreux sites liés à ces communautés. Cette étude porte sur les perturbations ontogénétiques par l'analyse de l'hypoplasie linéaire de l'émail (HLE) observés sur 38 dents de 12 inhumés des grottes de Ligurie (phase chrono-culturelle VBQ, c. 5000-4300 cal BC). Les HLE ont été analysés avec des images macrophotographiques à haute résolution. Une augmentation significative des HLE a été observée entre l'âge de 2,5-3 ans, et certains auteurs avancent l'hypothèse que, dans des échantillons archéologiques, les défauts de l'émail entre deux et quatre ans pourraient être liés au stress causé par le sevrage. Même s'il est impropre de corréler un seul défaut hypoplasique à une cause spécifique, les résultats obtenus suggèrent la présence de troubles précoces de la croissance dentaire, probablement due à une adaptation environnementale associée à une période de sevrage réduite par rapport au paléolithique (4-5 ans).
Dietary reconstruction of an Early-Middle Bronze Age population from Northern Italy (Ballabio, Lecco): a multidisciplinary approach
The aim of this study is to define the subsistence strategies and dietary habits of the Early-Mid... more The aim of this study is to define the subsistence strategies and dietary habits of the Early-Middle Bronze Age population of Ballabio (3230 ± 90 BP). This archaeological site, excavated in a rock shelter at 700 m a.s.l., was discovered in 2004 during a geological survey. Skeletal remains were found in two adjacent funerary structures, interpreted as primary burials and as places of secondary deposition. The MNI assessed was 27 subjects: 22 adults (6 females, 3 males, 13 undetermined) and 5 sub-adults. Paleonutritional analyses were conducted by evaluation of dental-alveolar features (caries, abscesses, ante mortem tooth loss, dental calculus, tooth wear, chipping, periodontal diseases and linear enamel hypoplasia) and isotopic survey. The dental analysis was carried out on 375 teeth: the individuals exhibited a low prevalence of caries, abscesses and ante mortem tooth loss, high calculus rates and severe wear, suggesting a subsistence pattern based on pastoralism and agriculture. Nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios, performed on 25 humans and 4 faunal remains (2 herbivores and 2 omnivores), confirm this trend showing a protein intake based on mixed C3-plants and animal products from the terrestrial environment. There is no statistical difference according to the sexes and ages; however adolescents and young adults (15-25 years old) seem to have consumed more animal proteins. Furthermore, the isotopic results are similar to Early Bronze Age and different from Middle Bronze Age sites in Northern Italy, suggesting the complexity of agricultural modification in this area firstly impacted by new crop.
American Association of Physical Anthropologists , 2019
Nowadays this is a very wide debated issue and our study contribute to untangle these complex dyn... more Nowadays this is a very wide debated issue and our study contribute to untangle these complex dynamics for protohistoric communities. Since prehistoric times, Switzerland has played a major role in European exchanges for its strategic position between the Danube area and the Mediterranean, offering pivotal information towards reconstructing human mobility during Bronze Age period. If preliminary studies on dental morphology and Sr analyses have been performed on western Switzerland on the previous Bell Beaker period showing a quite intense mobility, no investigations have ever conducted for the Bronze Age, attesting an important lack of information in this area.
20th Annual Conference of the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO), 2018
Childhood is an important life step since sub-adults, even after weaning, are still dependent on ... more Childhood is an important life step since sub-adults, even after weaning, are still dependent on their community. Biogeochemical methods using stable isotopes on different human tissues (e.g. bone, teeth, hair) offers direct proxies for the investigation of dietary intake during an individual’s life. Current knowledge of adult and sub-adult feeding practices for late Prehistory is still quite limited. We investigate whether changes in subsistence strategies attested in the Mediterranean area during the Bronze Age are recorded in western Europe and if they affected human diet during childhood as well as during adulthood.
The analyses were conducted on 41 individuals from 3 cemeteries in western Switzerland (Collombey-Muraz/Barmaz, Vufflens-la-Ville/En Sency, Tolochenaz/Le Boiron et La Caroline), dated from Early to Final Bronze Age (2200-800 cal. BCE). We performed multielement/multi-tissue stable isotope analysis (C, N, S on bone and dentine collagen; C on apatite enamel of M2) to infer the human diet from childhood to adult life, excluding weaning signal. In addition, 22 bone and teeth remains from terrestrial and aquatic animal species and 30 charred grains of cultivated plants were analysed to reconstruct the local isotopic baseline of the potential food resources.
Results indicate diachronic changes in food habits during the Bronze Age, possibly due to the introduction of new cereals like C4 plants (millets) beginning from the Final Bronze Age, i.e. at a later time when compared to other southern European countries (e.g. Italy). Additionally, apatite data suggest the direct consumption of C4 plants. The diet during childhood and adult life was generally similar, albeit with some exceptions, whatever the chronological period considered. This study suggests that C4 plants became a staple food during Final Bronze Age, rapidly after the introduction of this new crop in Lemanic basin.
Plos One, 2021
The archaeological Bronze Age record in Europe reveals unprecedented changes in subsistence strat... more The archaeological Bronze Age record in Europe reveals unprecedented changes in subsistence strategies due to innovative farming techniques and new crop cultivation. Increasing cultural exchanges affected the economic system. The inhabitants of Switzerland played a pivotal role in this European context through relationships with the Mediterranean, the High and Middle Danube regions and the Alps thanks to the area's central position. This research aims to reconstruct, for the first time in Switzerland, human socioeconomic systems through the study of human diet, herding and farming practices and their changes throughout the Bronze Age (2200-800 BCE) by means of biochemical markers. The study includes 41 human, 22 terrestrial and aquatic animal specimens and 30 charred seeds and chaff samples from sites in western Switzerland. Stable isotope analyses were performed on cereal and legume seeds (δ 13 C, δ 15 N), animal bone collagen (δ 13 C coll , δ 15 N, δ 34 S), human bone and tooth dentine collagen (δ 13 C coll , δ 15 N,) and human tooth enamel (δ 13 C enamel). The isotopic data suggest a) an intensification of soil fertilization and no hydric stress throughout the Bronze Age, b) a human diet mainly composed of terrestrial resources despite the proximity of Lake Geneva and the Rhone river, c) a diet based on C 3 plants during the Early and Middle Bronze Age as opposed to the significant consumption of 13 C-enriched resources (probably millet) by individuals from the Final Bronze Age, d) no important changes in dietary patterns throughout an individual's lifespan but a more varied diet in childhood compared to adulthood, e) no differences in diet according to biological criteria (age, sex) or funerary behavior (burial architecture, grave goods). PLOS ONE PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.