Mary Anne Tafuri

• Ph.D.
• Faculty Member at Sapienza University of Rome

Tracing human and animal mobility behavior, land use, and exploitation strategies through strontium (Sr) isotope analysis is critical for archaeological and palaeoecological research. The development of an 87Sr/86Sr bioavailable baseline map, often termed isoscape, is a prerequisite for interpreting the Sr isotope composition of animal and human re...

The osteological analysis of human skeletal assemblages offers crucial osteobiographical insights into ancient populations, yet remains largely unexplored in past Tunisia. This paper presents the first archaeological investigation of Tunisian medieval burials, unearthed during excavations between 2016–2017 and 2021–2022. This interdisciplinary stud...

Although it is one of the most arid regions today, the Sahara Desert was a green savannah during the African Humid Period (AHP) between 14,500 and 5,000 years before present, with water bodies promoting human occupation and the spread of pastoralism in the middle Holocene epoch¹. DNA rarely preserves well in this region, limiting knowledge of the S...

Stable isotope analyses of archaeological plant material have increased in the last few decades with questions arising about climate, environment, and subsistence strategies. While the available studies are of great interest in the field, they are still a minority compared to other types of organic material, especially from African contexts. Desicc...

Our study explores the potential relationship between infant feeding practices and settlement complexity in the Roman Empire through high-resolution Bayesian-modeled stable isotope measurements from incremental dentine. We compiled isotopic data from permanent first molars of individuals from various Roman sites: five from Bainesse (UK), 30 from Th...

The Indo-European languages are among the most widely spoken in the world, yet their early diversification remains contentious 1–5 . It is widely accepted that the spread of this language family across Europe from the 5th millennium BP correlates with the expansion and diversification of steppe-related genetic ancestry from the onset of the Bronze...

Italian Later Prehistory was characterised by profound changes that impacted everyday life in many aspects. Whether or not and how such changes were reflected in the subsistence practices of ancient populations is an ongoing question in the archaeological debate. This question has been investigated using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis...

When archaeologists discuss ‘ancestor cults’ or ‘ancestor veneration’, what this might entail in practice usually remains vague, leading to charges that the concept of ‘ancestors’ is often applied generically. In this article, the authors combine bioarchaeological, taphonomic, radiocarbon, and isotopic studies to explore the ritual practice of the...

Archaeological remains covered with concretions, including human bones, are commonly found in certain areas and time periods of interest for understanding the past, but have yet to be investigated for potential ancient DNA (aDNA) and protein content. We extracted aDNA and proteins in tandem from human dental remains and the concretions surrounding...

In this paper, we aim to reconstruct the dietary habits of supposedly lower rank nobles or middle-class High Middle Ages individuals recovered from the cloister arcade of San Pier Scheraggio within the Uffizi Museum complex in Florence, Italy. Notably, the High Middle Ages was a period of cultural and social changes, which is partly reflected in th...

Discussion about the reasons behind the lack of isotopic data from plants and from Northern Africa when looking at the "Mediterranean Archive of Isotopic dAta" database, which includes isotopic data from human, animal and plant samples from the Mediterranean basin, dated from the Neolithic to the Iron Age.

The wide diversity of Neolithic funerary practices is increasingly recognised. In Southeast Italy, recent studies have drawn attention to the co-existence of multiple ways of treating the dead within single sites and across the region. In this study, we address how such diverse deathways form a regional framework of ritual practice through histotap...

We present Isotòpia, an open-access database compiling over 36,000 stable isotope measurements (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, δ³⁴S, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb) on human, animal, and plant bioarchaeological remains dating to Classical Antiquity (approximately 800 BCE ‐ 500 CE). These were recovered from differ...

We present the open-access Mediterranean Archive of Isotopic dAta (MAIA) dataset, which includes over 48,000 isotopic measurements from prehistoric human, animal and plant samples from archaeological sites in the Mediterranean basin dating from the Neolithic to the Iron Age (ca. 6000 – 600 BCE). MAIA collates isotopic measurements (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S...

We present Isotòpia, an open-access database compiling over 36,000 stable isotope measurements (δ ¹³ C, δ ¹⁵ N, δ ¹⁸ O, δ ³⁴ S, ⁸⁷ Sr/ ⁸⁶ Sr, ²⁰⁶ Pb/ ²⁰⁴ Pb, ²⁰⁷ Pb/ ²⁰⁴ Pb, ²⁰⁸ Pb/ ²⁰⁴ Pb, ²⁰⁷ Pb/ ²⁰⁶ Pb, and ²⁰⁸ Pb/ ²⁰⁶ Pb) on human, animal, and plant bioarchaeological remains dating to Classical Antiquity (approximately 800 BCE - 500 CE). These...

Poster presenting the preliminary results of an oral microbiome reconstruction in three populations from Central Italy dated to the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Longobard occupation in Italy.

Poster presenting a database with isotopic and metadata from human, animal and plant samples from the Mediterranean basin and parts of Europe, dated from the Neolithic to the Iron Age.

Strontium isotope analysis of an Italian population from the Roman Empire.

The study of the paleodietary inference of our ancestors is crucial for understanding the relationship between evolutionary, cultural and palaeoenvironmental change. In this work we focus on the dietary habits that enabled Homo to face progressive climatic deterioration startedwith the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition in the Mediterranean region...

Isotopic analyses of prehistoric diet have only recently reached the threshold of going beyond site-focused reports to provide regional syntheses showing larger trends. In this work we present the first regional analysis for Neolithic southeastern Italy as a whole, including both substantial original data and a review of the available published dat...

Here we report the reconstruction of the osteobiography of an adult male buried in the Longobard cemetery of Povegliano Veronese (Northern Italy, late 6th – early 8th century CE), who shows signs of interpersonal violence. The palaeopathological investigation reveals sharp force traumas on the body of the fourth lumbar vertebra and on two right rib...

Complete Neanderthal skeletons are almost unique findings. A very well-preserved specimen of this kind was discovered in 1993 in the deepest recesses of a karstic system near the town of Altamura in Southern Italy. We present here a detailed description of the cranium, after we virtually extracted it from the surrounding stalagmites and stalactites...

The Longobard necropolis of Castel Trosino dates from the 6th to the 8th century CE. Among the tombs excavated, the skull of an older female shows the first evidence of a cross‐shaped bone modification on a living subject. Macroscopic, microscopic, and CT scan analyses revealed signs of at least two sets of scraping marks. Specifically, SEM analysi...

This exploratory study proposes an original intra‐life history investigation through sequential analysis of the isotopic composition of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur on both primary and secondary dentin of a tooth (M1). We focus on an elderly woman from Longobard Italy (6th‐8th c. CE), who showed an unprecedented case of surgical intervention, prese...

journées 2023 de la société d' anthropologie de Paris

Human and animal bones, as well as botanical remains recovered from archaeological sites, preserve the carbon, nitrogen and sulphur (δ>13C, δ>15N, δ>34S) signatures of their last years of life. These isotope ratios are connected to the protein portion of the diet and can be used to investigate the dietary strategies of past populations. Several stu...

Bones offer a great amount of information on ancient populations regarding both their lifestyle habits and the influence of the living area. Bones are composed by an inorganic component, i.e., carbonated hydroxyapatite (Ca10[(PO4)6−x(CO3)x](OH)2), and an organic matrix (mainly proteins and collagen). After death, bones are subjected to diagenetic p...

Bioarchaeology applied to human remains allows us to study the lifestyle and health conditions of past populations. When applied to the Roman world, it has the potential to yield information on a segment of the population often left in the shadows by literary sources. Slaves, for instance, played a fundamental role in the Roman Empire, both in Rome...

The Fuegians, ancient inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, are an exemplary case of a cold-adapted population, since they were capable of living in extreme climatic conditions without any adequate clothing. However, the mechanisms of their extraordinary resistance to cold remain enigmatic. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a crucial role in this kind of...

The arrival of the Longobards in Italy represents one of the most significant periods of the Early Middle Ages. Such arrival had social and political implications, particularly in relation to cultural admixture with local communities. One way to understand this is through the reconstruction of paleodiet via stable isotope analysis. So far, the subs...

The osteological investigation of archived and historic skeletal collections can often provide clues to how they were organised and managed, offering key osteobiographical insight into past populations. A small, yet significant, collection of skulls housed at the Museum “Giuseppe Sergi” of the Sapienza University of Rome, remained anonymous prior t...

The Fuegians, extinct inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, were an exemplary case of a cold-adapted population capable of living in extreme weather conditions without any adequate clothing, however the mechanisms of their extraordinary resistance to cold remain enigmatic. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a crucial role in this kind of adaptation beside...

Objective: This study aims to investigate parasitic infection in Italy during the Roman period (27 BCE–476 CE) and subsequent Longobard (Lombard) period (6th–8th CE). Materials: Sediment samples from drains and burials from Roman Imperial-period sites in Italy (Lucus Feroniae, Oplontis, Vacone, and Vagnari), Late Antique and Longobard-period burial...

Although the amount of data on the Italian Copper Age has increased significantly in the last decades, little is known about the relationship between humans and the environment. Material culture suggests the occurrence of significant social interactions throughout the Italian Peninsula, while the funerary practices indicate that Copper Age groups w...

Objective Concha bullosa is a rather common condition of the nasal turbinates, rarely reported in archaeological skeletal collections. This paper examines a case of concha bullosa as seen in a female cranium from a burial in central Italy, dated to the Longobard domination in the Peninsula (mid-7th– early 8th century CE). Materials The individual u...

The arrival of the Longobards in Northern Italy in 568 CE marked a period of renewed political stability in the Peninsula after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The trajectory of the spread of Longobards in Italy across the Alps and into the South is known from many literary sources. However, their mobility and residence patterns at a popu...

The Copper Age in Italy (4000-2300 BCE) is characterised by well-defined cultural groups, each presenting distinctive features in the material culture, as well as in the funerary ritual. Tombs, mostly in artificial and natural caves, are gathered in necropolises that showing long use, representing the most available prevailing archaeological contex...

Purpose Medical imaging applied to archaeological human remains represents a powerful tool for the study of specimens of exceptionally fragile nature. Here, the authors report a tomographic computerized investigation on the naturally mummified human remains from the Takarkori rock shelter (Libyan Sahara), dated to the Middle Pastoral Neolithic (ca....

The research team at the Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome has a long-standing interest in th e study of past ecosystems and human adaptation to environment across time. Researches span from the earliest phases of prehistory to modern times and include the study of both human and botanical remains. Within the ADAMO pr...

Palaeopathological study of metabolic stress markers on human skeletal remains. The investigation led to the conclusion that the pattern of skeletal evidence most likely corresponds to the disease of scurvy, i.e. a vitamin C deficiency, which consequently may have led to iron malabsorption resulting in anaemia.

The origins and development of pastoralism in Saharan North Africa involves societies and economies that, subjected to profound climatic changes and progressive desertification came to be based on the movement of people and resources. The extreme conditions to which these groups were exposed made mobility a “resource” in itself. Through using stron...

This study presents the skeletal evidence for scurvy among 22 juveniles from the Longobard necropolis of Selvicciola, Italy (VII-VIII centuries AD). The paleopathological analysis revealed a...

Because Africa’s climate hampers DNA preservation, knowledge of its genetic variability is mainly restricted to modern samples, even though population genetics dynamics and back-migrations from Eurasia may have modified haplotype frequencies, masking ancient genetic scenarios. Thanks to improved methodologies, ancient genetic data for the African c...

In recent years, in parallel with the development of both digital and information technologies, museology has adopted interactive and virtual techniques for exhibition, communication and dissemination (Profico et al., 2018). These advances allow the creation of innovative museum contents, more accessible and attractive to the public, thus enriching...

Burials, Migration and Identity in the Ancient Sahara and Beyond - edited by M. C. Gatto February 2019

The exceptionally well-preserved Neanderthal skeleton discovered in October 1993 within the Lamalunga cave near Altamura (Puglia, Italy) has been recently dated to a late Middle Pleistocene chronology, bracketed between 128.2 and 187.0 ka. Although the skeleton is still sealed in situ, in 2009 and 2015 a large part of its fragmentary right scapula...

The Copper Age in Liguria show the affirmation of the transhumant pastoralism towards the summer pasture of the upland. The collective burials in caves suggest a social organisation with a kinship structure. The possibility to move and to assemble alimentary resources in specific locations, also in rough ones, sustain the emerge of early and consis...

In this article we evaluate the isotopic variability in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of diets among maritime hunter-gatherers of the Beagle Channel (Southern Argentina). A system with two end members -marine and terrestrial resources- is not enough to describe populations with diversified subsistence strategies. Moreover, these marine hunter-gatherers are...

Several digital technologies are nowadays developed and applied to the study of the human fossil record. Here, we present a low-cost hardware implementation of the digital acquisition via photogrammetry, applied to a specimen of paleoanthropological interest: the Neanderthal skull Saccopastore 1. Such implementation has the purpose to semi-automati...

An examination of an adult male buried from the post-classical necropolis of La Selvicciola (Viterbo, Latium, Italy; 4th–6th centuries AD) revealed a series of skeletal lesions. The lesions, both proliferative and lytic, ranging in size from small (around 0.01 mm) to extensive (up to 16.00 mm) pits, occurred at multiple sites. A holistic approach a...

The remains that typically compose the human fossil record often bear cracks, damage, and deformations. The recent rapid development of ‘virtual anthropology’ has provided innovative tools to manage, study, and preserve cultural and natural heritage. Such tools include computerized tomography (CT), laser scanning, photogrammetry, 3D imaging, and ra...

The remains that tipically compose the human fossil and archeological record often bear cracks, damages and deformations. The rapid development of virtual anthropology has provided innovative tools to manage, study and preserve cultural and natural heritage. The first step in a virtual anthropology study is represented by the acquisition, that can...

The Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese dates from the 6th to the 8th centuries AD. Among the 164 tombs excavated, the skeleton of an older male shows a well-healed amputated right forearm. The orientation of the forearm fracture suggests an angled cut by a single blow. Reasons why a forearm might be amputated include combat, medical interv...

The Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese dates from the 6th to the 8th centuries AD. Among the 164 tombs excavated, the skeleton of an older male shows a well-healed amputated right forearm. The orientation of the forearm fracture suggests an angled cut by a single blow. Reasons why a forearm might be amputated include combat, medical interv...

The application of biomolecular techniques for the study of food practices in the Italian Bronze Age has revealed an interesting complexity. This is particularly true for the Po plain, in northern Italy, where the use of ‘alternative’ grains (i.e., the millets), has been assessed isotopically through the measurement of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitr...

A strontium ratios analysis (87Sr/86Sr) was conducted to explore mobility and residence patterns of 25 individuals buried at the Lombard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese (VR, IT VI-VIII century AD). The chronological and geographical location of Povegliano Veronese plays a key role, as this site represents an important destination in post-classica...

Virtual anthropology has been rapidly developing in recent years. Innovative tools, as well as software and methodologies, allow the study of specimens with increased detail and limited physical intervention. The first step in a virtual anthropology study is represented by the acquisition, that can be carried out by different methods. The one that...

Nowadays, stable carbon (∂13C) and nitrogen (∂15N) isotope analyses play a central role in archaeological studies aimed at inferring palaeodiet. As a matter of fact, if it is true we are what we eat, then isotopic ratios detected in a consumer’s tissues allow us to trace back its dietary habits. Reconstructing the contribution of specific food sour...

The Lombard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese was discovered in 1985, 15 km southwest from the city of Verona, in the area named Madonna dell’Uva Secca. During the Roman and Post-classical periods, the site was along the Via Postumia, gateway of the Lombards to Italy. The necropolis was excavated during two field seasons (1985-86 and 1992-93). As a...

Dairying practices in prehistoric Italy may have differed between time periods and regions. Here we aim at: I)tracing milk consumption in two Middle Bronze Age Italian populations; II)detecting any difference in the animal species raised

The Lombard necropolis of La Selvicciola is a post classical cemetery located in the province of Viterbo, Italy. The necropolis has been the subject of systematic excavations by the Superintendence of Archaeological Heritage since 1982. The archaeological artefacts recovered from the cemetery suggest that it was used from the end of the VI century...

The Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese located in Veneto; Northern Italy was discovered in 1985. Archaeological evidence tells us the necropolis was used during the VI-VIII centuries AD. Over 240 skeletons have been recovered from the necropolis. Age and sex for each burial has been previously reported (Micarelli 2015). The skeleton of an...

The native groups of Patagonia have relied on a hunter-gatherer economy well after the first Europeans and North Americans reached this part of the world. The large exploitation of marine mammals (i.e., seals) by such allochthonous groups has had a strong impact on the local ecology in a way that might have forced the natives to adjust their subsis...

Statistics report. Summary of the Mann-Whitney U test for human carbon and nitrogen data according to sex. The three subsets are kept separate. For the Ushuaia subset 7 individuals were excluded, as no sex estimate was available. (DOCX)

Biplot of stable carbon and nitrogen data. Mean humans∂13C and ∂15N values (with sd) for pre-contact (n = 14) and post-contact (n = 28) subsets. (DOCX)

Le pratiche di sussistenza nel corso del neolitico in area mediterranea sono al centro del dibattito archeo-logico da lungo tempo e spesso alla base delle cate-gorie concettuali di cui la ricerca archeologica si serve per comprendere le dinamiche sociali e culturali del passato. Tuttavia, sono ancora scarse le evidenze di-rette della dieta praticat...

The recent and rapid development of the diagnostic potential of virtual archaeology has provided innovative tools to manage and study skeletal remains, with 3D imaging techniques substituting physical interventions. The development of computerized technologies based on photogrammetry and CT-scan allow us to acquire, record, and process digitally re...

Shotgun metaproteomics applied to dental calculus is a tool that is providing unprecedented insights in ancient diet and health reconstruction [1][2]. We apply a proteomic analysis of dental calculus deposits from individuals of two contemporaneous populations, Bovolone (Verona) and Sant’Abbondio (Pompeii), in order to provide more insight into the...

Museal collections include a large amount of cranial specimens of living and fossil primates. This material served as the basis for detailed morphological studies also relatively to their internal anatomy. Unfortunately, until recently, the study of the cranial cavity (e.g. the endocranial cavity) was often possible only by removing mechanically ex...

Discovered in 1993 [1], the so-called ”uomo di Altamura” is a rare example of a rather complete non-modern human skeleton and one of the most amazing paleoanthropological specimen ever found in Europe. It represents a massive adult male Neanderthal with some peculiarities in its morphology and a very ancient age, ranging between 128 and 187 ka [2]....

The Middle Pastoral human remains from Wadi Takarkori in the Libyan Acacus mountains (Fezzan) are exceptionally preserved partial mummies ranging between 6100 and 5000 uncal years BP; this small sample represents the most ancient of its kind ever found. In this report, we present a survey of the skeletal anatomy of these mummifed corpses, based on...