Sandra Lösch

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Verified

Sandra verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• PhD (Dr. rer. biol. hum.)
• Head of Department at University of Bern

Vertebrate activity can significantly affect forensic investigations. Trauma interpretation is impaired when vertebrates scavenge on injuries and inflict damage, and scavengers can hinder the recovery of human remains through dispersal. However, forensic scavenging research is scarce in Europe and lacking for Switzerland. We conducted a 2‐month bas...

The paper states ethical guidelines of the Swiss Society for Anthropology (SGA/SSA) for working with and handling human remains and non human primates, as well as living populations (thereafter referred to as research subjects). The document presents the conclusions of the board regarding ethical concerns. Our purpose is to promote discussion and...

Cornaux/Les Sauges (Switzerland, Late Iron Age) revealed remnants of a wooden bridge, artifacts, and human and animal skeletal remains. The relationship between the collapsed structure and the skeletal material, whether it indicates a potential accident or cultural practices, remains elusive. We evaluate the most plausible scenario for Cornaux base...

Background The increased use of virtual bone images in forensic anthropology requires a comprehensive study on the observational errors between dry bones and CT reconstructions. Here, we focus on the consistency of nonmetric sex estimation traits on the human skull. Materials and methods We scored nine nonmetric traits on dry crania and mandibles...

La discussione delle maggiori tendenze bioculturali in Europa durante la tarda età del Ferro può giovarsi di un continuo apporto di dati biogeochimici e biomolecolari. Rispetto ad altre aree geografiche, tuttavia, sono ancora pochi i dati disponibili sulla variabilità genetica e mobilità' territoriale nei territori della Svizzera e dell'Italia sett...

The total body score (TBS) is a visual scoring method to scale the succession of decomposition stages. It compares decomposition between cadavers, to connect it with external taphonomic factors and estimate the post-mortem interval. To study decomposition in various climatic environments, pigs are often used as human proxies. Currently, there is on...

Animal remains are a common find in prehistoric and protohistoric funerary contexts. While taphonomic and osteological data provide insights about the proximate (depositional) factors responsible for these findings, the ultimate cultural causes leading to this observed mortuary behavior are obscured by the opacity of the archaeological record and t...

In humans, breastfeeding and weaning depend on the infant’s needs and physiology but are also influenced by environmental and cultural factors. While infant feeding strategies vary across different regions and historical eras, the associated transition from breastmilk to solid foods is universally thought to be stressful. However, still little is k...

The European Late Iron Age (4th -1st centuries BCE) features intense trade networks and movements of people. The settling in the Italian peninsula of transalpine human groups exemplifies the dynamism of this period. Preliminary isotopic data (δ13C, δ15N and δ18O) from a subset (N=49) of individuals from Seminario Vescovile (SV-Verona, Italy 3rd -1s...

During the Late Iron Age (La Tène, 4th-1st centuries BCE), various human groups sharing cultural elements, commonly referred to as “Celts”, were involved in migration processes and settled in the Italian Peninsula after crossing the Alps. The current knowledge of these people is largely drawn from osteological, isotopic, archaeological, and histori...

The steady increase of biogeochemical and biomolecular data is refining traditional anthropological and archaeological hypotheses about the genetic history and territorial mobility patterns of European human groups during the Late Iron Age. Compared with other geographic areas, however, only few data are yet available for those “Celtic” groups occu...

The traditional concept of „nomadic“ cultures as mobile and economically simple is nowadays increasingly displaced by more nuanced interpretations. Much of the scientific literature on diet and mobility of Eurasian pastoralist populations focuses on the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. As a result, the relative underrepresentation in these analyses o...

The Iron Age in continental Europe is a period of profound cultural and biological importance with heterogeneous trends through space and time. Regional overviews are therefore useful for better understanding the main cultural and biological patterns characterizing this period across the European regions. For the area of modern Switzerland, a rich...

Although dozens of ancient Yersinia pestis genomes and a vast corpus of documentary data are available, the origin and spread of consecutive outbreaks of the Second Plague Pandemic in Europe (14th-18th c.) are still poorly understood. For the majority of ancient genomes, only radiocarbon dates spanning several decades are available, hampering an as...

The last decade has seen a steady increase in the application of virtual 3D approaches in cultural heritage research. Although a large literature exists about the advantages of 3D methods in this field, here we go one step further and elucidate a) how image-based 3D reconstructions can be displayed in virtual reality (VR) space using freeware game...

Background Computed tomography (CT) scans are a convenient means to study 3D reconstructions of bones. However, errors associated with the different nature of the observation, e.g. visual and tactile (on dry bone) versus visual only (on a screen) have not been thoroughly investigated.Materials and methodsWe quantified the errors between modalities...

During the transition from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire dissolved in the West and medieval empires were founded. There has been much discussion about the role that migration played in this transition. This is especially true for the formation of the Baiuvariian tribe and the founding of this tribal dukedom, which took place f...

Forensic Anthropology – Status quo and Perspectives in german-speaking Countries Sandra Lösch (Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern) The subject of forensic anthropology has always attracted students and the public. The best example of this is the popularity of the degree programmes in this field...

Previous research on the Neolithic cist graves of the Western Alpine region—also known under the term Chamblandes type graves—mostly focused on sites located in western Switzerland and eastern France. For the adjacent Aosta Valley (Italy), only a little information is available. Within the framework of our research project, it was possible to ident...

Brief introduction in Italian language of the aims and the archaeological contexts included in the ongoing project Celtudalps.

Signs of vertebrate scavenging are relatively common in forensic anthropological investigations, especially on remains from outdoor contexts and long postmortem intervals (PMI). Scavenging can alter or obscure identification features, as well as modify perimortem trauma. Animals can further influence decomposition by removing soft tissue or consumi...

The Eastern Italian Alps (South Tyrol) is a connection area between continental Italy and the northern Alps. Various local factors, such as the heterogeneous environment, complex historical events, and different mobility patterns, may have influenced the genetic makeup of early medieval alpine groups. However, no ancient genetic data from these gro...

El concepto tradicional de que las culturas "nómadas" son, por lo general, móviles y económicamente simples está siendo desplazado por interpretaciones más matizadas. Gran parte de la literatura científica sobre la dieta y la movilidad de las poblaciones ganaderas euroasiáticas se centra en la Edad del Bronce y la Primera Edad del Hierro. La relati...

La Edad del Hierro Tardía (siglos IV-I a.C.- Cultura de La Tène) en Europa se caracterizó por intensos procesos migratorios a través de los Alpes. En este periodo diferentes populaciones "celtas" se establecieron en la Península Itálica, sobre todo en el norte y centro. Hasta el momento, los datos bioarqueológicos sobre la movilidad en estas comuni...

Neolithic cist graves – known in the Western Alpine region as Chamblandes type – are usually composed by four lateral stone slabs or more rarely wooden planks, and can contain single, as well as collective burials. Due to the lack of distinctive grave goods, insights about the chronology and evolution of these funerary custom depend on extensive se...

Vertebrate animals are a common taphonomic variable that can severely affect human remains, especially outdoors. They are capable of scattering or removing body parts or single skeletal elements, which challenges the complete recovery of a person. In addition, they may affect decomposition by feeding on carcasses or by removing scavenging insects....

3D documentation and reconstruction techniques are increasingly applied in archeology and forensic anthropological casework. A proper documentation approach offers a virtual preservation to the full extent of a site or specimen, e.g. a subsequently changing site or shape. Depending on the subject, according devices can be chosen. Herewith, a range...

Objectives The Late Iron Age in continental Europe featured complex demographic processes including, among others, the establishment of transalpine “Celtic” communities on the Italian peninsula between the 4th and 1st centuries BCE. To date, only few data are available about mobility and migration in these populations. Here we explore these topics...

Simple Summary The increased use of computed tomography images in forensic anthropology is easily explained with a variety of benefits: among other reasons they are digitally stored, they can easily be shared and they are non-invasive. However, it is not clear how suitable these images are for forensic anthropologists to detect sharp force trauma....

Simple Summary In forensic cases of exposed human bodies, vertebrate animals frequently pose challenges concerning remains recovery, identification, and the interpretation of circumstances of death. For instance, they can remove body parts, destroy skeletal features, and create “pseudo-lesions” that complicate trauma analysis. With this review, we...

Excavation of the Late Neolithic dolmen of Oberbipp BE, Steingasse in the Swiss Central Plateau provided a unique opportunity for a comprehensive study of the archaeological and anthropological evidence. In multidisciplinary studies, we investigated the processes at work during construction, use, and abandonment of the megalithic structure, as well...

During the Late Iron Age (4th-1st centuries BCE) Europe was interested by intense migratory processes across the Alps. In this period, several "Celtic" populations settled in the Italian peninsula. So far, only scarce data are available about mobility in these communities. In this work, we explore mobility patterns among the Cenomani population of...

The traditional notions of "nomadic" cultures as homogenously mobile and economically simple is increasingly displaced by more nuanced interpretations. A large part of the scientific literature on diet and mobility among Eurasian pastoralists is focused on Bronze Age and Iron Age. The relative underrepresentation of more recent contexts in these an...

Objectives: Contemporary archeological theory emphasizes the economic and social complexity of Eurasian steppe populations. As a result, old notions of “nomadic” cultures as homogenously mobile and economically simple are now displaced by more nuanced interpretations. Large part of the literature on diet and mobility among Eurasian pastoralists is...

The possible association between “biological” and “social” status in the past is a central topic in bioarchaeological studies. For the Italian Iron Age, previous research comparing skeletal and funerary variables depicts a multifaceted scenario consistent with nuanced biocultural patterns. This calls for additional studies on a broader series of ar...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been infecting humans for millennia and remains a global health problem, but its past diversity and dispersal routes are largely unknown. We generated HBV genomic data from 137 Eurasians and Native Americans dated between ~10,500 and ~400 years ago. We date the most recent common ancestor of all HBV lineages to between ~...

Only few Mesolithic burial sites, mostly as isolated graves under rock shelters, are known in the Western alpine region of today Switzerland, France and Italy. Similar to other contexts, the transition to a sedentary lifestyle brought about a substantial change in funerary practices. With our ongoing Swiss National Science Foundation supported rese...

Research on the Neolithic cist graves of the Chamblandes type mostly focused on sites around Lake Geneva and the upper Rhone valley in Switzerland. For the cemeteries of the adjacent Aosta Valley (Italy), only few information is available and mainly a lack of radiocarbon dating is responsible for that research gap. However, this situation is decep...

From the end of the Xiongnu Empire to the establishment of the first Turkic Khaganate, the territory of Southern Siberia sees the emergence of distinctive local material cultures. The Kokel culture is essentially unknown in the international English-language literature even though archaeological sites pertaining to this material culture are among t...

Retrospective, observational studies of forensic casework enhance knowledge on topics such as postmortem interval (PMI) estimations and search strategies. This 10-year survey of forensic anthropology (FA) casework performed at the Department of Physical Anthropology in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bern, Switzerland, provides insights into...

Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis is a powerful tool in multidisciplinary research on human remains, potentially leading to kinship scenarios and historical identifications. In this study, we present a genetic investigation of three noble families from the 17th to 19th centuries AD entombed in burial crypts at the cloister church of Riesa (Germany). Test...

Objective: To re-analyze one of the oldest cases of malignant bone neoplasm with different analytical techniques. Material: The available skeletal remains of grave 138 (G138) from the Iron Age necropolis of Münsingen-Rain (Switzerland, 420-240 BC). Methods: The bones are analyzed by means of morphological, radiographic, histological, and biogeochem...

Prone burials are among the most distinctive phenomena of deviant burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period. However, a comprehensive analysis of these findings is still lacking for German-speaking Europe. By compiling the available evidence from Germany, Switzerland and Austria, this study investigates how prone burials fit into the s...

Warfare is assumed to be one of the defining cultural characteristic of steppe nomads in Eastern Eurasia, with high levels of violence used by Classical and Chinese historiographers as markers of cultural "otherness" when describing these societies. Especially for the first centuries AD, these interpretive hampers more nuanced reconstructions of th...

Objectives Warfare is assumed to be one of the defining cultural characteristics of steppe nomads in Eastern Eurasia. For the first‐centuries CE, a period of political turmoil in Northern China and Southern Siberia, relatively few data are, however, available about the degree and variability of violence in these communities. Here, we provide new da...

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

The Neolithic period is archaeologically well documented in Central Europe, and several studies considered dietary habits and migration patterns. However, even though Switzerland and the alpine region are well known for Neolithic cultures, most of today’s knowledge about the population comes from organic materials such as wood, faunal, or botanic r...

Prone burials are among the most distinctive deviant burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period. Despite their worldwide distribution, the meaning of this burial practice is still a matter of debate. So far, a comprehensive analysis of prone burials is lacking for Central Europe. By compiling evidence from Germany, Switzerland and Austr...

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non‐inflammatory joint disease mainly characterised by the ossification of the right anterior longitudinal ligament and the presence of enthesopathies. Studies have shown that the disease typically affects males of advanced age. This is a case report of a female individual, aged between 40‐60 yea...

Genetic studies of Neolithic and Bronze Age skeletons from Europe have provided evidence for strong population genetic changes at the beginning and the end of the Neolithic period. To further understand the implications of these in Southern Central Europe, we analyze 96 ancient genomes from Switzerland, Southern Germany, and the Alsace region in Fr...

We investigated inhumations from the Neolithic dolmen of Oberbipp in the context of contemporaneous remains from Switzerland in the framework of an interdisciplinary project. Apart from answering archaeological and physical-anthropological questions, the aim was to shed light on their diet, social stratication, migration, kinship, population genet...

Since the emergence of nomadic pastoralism in Eastern Eurasia, warfare became a cultural char-acteristic of steppe nomads – not only directed towards sedentary cultures, but also among different nomadic tribes. Few bioarchaeological data are available for this contexts dating to Late Antiquity, hampering a discussion of the type of violence charact...

In Early Middle Ages (sixth–eleventh centuries AD), South Tyrol (Italian Alps) played a key role for geographical and military reasons. Historical sources document that allochthonous groups (germani) entered the territory, and the material culture shows mutual cultural exchanges between autochthonous and germani. Besides the nature of the migration...

It has been hypothesized that the Neolithic transition towards an agricultural and pastoralist economy facilitated the emergence of human-adapted pathogens. Here, we recovered eight Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica genomes from human skeletons of transitional foragers, pastoralists and agropastoralists in western Eurasia that were up to 6,500 yr...

Friedhöfe und Bestattungen des 18. bis 20. Jh. werden auch in der Schweiz zunehmend zum Aufgaben- und Forschungsgebiet der Historischen Archäologie. Das zeigen Ausgrabungen der letzten Jahre in den Kantonen Bern, Basel und Graubünden.

The second plague pandemic, caused by Yersinia pestis, devastated Europe and the nearby regions between the 14th and 18th centuries AD. Here we analyse human remains from ten European archaeological sites spanning this period and reconstruct 34 ancient Y. pestis genomes. Our data support an initial entry of the bacterium through eastern Europe, the...