Evidence of Barbarian migrations and interpersonal violence during the Gothic War in sixth-century Tuscany: the case of the Goth horseman from San Genesio (Pisa)

Abstract

During excavations carried out at the necropolis of San Genesio, taphonomic analysis permitted the detection of a small nucleus of distinctive graves dated to the sixth century and set within the wider context of autochthonous burials. This group was characterized by features such as wooden coffins and tree trunk burials, elements typical of the Germanic cultural milieu. Furthermore, anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains identified a case of Artificial Cranial Deformation (ACD), a distinctive element of Gothic ethnic groups. Individuals with ACD are extremely rare in the Italian archeological record and are related to the period in which the Gothic migrations took place. The subject, buried in a wooden casket, was a male individual with a deformed skull, polytraumatized, and most likely killed in combat, possibly during the Gothic War. This is the first Italian case of an individual with ACD, who died a certified violent death.
The present study, despite the absence of traditional Germanic grave goods, has allowed to hypothesize the existence at San Genesio of an allochthonous group, a theory further supported by strontium isotope analysis.

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-022-01515-4
ORIGINAL PAPER
Evidence ofBarbarian migrations andinterpersonal violence
duringtheGothic War insixth‑century Tuscany: thecase oftheGoth
horseman fromSan Genesio (Pisa)
SerenaViva1 · CarmineLubritto2· FedericoCantini3· PierFrancescoFabbri1
Received: 16 July 2021 / Accepted: 24 January 2022
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022
Abstract
During excavations carried out at the necropolis of San Genesio, taphonomic analysis permitted the detection of a small
nucleus of distinctive graves dated to the sixth century and set within the wider context of autochthonous burials. This group
was characterized by features such as wooden coffins and tree trunk burials, elements typical of the Germanic cultural milieu.
Furthermore, anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains identified a case of Artificial Cranial Deformation (ACD),
a distinctive element of Gothic ethnic groups. Individuals with ACD are extremely rare in the Italian archeological record
and are related to the period in which the Gothic migrations took place. The subject, buried in a wooden casket, was a male
individual with a deformed skull, polytraumatized, and most likely killed in combat, possibly during the Gothic War. This
is the first Italian case of an individual with ACD, who died a certified violent death.
The present study, despite the absence of traditional Germanic grave goods, has allowed to hypothesize the existence at San
Genesio of an allochthonous group, a theory further supported by strontium isotope analysis.
Keywords Migration Period· Isotope analysis· Gothic War· Horse riding syndrome· Italy
Introduction
A well-consolidated tradition of studies on the Early Medi-
eval necropolis in the Italian Peninsula has shown that only
in a limited number of cases does ethnic identity find a
precise correspondence in the archeological record. On the
other hand, the possibility that elements recognized as exog-
enous are actually the result of a process of acculturation
between allochthonous and autochthonous components has
been acknowledged (Possenti 2014; Giostra 2011; Augenti
2016). Consequently, the presence in a necropolis of burials
with grave goods attributable to Germanic tradition does
not necessarily prove that these were used by individuals
of allochthonous origin. However, is the absence of such
objects sufficient to determine that burial areas were used
exclusively by local communities? In the case of the sixth-
century necropolis of San Genesio, only the use of tapho-
nomic analysis has permitted the identification of Germanic
tradition burial types, a discovery confirmed by anthropolog-
ical study as well as the identification of an individual with
artificial cranial deformation (ACD), supporting the hypoth-
esis of the presence of a Gothic burial nucleus as none of
the grave goods referred directly to allochthonous traditions.
Skull deformation, although rare in Italy, constitutes a prac-
tice widely attested throughout the European continent dur-
ing the so-called Migration Period (Kiszely 1978) and origi-
nally attributed to East Asian peoples (Huns, Avars, Gepids,
Alans, Sarmatians). This custom spread across Europe fol-
lowing the contact between Hunnic marauding groups and
Germanic tribes in the fourth and fifth century AD, with
the result that Germanic groups such as Burgundians, Ala-
manni, Goths, Franks, and Lombards began to adopt this
practice (Kiszely 2006; Hakenbeck 2009). The present study
has permitted to trace the biological and cultural identity
of an individual that can be considered emblematic of the
* Serena Viva
serena.viva@unisalento.it
1 Department ofCultural Heritage, University ofSalento, Via
D. Birago 64, 73100Lecce, Italy
2 Department ofEnvironmental, Biological
andPharmaceutical Sciences andTechnologies, University
ofCampania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
3 Department ofCivilizations andForms ofKnowledge,
University ofPisa, Via dei Mille 19, 56126Pisa, Italy
/ Published online: 8 February 2022
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2022) 14: 39
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