Paleobiology, palaeopathology and necrophobic practices in early Iron Age burials (IX-VII century BC) in Capo Colonna, Trani, Apulia, southern Italy--the state of health of a small sample from Iron Age

Abstract

In this palaeobiological and palaeopathological study of skeletal remains, we attempt to define the physical characteristics, living conditions and the state of health of a small sample from two early Iron Age (IX-VIII century BC) graves at Capo Colonna, Trani (Bari, Apulia, southern Italy). In the thoraco-lumbar segment (T11-L1) of the vertebral column of an adult male 35 years old, we found wedge-shaped deformation of the anterior part of T12 with kyphosis of the affected tract. Digital radiography and volumetric reconstruction by 3D CT indicated that the alteration did not result from an infectious process (Pott's disease). Instead, it was a traumatic lesion probably caused by falling from a height. The archaeological investigation revealed extraordinary arrangements of the bodies in the graves: they were buried with a boulder placed on the coffin. This practice has been seen in similar graves in the Balkan area, particularly in Greece, from the Neolithic to the Early Middle Ages. The most likely explanation is a funeral ritual characterized by necrophobia, the purpose of which was to prevent the deceased from returning to terrorize the living.