This paper provides anthropological data on the Upper Paleolithic skeletons from Grotta Santa Maria d’Agnano in Ostuni (BR) and describes their anatomical characteristics in the context of remains from the same time period. The importance of the cave as a burial site was identified in the autumn of 1991 by Donato Coppola who noticed a few human bones in the roof of a small cavity existing below the floor of the upper cave of Santa Maria d’Agnano. This unique situation, resulting from the partial natural erosion of the deposit underlying the burial, had exposed and made visible from below various elements of an adult human skeleton (Ostuni 1) and some elements of a foetal skeleton (Ostuni 1b). The precarious conditions of the deposit and of the remains (which seemed to be suspended on the ceiling of the cavity), as well as the need to preserve the two skeletons in the original position required isolation and rapid removal of the bulk of sediment containing the burial. During this phase, a second burial (Ostuni 2), located not far from the first but not visible in the ceiling of the lower cavity, necessitated further preservation. Two blocks of sediment containing the burials were removed and transported in the Museum of ‘Civiltà Preclassiche’ in Ostuni where the subsequent work took place. The state of preservation of the remains and maintenance of the mutual positions of the skeletal elements within the deposit, attest the success and efficiency of the recovery operations. The second burial of Grotta Santa Maria d’Agnano was completely embedded in a very tough concretelike sediment, impossible to remove without damaging the bones. The skeleton, probably lying prevalently on its right side, and in a flexed position, belongs to an adult individual, based on dental eruption and wear. Sex can not be diagnosed. The remains from the first burial, due to the less concretionary nature of deposit, were in an excellent state of preservation and not too difficult to isolate. This burial is very peculiar, including the remains of a young woman in advanced state of pregnancy. These remains therefore refer to a maternal skeleton (Ostuni 1) and to a foetal skeleton (Ostuni 1b). The maternal skeleton was lying on its left side and in a flexed position. The lower limb bones were flexed both at the hip and knee. The right forearm was placed across the abdominal area with the hand resting on the left ilium. The left arm was completely flexed and the hand was placed under the cranium that was laid on the left side and facing downwards. The foetal skeleton was found in the maternal abdominal area. The elements of the cranial vault, in particular the parietals, were recovered under the right maternal pubic bone and not far from the foetal mandible. In correspondence to the maternal promontory, on the ventral face of the first sacral element, the foetal upper limb bones were found approximately in anatomical connection and strongly flexed. The thoracic elements were lying in part on the sacrum, i.e. in the lower region of the maternal iliac cavity, while the foetal spine appear oriented along the longitudinal axis of the maternal body. Cranially, on the left iliac crest, the diaphyses of the tibia and fibula were found partly covered by the right maternal radius. The foetal femurs and the two iliac portions of the pelvis were located at the extremity of and lateral to the foetal tibia, and nearly touching the distal portion of the right maternal radius. The foetal head, therefore, occupied the lesser pelvis while the body and the limbs were found approximately in the greater pelvis. The maternal skeleton is almost complete. Only a few hand bones are missing, while most of the foot bones are still embedded in the sediments; minor loss occurred in the basilar part of the occipital bone and in the facial and orbital areas. The state of conservation of the remains is good. The Ostuni 1 skeleton is certainly among the most complete and best preserved specimen from the Gravettian period. Anthropological study of the skeleton indicates that metric and morphological characteristics of Ostuni 1 fit well in the variability of Upper Paleolithic European female remains. Cranial measurements do not exceed one standard deviation from the mean of the comparative female sample, with the only exception of the orbital height which is much lower. The extraordinary circumstances and complex recovery technique that enabled the preservation of maternal-foetal anatomical relations make the Ostuni 1 remains particularly important from a methodological perspective. Since the sex of this individual is known, the focus is on how female characteristics are expressed in an Upper Paleolithic specimen. Morphologic and metric analyses of the sexually differentiated structure of the pelvis reveal, with respect to modern standards, clear female characteristics particularly for the ischio-pubic region. The results provided by the sacro-iliac region are less clear, probably due to the role these anatomical components play in locomotion and load bearing. The estimated age at death, based on degree of epiphysial fusion, cranial suture synostosis, dental eruption and wear and on the morphology of the pubic simphysis, point to a young adult age not exceeding 20 years. Due to its excellent state of conservation, the Ostuni 1 skeleton provides additional possibilities for methodological tests. The preservation of the bony elements contributing to determine stature allows the application of the so-called ‘anatomic method’, producing good approximation of the actual stature. The anatomical estimate has been compared with those obtained from equations based on the correlation between bone length and stature. Among the equations tested, those published by Formicola and Franceschi (1996), Olivier and coll. (1978), and by Trotter and Gleser (1952) for Afro-Americans, provide estimates close to the anatomical value. The resulting stature of 171 cm represents one of the highest values found in the European Upper Palaeolithic female sample. With regard to body proportions, ratios between limb segments indicate a relatively long distal part of the upper limb, as is typical in Gravettian and subsequent Upper Paleolithic samples. In modern populations, proportions similar to those found in Ostuni 1 characterize North Africans and are quite different from those exhibited by European groups. Regarding the lower limb, however, the distal segment of Ostuni 1 is not elongated and the proportions are therefore more similar to those of modern Europeans than to those of Upper Paleolithic and recent North African groups. Consequently, while the femur/trunk ratio indicates a short trunk as in recent North Africans and Early Upper Paleolithic (Gravettian) samples, the tibia/trunk ratio provides a different picture. In summary, the presence of an elongated body build in Ostuni 1 is shown in the proportions of the upper limb and relative shortness of the trunk with respect to the femur, but not in the relation of tibia to femur and trunk lengths. The post-cranial skeleton of Ostuni 1 is in general quite robust, based on muscular insertions and bone remodeling. Metrical robusticity of the humeri denotes an asymmetry, which is evident also in the development of the muscular insertions, more marked on the right. The lower limb bones do not show elevated levels of robusticity, as measured by external diaphyseal circumferences relative to bone length. The degree of robusticity of femur and tibia, in comparison to other Italian female samples, is moderate. However both bones show characteristics indicative of intense activity such as a third trochanter, an ipotrochanteric fossa, accentuated linea aspera with very elevated pilasteric index, and very prominent interosseous crest and tuberosity on the tibia and deep grooves on the fibula. The state of preservation of the foetal remains (Ostuni 1b) is also exceptionally good, considering the fragility of a skeleton in a very precocious stage of development. Ostuni 1b, in spite of the loss of a few elements (shoulder blades, clavicle, most of the cervical elements of the spinal column and the first costal elements) preserves in general at least one of the paired bones. It is likely that while a few elements were lost when part of the sediment collapsed, the pelvis of the mother prevented the fall under the burial of most of the foetal remains. The preservation of this precious and fragile skeleton, surviving natural and human events over such a considerable period of time, was made possible also thanks to the conservation and protection efforts carried out immediately after the discovery. The efficiency of this intervention is stressed by the maintenance of the maternal-foetal anatomical relations which are typically established during pregnancy. To describe their arrangement, the definition of the foetal position given by a midwife’s manual can be used effectively: ‘body ventrally flexed; head flexed towards the trunk, upper limbs adducted; forearms flexed towards the arms and crossed in front at the level of the sternum, thighs flexed over the abdomen; legs flexed towards the thighs and crossed in front of the ventral plane’ (Pescetto et al., 1986). It can be concluded that the foetal remains Ostuni 1b were found in situ both from an archaeological point of view and from the point of view of their anatomical relation with the maternal skeleton The degree of foetal development has been calculated using all the available measurements. Compared to modern standards, the resulting stage of development of Ostuni 1b, points to a foetal age between 8.5 (34 weeks) and 9 lunar months (36 weeks), and presumably in the later part of this period. The foetal length (vertex-calcaneum), determined on the basis of dimensions of the better preserved elements from the various skeletal regions provided an average value of around 45. 4 cm. This value corresponds to the empirical value obtained from modern samples at a foetal development of 9 months (lunar). Compared with modern samples, sciatic notch proportions and shape of Ostuni 1b suggests female sex. The general morphology of Ostuni 1b does not differ from modern European standards with the exception of specific population characteristics (e. g. body proportions). Other possible elements of ontogenetic differentiation, such as differential growth rates for the various skeletal regions, as suggested by discrepancies in the development observed in some bone elements, could result from individual variations or from population differences. Studies of paleo-ontogeny are very problematic as they are based on incomplete and fragmented remains, dispersed in time and not necessarily representative of their parent populations. Thus, generalizations on this subject are of little use. However, the foetal remains of Ostuni, considering their completeness and excellent state of preservation, provide important and additional information on the issue of growth and development of immature remains from that period. Sites and human remains recovered in Italy have contributed significantly to the knowledge of biology of European Paleolithic and Mesolithic populations, but this is particularly true as far as the Upper Paleolithic is concerned. In such a context, the site and the human remains from Santa Maria d’Agnano in Ostuni (BR), provide highly significant and spectacular evidence.
I resti scheletrici umani delle sepolture paleolitiche di Grotta Santa Maria d'Agnano - Ostuni (BR)
Vittorio Pesce Delfino;Donato Coppola
2012-01-01
Abstract
This paper provides anthropological data on the Upper Paleolithic skeletons from Grotta Santa Maria d’Agnano in Ostuni (BR) and describes their anatomical characteristics in the context of remains from the same time period. The importance of the cave as a burial site was identified in the autumn of 1991 by Donato Coppola who noticed a few human bones in the roof of a small cavity existing below the floor of the upper cave of Santa Maria d’Agnano. This unique situation, resulting from the partial natural erosion of the deposit underlying the burial, had exposed and made visible from below various elements of an adult human skeleton (Ostuni 1) and some elements of a foetal skeleton (Ostuni 1b). The precarious conditions of the deposit and of the remains (which seemed to be suspended on the ceiling of the cavity), as well as the need to preserve the two skeletons in the original position required isolation and rapid removal of the bulk of sediment containing the burial. During this phase, a second burial (Ostuni 2), located not far from the first but not visible in the ceiling of the lower cavity, necessitated further preservation. Two blocks of sediment containing the burials were removed and transported in the Museum of ‘Civiltà Preclassiche’ in Ostuni where the subsequent work took place. The state of preservation of the remains and maintenance of the mutual positions of the skeletal elements within the deposit, attest the success and efficiency of the recovery operations. The second burial of Grotta Santa Maria d’Agnano was completely embedded in a very tough concretelike sediment, impossible to remove without damaging the bones. The skeleton, probably lying prevalently on its right side, and in a flexed position, belongs to an adult individual, based on dental eruption and wear. Sex can not be diagnosed. The remains from the first burial, due to the less concretionary nature of deposit, were in an excellent state of preservation and not too difficult to isolate. This burial is very peculiar, including the remains of a young woman in advanced state of pregnancy. These remains therefore refer to a maternal skeleton (Ostuni 1) and to a foetal skeleton (Ostuni 1b). The maternal skeleton was lying on its left side and in a flexed position. The lower limb bones were flexed both at the hip and knee. The right forearm was placed across the abdominal area with the hand resting on the left ilium. The left arm was completely flexed and the hand was placed under the cranium that was laid on the left side and facing downwards. The foetal skeleton was found in the maternal abdominal area. The elements of the cranial vault, in particular the parietals, were recovered under the right maternal pubic bone and not far from the foetal mandible. In correspondence to the maternal promontory, on the ventral face of the first sacral element, the foetal upper limb bones were found approximately in anatomical connection and strongly flexed. The thoracic elements were lying in part on the sacrum, i.e. in the lower region of the maternal iliac cavity, while the foetal spine appear oriented along the longitudinal axis of the maternal body. Cranially, on the left iliac crest, the diaphyses of the tibia and fibula were found partly covered by the right maternal radius. The foetal femurs and the two iliac portions of the pelvis were located at the extremity of and lateral to the foetal tibia, and nearly touching the distal portion of the right maternal radius. The foetal head, therefore, occupied the lesser pelvis while the body and the limbs were found approximately in the greater pelvis. The maternal skeleton is almost complete. Only a few hand bones are missing, while most of the foot bones are still embedded in the sediments; minor loss occurred in the basilar part of the occipital bone and in the facial and orbital areas. The state of conservation of the remains is good. The Ostuni 1 skeleton is certainly among the most complete and best preserved specimen from the Gravettian period. Anthropological study of the skeleton indicates that metric and morphological characteristics of Ostuni 1 fit well in the variability of Upper Paleolithic European female remains. Cranial measurements do not exceed one standard deviation from the mean of the comparative female sample, with the only exception of the orbital height which is much lower. The extraordinary circumstances and complex recovery technique that enabled the preservation of maternal-foetal anatomical relations make the Ostuni 1 remains particularly important from a methodological perspective. Since the sex of this individual is known, the focus is on how female characteristics are expressed in an Upper Paleolithic specimen. Morphologic and metric analyses of the sexually differentiated structure of the pelvis reveal, with respect to modern standards, clear female characteristics particularly for the ischio-pubic region. The results provided by the sacro-iliac region are less clear, probably due to the role these anatomical components play in locomotion and load bearing. The estimated age at death, based on degree of epiphysial fusion, cranial suture synostosis, dental eruption and wear and on the morphology of the pubic simphysis, point to a young adult age not exceeding 20 years. Due to its excellent state of conservation, the Ostuni 1 skeleton provides additional possibilities for methodological tests. The preservation of the bony elements contributing to determine stature allows the application of the so-called ‘anatomic method’, producing good approximation of the actual stature. The anatomical estimate has been compared with those obtained from equations based on the correlation between bone length and stature. Among the equations tested, those published by Formicola and Franceschi (1996), Olivier and coll. (1978), and by Trotter and Gleser (1952) for Afro-Americans, provide estimates close to the anatomical value. The resulting stature of 171 cm represents one of the highest values found in the European Upper Palaeolithic female sample. With regard to body proportions, ratios between limb segments indicate a relatively long distal part of the upper limb, as is typical in Gravettian and subsequent Upper Paleolithic samples. In modern populations, proportions similar to those found in Ostuni 1 characterize North Africans and are quite different from those exhibited by European groups. Regarding the lower limb, however, the distal segment of Ostuni 1 is not elongated and the proportions are therefore more similar to those of modern Europeans than to those of Upper Paleolithic and recent North African groups. Consequently, while the femur/trunk ratio indicates a short trunk as in recent North Africans and Early Upper Paleolithic (Gravettian) samples, the tibia/trunk ratio provides a different picture. In summary, the presence of an elongated body build in Ostuni 1 is shown in the proportions of the upper limb and relative shortness of the trunk with respect to the femur, but not in the relation of tibia to femur and trunk lengths. The post-cranial skeleton of Ostuni 1 is in general quite robust, based on muscular insertions and bone remodeling. Metrical robusticity of the humeri denotes an asymmetry, which is evident also in the development of the muscular insertions, more marked on the right. The lower limb bones do not show elevated levels of robusticity, as measured by external diaphyseal circumferences relative to bone length. The degree of robusticity of femur and tibia, in comparison to other Italian female samples, is moderate. However both bones show characteristics indicative of intense activity such as a third trochanter, an ipotrochanteric fossa, accentuated linea aspera with very elevated pilasteric index, and very prominent interosseous crest and tuberosity on the tibia and deep grooves on the fibula. The state of preservation of the foetal remains (Ostuni 1b) is also exceptionally good, considering the fragility of a skeleton in a very precocious stage of development. Ostuni 1b, in spite of the loss of a few elements (shoulder blades, clavicle, most of the cervical elements of the spinal column and the first costal elements) preserves in general at least one of the paired bones. It is likely that while a few elements were lost when part of the sediment collapsed, the pelvis of the mother prevented the fall under the burial of most of the foetal remains. The preservation of this precious and fragile skeleton, surviving natural and human events over such a considerable period of time, was made possible also thanks to the conservation and protection efforts carried out immediately after the discovery. The efficiency of this intervention is stressed by the maintenance of the maternal-foetal anatomical relations which are typically established during pregnancy. To describe their arrangement, the definition of the foetal position given by a midwife’s manual can be used effectively: ‘body ventrally flexed; head flexed towards the trunk, upper limbs adducted; forearms flexed towards the arms and crossed in front at the level of the sternum, thighs flexed over the abdomen; legs flexed towards the thighs and crossed in front of the ventral plane’ (Pescetto et al., 1986). It can be concluded that the foetal remains Ostuni 1b were found in situ both from an archaeological point of view and from the point of view of their anatomical relation with the maternal skeleton The degree of foetal development has been calculated using all the available measurements. Compared to modern standards, the resulting stage of development of Ostuni 1b, points to a foetal age between 8.5 (34 weeks) and 9 lunar months (36 weeks), and presumably in the later part of this period. The foetal length (vertex-calcaneum), determined on the basis of dimensions of the better preserved elements from the various skeletal regions provided an average value of around 45. 4 cm. This value corresponds to the empirical value obtained from modern samples at a foetal development of 9 months (lunar). Compared with modern samples, sciatic notch proportions and shape of Ostuni 1b suggests female sex. The general morphology of Ostuni 1b does not differ from modern European standards with the exception of specific population characteristics (e. g. body proportions). Other possible elements of ontogenetic differentiation, such as differential growth rates for the various skeletal regions, as suggested by discrepancies in the development observed in some bone elements, could result from individual variations or from population differences. Studies of paleo-ontogeny are very problematic as they are based on incomplete and fragmented remains, dispersed in time and not necessarily representative of their parent populations. Thus, generalizations on this subject are of little use. However, the foetal remains of Ostuni, considering their completeness and excellent state of preservation, provide important and additional information on the issue of growth and development of immature remains from that period. Sites and human remains recovered in Italy have contributed significantly to the knowledge of biology of European Paleolithic and Mesolithic populations, but this is particularly true as far as the Upper Paleolithic is concerned. In such a context, the site and the human remains from Santa Maria d’Agnano in Ostuni (BR), provide highly significant and spectacular evidence.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
