Biological history of an Italian prehistoric community and the population of the central Italy during the 1st millennium BCE.

Understanding the population of Central Italy during the 1st millennium BCE is a crucial topic in the biological history of the Mediterranean basin. This period saw the emergence of the Etruscan and Roman cultures which had a significant impact on the bio-cultural history of the region. In this study, we analyse a prehistoric population from Caracupa (Iron Age, Latium, Central Italy). The results suggest an overall good level of health for the population. Despite this, some musculoskeletal changes related to biomechanical stressors were observed, probably as the result of strenuous physical activity. The results of a Simple Matching analysis of intragroup distance distributions suggest potential model of kinship structures and lineages. This may be due to the relative geographic isolation of the Caracupa population. Furthermore, in order to investigate the wider population of Central Italy during the 1st millennium BCE, we have constructed a population pattern using genetic and phenotypic skeletal and dental traits. The comparison between Central Italy and more isolated populations indicated a divergence between the Western and Eastern sides of Central Italy. However, we do not exclude a probable common genetic substratum for all Central Italian populations during the 1st millennium BCE.

Digital reconstruction of the Ceprano calvarium (Italy), and implications for its interpretation.

The Ceprano calvarium was discovered in fragments on March 1994 near the town of Ceprano in southern Latium (Italy), embedded in Middle Pleistocene layers. After reconstruction, its morphological features suggests that the specimen belongs to an archaic variant of H. heidelbergensis, representing a proxy for the last common ancestor of the diverging clades that respectively led to H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens. Unfortunately, the calvarium was taphonomically damaged. The postero-lateral vault, in particular, appears deformed and this postmortem damage may have influenced previous interpretations. Specifically, there is a depression on the fragmented left parietal, while the right cranial wall is warped and angulated. This deformation affected the shape of the occipital squama, producing an inclination of the transverse occipital torus. In this paper, after X-ray microtomography (µCT) of both the calvarium and several additional fragments, we analyze consistency and pattern of the taphonomic deformation that affected the specimen, before the computer-assisted retrodeformation has been performed; this has also provided the opportunity to reappraise early attempts at restoration. As a result, we offer a revised interpretation for the Ceprano calvarium's original shape, now free from the previous uncertainties, along with insight for its complex depositional and taphonomic history.

A revision of hominin fossil teeth from Fontana Ranuccio (Middle Pleistocene, Anagni, Frosinone, Italy).

The Fontana Ranuccio hominin teeth (FR, Latium, Italy) are dated to the Middle Pleistocene. In previous studies these teeth were classified as two lower (left and right) second molars, one lower left central incisor and a badly worn incisor crown, the exact position of which could not be determined. In 2012 these remains were acquired by the Anthropological Service of S.B.A.L. (Italian Ministry of Culture) and for this reason re-analysed. In a thorough revision we have reassessed them both morphologically and dimensionally as two lower (left and right) first molars, one lower left lateral incisor and a possible upper left canine. The comparison with penecontemporaneous and diachronic samples shows that the Fontana Ranuccio teeth are morphologically similar to Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos, Arago XIII and Neanderthal samples.