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Heritage
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Palaeopathological Analysis Applied to Forensic and Archaeological Studies
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Palaeopathological Analysis Applied to Forensic and Archaeological Studies

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1205

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carme Rissech

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Guest Editor
Department de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Spain
Interests: biological anthropology; paleoanthropology; palaeopathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lluís Lloveras

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament d’Història i Arqueologia, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Montalegre 6-8, E-08001 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: zooarchaeology; taphonomy; palaeopathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Palaeopathology is the study of diseases and injuries in organisms through the examination of skeletal remains, mummified tissue, coprolites and fossils. Besides these biological sources, palaeopathological studies can also be based on ancient documents, illustrations from early books, paintings and sculptures from the past. The application of palaeopathology in forensic and archaeological studies has proven to be very useful in aiding these research areas. Pathologies, traumatisms, stress markers and enthesopathies are useful in helping to individualise individuals in forensic cases. They can act as marks that differentiate a particular individual from a group of individuals that share similar characteristics such as sex, age, ancestors and stature. In archaeological cases, palaeopathological studies can provide information on the state of health of past populations, on how these civilisations treated conditions, on the use that these populations made of animals, the influence and relationship of animals with these diseases, as well as on the evolution of diseases.

This Special Issue aims to deal with the most significant research based on palaeopathology, ranging from bone (animal or human) remains to soft tissues, including the different types of sources. Innovative papers from the different research areas mentioned above are invited to contribute to this Special Issue that aims to bring together the latest advances providing key data on palaeopathological studies.

Interdisciplinary studies are welcome, especially ones regarding (but not limited to) bioanthropological, zooarchaeological, archaeological, forensic and veterinary sciences.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Carme Rissech
Dr. Lluís Lloveras
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • human palaeopathology
  • animal palaeopathology
  • diseases origin
  • zoonosis
  • pathologies and culture

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 2445 KiB  
Article
Osseous Variants of the Cervical Spine with Potential Pathological Significance: Possible Evidence of Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency in a Skeletal Sample from the Post-Classical Cemetery of Corfinio (12th–15th Centuries CE, L’Aquila, Italy)
by Anabel Amores, Carmen Tanga, Maria Carla Somma, Vasco La Salvia, Sonia Antonelli and Joan Viciano
Heritage 2025, 8(5), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8050178 - 17 May 2025
Viewed by 224
Abstract
The vertebral arteries supply blood to the upper spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior part of the brain. These arteries are susceptible to deformation from external factors such as muscular, ligamentous, or bony structures, and any interruption of blood flow may result in [...] Read more.
The vertebral arteries supply blood to the upper spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior part of the brain. These arteries are susceptible to deformation from external factors such as muscular, ligamentous, or bony structures, and any interruption of blood flow may result in vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Among the osseous variants of the cervical spine with potential pathological significance, variations in the number, shape, and size of the foramen transversarium, as well as the presence of bony bridges in the first cervical vertebra, may suggest a predisposition to vertebrobasilar insufficiency. A skeletal sample from the post-Classical cemetery of Corfinio (12th–15th centuries CE; L’Aquila, Italy) was examined. Regarding the morphology of the foramen transversarium, shape variations were identified in 32 of the 108 vertebrae analysed (a prevalence of 29.6%). Particularly noteworthy are three findings in the atlas: (i) a high prevalence of foramen transversarium variants (35.7% for hypoplastic and double foramina), (ii) a coefficient of roundness consistent with a brachymorphic shape, and (iii) a high prevalence of bony bridges —especially ponticulus posticus (52.9%) and retrotransverse foramen (64.7%). All of these findings may indicate a predisposition to vertebrobasilar insufficiency in the individuals studied. It is hypothesised that external mechanical factors, such as carrying heavy loads on the head, neck, and shoulders due to work activities, along with possible genetic influences related to kinship, may have contributed to the high prevalence of these osseous variants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Palaeopathological Analysis Applied to Forensic and Archaeological Studies)
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17 pages, 17242 KiB  
Article
A Bioarchaeological Insight into Etruscan Female Activity at Civita, Tarquinia
by Lucie Biehler-Gomez, Claudia Moro, Matilde Marzullo, Giovanna Bagnasco and Cristina Cattaneo
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020071 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 646
Abstract
This research investigates sex roles and labor in ancient Etruscan society, comparing and contrasting the bioarchaeological profile of human remains of five females and two males from the sacred area of the ‘monumental complex’ (Civita, Tarquinia). Despite the small sample size, analyses of [...] Read more.
This research investigates sex roles and labor in ancient Etruscan society, comparing and contrasting the bioarchaeological profile of human remains of five females and two males from the sacred area of the ‘monumental complex’ (Civita, Tarquinia). Despite the small sample size, analyses of entheseal changes, spinal and appendicular osteoarthrosis, Schmorl’s nodes, and dental wear reveal much higher frequencies of biomechanical stress markers compared to other coeval Etruscan sites as well as pre-Roman and Roman data. Both males and females exhibited evidence of repeated strenuous physical activity, but the degree of biomechanical stress in females was particularly striking, suggesting involvement in physically intensive tasks. The study also draws comparisons with Roman populations, highlighting the higher biomechanical stress among women living in the Etruscan society compared to Roman females. These findings challenge the assumption of strict sex divisions of labor in ancient societies, indicating that Etruscan women at Civita may have shared in physically demanding activities typically associated with men, such as agricultural labor, sports, or domestic production. While the sample is limited and precludes definitive conclusions, this study represents a rare bioarchaeological contribution to the study of Etruscan society, offering insight into their lived experiences. Moreover, it underscores the importance of valorizing this skeletal material to enrich our understanding of sex roles and labor in one of antiquity’s most enigmatic civilizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Palaeopathological Analysis Applied to Forensic and Archaeological Studies)
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