Paleopathological analysis of the Early Middle Age in Northern Italy: a first preliminary survey

The present research project aims to develop a preliminary paleopathological perspective of the early Middle Age in northern Italy, which is particularly interesting since it is a transition period where new foreign populations arrive. As regards Lombardy, eight necropoles (Campione d’Italia, Erba S. Eufemia, Garlate, Villa d’Adda, Bolgare, Cremona Piazza Marconi, Montichiari, Brescia Piazza Labus, Sirmione S. Pietro in Mavinas) ranging from the VI to the IX century, encompassing circa 680 individuals with three belonging to the Langobard group, were studied. Traditional demographic methods were applied for aging and sexing. Palaeopathological analyses were performed by morphological methods and in some cases with radiological, histological, biomolecular and 3D imaging techniques. These populations show in decreasing order the presence of osteoarthritis typical of rural economy, stress markers, trauma (mainly healed fractures), infectious diseases (mainly tuberculosis), anaemia and arthritic diseases of both a degenerative and possibly rheumatic origin, DISH, gout, scurvy, 1 case of trepanation, of spina bifida and of Eagle’s syndrome, – a picture which is quite different from the Roman one in the same regions and which may indicate the degradation of living and working conditions. These results may contribute to a better understanding of a period in northern Italy for which very little is known from historical sources.