First evidence of vivianite in human bones from a third millennium BC Domus de Janas

Filigosa tomb 1, Macomer (NU), Sardinia

Bibliographic Data

ID13098101
AuthorsConsuelo Rodriguez (0000-0002-6417-0506, Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona, corresponding author), Luigi Sanciu, Alfredo Idini (0000-0002-9937-5149, University of Cagliari), Dario Fancello (0000-0002-8726-8004, University of Cagliari), Clizia Murgia (Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona), Ilenia Atzori, Mazzarello (0000-0002-9713-3306, University of Sassari), M Eulàlia Subirà (Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona)
Year2021
Volume37
Pages102918-102918
Publication date2021-03-21
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Archaeological Science Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2352-409X • E-ISSN: 2352-4103
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102918
OpenAlexW3136155400
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited17

Sardinia is an island located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Due to its position geologically acquired in the Middle Miocene (around 16 Ma ago), this island had a very strategic position in antiquity, as it was involved into all the trade routes that crossed the Mediterranean Sea; however, it developed original archaeological features up to the Iron Age. During the Final Neolithic, the Ozieri’s Culture developed throughout the Sardinian territory, with diffusion of typically hypogea graves named Domus de Janas. The study was conducted inside the Domus de Janas at Filigosa necropolis, located on a tuffaceous hillside near the village of Macomer in the area of Marghine, Central-Western Sardinia. Tomb 1 dating back to the beginning of the third millennium BC had been excavated by Professor E. Contu in 1965 At the time of first excavation, this tomb showed very particular conditions that had enabled an excellent conservation of several osteological and wooden samples. This paper focuses on the presence of vivianite deposits on human bones and its origin. For such a mineral to be formed an interaction between phosphate, iron and water has to occur. These findings can be considered the first evidence of such mineral in a Sardinian archaeological site, and one of the most ancient findings of this mineral in Italy, as well as the first evidence observed in prehistoric sites related to a period before the introduction of iron use

Ancient history · Archaeological evidence · Archaeology · Bronze Age · Chalcolithic · Geography · Iron Age · Mediterranean climate · Mediterranean sea · Osteology · Prehistory · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · History · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Geology

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