Paleopathology of the Copper Age Mummy from the Val Senales Glacier
Authors
Renato Mariani Costantini
Institute of Human Pathology and Social Medicine, "Gabriele D'Annunzio" University, Chieti, I
Luigi Capasso
Technical Service of Anthropological and Paleopathological Sciences, Ministry of Cultural and Environmental Heritage, Rome, I
Arnaldo Capelli
Anatomy and Pathological Histology Institute, Catholic University S.C., Rome, I
Luigi Frati
Experimental Medicine Department, "La Sapienza" University, Rome, I
Keywords:
Mummy , Copper Age, Paleopathology , Tattooings
Abstract
The unique conditions of preservation of the Copper age mummy found in the Val Senales glacier permit to analyze the general state of health of a man of the late European prehistory. Investigations conducted within the organizational framework of an International Research Project revealed the presence of a series of alterations, that, in broad sense, can be considered of paleopathological interest. These can be classified as: 1) post mortem lesion, including scalp eorsion, alopecia, soft tissue loss in the right gluteal region, right coxo-femoral disarticulation, right sacro-iliac dislocation; 2) lesions that occurred intra vitam, including tattoings, dental wear, trichorrexis nodosa, nail hypoplasia, moderateosteoarthrosis of the lumbar vertebral column and of the coxo-femoral joints, tibio-tarsal osteosclerosis. The paleopathological analysis of this unique mummy sheds vivid light on the mutual interactions between disease, environment, and culture, that shaped human life in a distant past.
