The Medici Project First Anthropological and Paleopathological Results of the Exploration of The Medici Tombs in Florence
Authors
Gino Fornaciari
Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine
Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, I
Angelica Vitiello
Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine
Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, I
Sara Giusiani
Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine
Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, I
Valentina Giuffra
Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine
Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, I
Antonio Fornaciari
Department of Archeology and History of Arts, Section of Medieval Archeology University of Siena, I
Natale Villari
Department of Clinical Physiopathology, Section of Clinical Radiology,University of Florence, I
Keywords:
Medici , Florence , Anthropology , Paleopathology
Abstract
Within the framework of the Medici Project, a paleopathological team of experts from the University of Pisa, the University of Florence and the Superintendence for Florentine Museums, is carrying out a study on 49 tombs of some of the Medici family members (16th -18th centuries) housed in the so-called Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence. The project involves disciplines such as paleopathology, funerary archeology, physical anthropology, paleonutrition, parasitology, histology, histochemistry, immuno-histochemistry, electron microscopy, molecular biology, and identification of ancient pathogens. The most recent biomedical imaging technologies have been employed to obtain as much information as possible about the genetic make-up, eating habits, life styles and diseases of these important rulers of Renaissance Florence. The first anthropological and paleopathological results are presented here.
