INFERRING INDIGENOUS LIFE: THE HUMAN GROUP OF BAUCINA, SICILY (CA. VII-V CENTURIES BCE).

The anthropological study of archaeological skeletal remains is a fundamental approach to defining the state of health and well-being of ancient populations. In this perspective, this work illustrates the first results of the study of a sample attributed to an indigenous Sicanian population from the necropolis of Baucina (Palermo, Sicily), a settlement dated between 7th-5th centuries BCE. The remains were found inside a large artificial cave tomb which is distinguished by its monumentality and number of occupants, which amounts to fifty-nine individuals, a significant number for a population of this period. Consequently, it was decided to proceed with the study of the sample, applying anthropological methodologies for the definition of demography, paleopathological aspects, entheseal changes and non-metric traits. The results obtained provide important data concerning individual pathologies and variants of the skeletal morphology, both in adults and non-adults: for instance, individuals show osteomas, porous skeletal lesions, musculoskeletal stress markers. This study represents one of the first concerning the bio-anthropology sphere of Sicanian communities, reporting new insights regarding the lifestyle and health status in Baucina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]