A foetal tile from an archaeological site: anthropological investigation of human remains recovered in a medieval cemetery in Northern Italy

作者：Licata Marta^*; Rossetti Chiara; Tosi Adelaide; Badino Paola

来源：Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2018, 31(11): 1527-1529.

DOI：10.1080/14767058.2017.1317742

• Foetal osteological remains
• osteoarchaeology
• foetal burial
• Middle Ages
• medieval cemetery

Background: The recovery of foetal remains is very sporadic in archaeology, especially due the scarce degree of bone mineralisation. This paper presents the singular archaeological discovery of a foetal tile preserving the bone remains, object of our anthropological examination.Materials and methods: The foetal tile was discovered during an archaeological excavation in a medieval site (Northern Italy). The tile was analysed by CT scan and later, human remains were anthropologically examined.Results: The archaeological investigation revealed a special ritual destined to foetuses while forensic anthropological analysis allowed estimating the gestational age near to 21-24weeks.

• 出版日期2018