Identification of Italian renaissance noble women through a bioarchaeological study of skeletal remains

Three female skeletons, dated back to the beginning of the 15th century were recovered during an archaeological excavation in the Guinigi Chapel in Lucca (Italy). Archaeological and historical sources indicated that the remains might be those of Paolo Guinigi’s wives. At the beginning of the 15th century Paolo Guinigi ruled Lucca for nearly 30 years (1400–1429), providing a long period of wealth and peace to the city. In those years of power Paolo Guinigi married four women from different countries. This study is aimed at identifying the three skeletons of Paolo’s wives found in the Guinigi Chapel. The three skeletons were identified using a multidisciplinary approach, by integrating historical, archaeological, anthropological, and isotopic data. The anthropological studies evidenced the biological profile of two adult women and of one adolescent female, in agreement with the historical descriptions of three of the four wives of Paolo Guinigi. The isotopic analysis supported the identification of each individual.