Physiological stress, growth disruptions, and chronic respiratory disease during climatic downturn: The Late Antique Little Ice Age in Central and Northern Italy

The Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) introduced cooler, wetter conditions to 6th and 7th centuries CE Italy, coinciding with sociopolitical and economic transformation. This study evaluated whether this climatic shift caused physiological disruptions in individuals from Central and Northern Italy during this period. Bioarchaeological analysis of 136 individuals from six sites revealed low frequencies of active physiological stress markers, frequent growth disruptions, and chronic respiratory disease. Despite environmental challenges, most individuals lived into adulthood, exhibiting adaptive resilience. Bioarchaeological evidence suggests local adjustments to subsistence mitigated environmental stress and highlights complex human-environment interactions during the LALIA.