Osteometric and paleopathological studies of Neolithic material from Western Ligurian caves have shown a high degree of robusticity of the forelimb in these populations. In this study we intend to test previous results by means of a biomechanical approach. The cross-sectional geometry (CSG) properties of the humerus of a sample composed of 17 Neolithic individuals (NEOL), nine males and eight females, from three caves (Arene Candide, Arma dell’Aquila, and Pollera) located in the Finalese region (Savona, Italy), have been analysed. The comparison with a European Late Upper Paleolithic (LUP) sample showed unchanged humeral robusticity in females, and increased humeral robusticity in males. Both sexes show a more rounded humeral diaphyseal circumference and decrease of lateralization. It has been supposed, on the base of faunal and archaeological evidence, that NEOL were prevalently pastoralist, and not committed agriculturalists. In the uneven, wooded and poor of pastures territory of Finalese region, NEOL people likely turned to pollarding – recurrently chopping of branches - in order to provide animal’s fodder. Such a laborious activity may have been a cause for the great robusticity of male humerus. The difference in humeral robusticity between males and females leads to an increase in sexual dimorphism, which may indicate different activity levels between genders, probably as a consequence of sexual division of labour. The decrease of lateralisation in both sexes may be related to an increase in activities that stressed both limbs in a similar way. In particular, the finding of grind stone in the archaeological record seems to explain the absence of lateralization in females, which might be related to the processing of cereals in the traditional fashion, by means of a grind stone held with both hands. CSG results seem to confirm previous results and furnish further evidence for the hypothesis of a prevalently pastoral economy of the Neolithic people of Western Liguria.
Cross sectional geometry of the humerus of a Western Liguria Neolithic sample
MARCHI, DAMIANO;
2005-01-01
Abstract
Osteometric and paleopathological studies of Neolithic material from Western Ligurian caves have shown a high degree of robusticity of the forelimb in these populations. In this study we intend to test previous results by means of a biomechanical approach. The cross-sectional geometry (CSG) properties of the humerus of a sample composed of 17 Neolithic individuals (NEOL), nine males and eight females, from three caves (Arene Candide, Arma dell’Aquila, and Pollera) located in the Finalese region (Savona, Italy), have been analysed. The comparison with a European Late Upper Paleolithic (LUP) sample showed unchanged humeral robusticity in females, and increased humeral robusticity in males. Both sexes show a more rounded humeral diaphyseal circumference and decrease of lateralization. It has been supposed, on the base of faunal and archaeological evidence, that NEOL were prevalently pastoralist, and not committed agriculturalists. In the uneven, wooded and poor of pastures territory of Finalese region, NEOL people likely turned to pollarding – recurrently chopping of branches - in order to provide animal’s fodder. Such a laborious activity may have been a cause for the great robusticity of male humerus. The difference in humeral robusticity between males and females leads to an increase in sexual dimorphism, which may indicate different activity levels between genders, probably as a consequence of sexual division of labour. The decrease of lateralisation in both sexes may be related to an increase in activities that stressed both limbs in a similar way. In particular, the finding of grind stone in the archaeological record seems to explain the absence of lateralization in females, which might be related to the processing of cereals in the traditional fashion, by means of a grind stone held with both hands. CSG results seem to confirm previous results and furnish further evidence for the hypothesis of a prevalently pastoral economy of the Neolithic people of Western Liguria.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
