Integrating virtual, physical and proteomic analyses to the study of cremated remains from Bronze Age Northern Italy

The challenges researchers face studying cremated remains are countless. Thanks to new analytical approaches, there are many experimental ways to face these limitations. This study aims to improve the quality and quantity of information that could be retrieved from the investigation of cremains by combining three analytical approaches. We performed CT (Computerised Tomography) analysis of ten non-excavated urns from the Middle-Late Bronze Age (15th-12th centuries BCE) necropolis of Vicofertile (Parma, Italy). After extraction of the remains, we reconstructed the individuals’ biological profiles, analysed the heat-induced changes to the bones, and compared the preliminary results of the two approaches. We also selected some samples for Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry to investigate taxonomy, and amelogenin analysis for sex estimation. The qualitative and quantitative virtual investigation of the distribution of the remains inside the vessels provided information about the funerary practices. Non-adult and adult remains were also identified. The results of the virtual approach were mostly confirmed by the physical investigation of the burials. The exceptions regarded taphonomy (e.g. the presence of concretions that were not identified in the scans), additional data about the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI), and individuals’ sex and age at death. The scans proved to be an essential tool to guide and speed up the excavation process and help preserve the integrity of the bones and vessels, as well as aiding sample selection to maximise the likelihood of successful proteomic analyses. Finally, ZooMS analysis allowed for the identification of two non-human remains, one of which was burned.