engleski

Bioarchaeological study of cremation burials from the Roman period necropolis of Zadar-Relja – taphonomic characteristics, demographic profiles and pathological features

Colonia Iulia Iader (contemporary Zadar) was one of the largest settlements on the eastern Adriatic coast during the Roman period. Biritual necropolis, containing over 2000 burials, was excavated between 1989 and 2009. Several types of cremation burials from the site are distinguished: burials in plain ground, in ceramic and stone urns, depositions in amphorae and wooden caskets, and deposition in a stone tomb. All incineration burials are dated between the 1st and 3rd century AD. The bioarchaeological study covered a total of 154 burials. Data was collected for every specimen regarding taphonomic characteristics, the sex of the individual, their age at the time of death, and the possible presence of pathological changes. Most of the studied burials were characterised by the excellent bone preservation with both cranial and postcranial bones equally represented. In most of the burials bones are white with tinges of light grey and black. Almost all the preserved bone fragments display characteristic deformations such as transverse and elliptical fracture lines, spiral deformities and the loss of volume and organic matter. Due to the excellent bone preservation the sex and the age at death of the deceased could be assessed in most of the cases. The analysed sample is characterised by the uniform distribution of adult males and females, and by the pronounced underrepresentation of subadults. The Zadar-Relja sample also displayed numerous pathological changes such as antemortem tooth loss, Schmorl's nodes, degenerative osteoarthritis, cribra orbitalia and ectocranial porosity, periostitis, and compression fracture of the thoracic vertebra. This study provided valuable results and has enabled new insights into the quality and the way of life, as well as the manner of cremation of the people who inhabited Zadar almost 2000 years ago.

Roman Period; cremation burials; Zadar; anthropological analysis

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