Talks by Alessandra Varalli
We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal... more We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal. BP-from Arma di Nasino in Liguria, northwestern Italy, an area rich in Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic attestations, but for which little information on Early Holocene occupation was available. The multiproxy isotopic profile of the two individuals reveals that-despite the proximity of the site to the Mediterranean seashore and the use of shellfish as decorative elements in burials-the ecology of these foragers was based on the exploitation of high-altitude resources, presumably in the nearby western Alps. This constitutes the first direct evidence in northwestern Italy of a significant ecological shift towards higher altitudes following deglaciation, especially when compared to isotopic data of the Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from the nearby site of Arene Candide Cave, who exploited terrestrial resources nearer to the coast and at lower altitudes. While the biochemistry of Nasino's skeletal assemblage revealed new details on Early Holocene lifeways in the area, the osteobiography of one individual offers glimpses into the life experience of a specific female forager, depicting a scenario of early skeletal trauma, developmental disturbances, long-term impairments, and resilience amongst the last European hunter-gatherers. Between the beginning of the Holocene (11,700 cal. BP 1) and the diffusion of the Neolithic in Europe, Mesolithic foragers adapted to the rapidly warming climate by modifying the subsistence patterns that had characterized the preceding Upper Paleolithic, or by adopting new ones altogether 2,3. As the land was freed from ice by the warming climate, new high-altitude hunting grounds began to be exploited in mountainous areas such as the Alps, while in coastal areas of the Atlantic façade and in the southern Baltic region, the exploitation of coastal resources-primarily shellfish-became important 3. However, our knowledge about the paleoecology of Early Mesolithic foragers (ca. 1100-8500 cal. BP) is often limited and biased by the facts that most sites are surface artifact scatters 2 , and that most of the coastal sites occupied in the earlier phases are now under water 3,4. In this context, human remains and burials can provide rare glimpses of direct information on several aspects of human biocultural adaptations that most sites cannot, such as diet 5,6 , mobility and activity patterns 7-9 , and social complexity 3,10 .
Dietary practices, economical and environmental influences during Prehistory: stable isotope and anthropological studies in Western Mediterranean”
Goude G, Varalli A.
INDAGINE PALEONUTRIZIONALE NELL’ETÀ DEL BRONZO IN ITALIA ATTRAVERSO LO STUDIO DEGLI ISOTOPI STABILI
Varalli A, Moggi Cecchi J, Goude G.
RECONSTRUCTING THE DIET OF ITALIAN PEOPLE DURING BRONZE AGE: COMPARISON OF FOOD PATTERNS USING STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS
Varalli A., Moggi Cecchi J., Goude G.
"The Bronze Age is a crucial period of change, when “non-organized” human groups give way to more... more "The Bronze Age is a crucial period of change, when “non-organized” human groups give way to more structured and hierarchical communities, trade activities leads to new social relationships and agriculture and livestock farming become the key changes of new life habits. This progress is sustained by the introduction of new crops and improvements in the food production capacity. The variability of dietary patterns is one of the resultants of these modifications. Our paper presents dietary trends in Italy during Bronze Age (2300-1120 BC) evaluated through multi-element stable isotope analyses (C, N, S), measured on bone collagen. We present original data from 4 sites in 3 Italian regions (n=169), compared with previous results from 3 sites in central Italy (n=43). The results highlight different food choices due to the local environment, social complexity and probably different purposes of the area chosen for the necropolis. Presence of non-local individuals and first introduction of millet during Middle Bronze Age are discussed. At one site, the high level protein diet hints at marine food consumption for a few individuals. The different trends of dietary patterns emerging from the analysis will contribute to the comprehension of the evolution of food habits during the Bronze Age.
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Investigation of Italian Bronze Age dietary patterns: an anthropological and multi-element stable isotope approach
Varalli A, Goude G, Moggi Cecchi J.
The italian diet during Bronze Age: multi-stable isotope approach to reconstruct food patterns of central Italy populations
A.Varalli, J.Moggi Cecchi, G.Goude
FIRST DATA OF THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ON THE HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS OF THE EARLY BRONZE AGE NECROPOLIS OF ARANO DI CELLORE (ILLASI, VERONA)
Dori I., Varalli A., Boccone S., Bortoluzzi S., Tafuri M., Moggi Cecchi J.
The excavation of the necropolis of Arano (2007) has unearthed 68 burials for a total of 74 indiv... more The excavation of the necropolis of Arano (2007) has unearthed 68 burials for a total of 74 individuals and, for the sample size, this is the most important finding in Northern Italy for the Early Bronze Age. Conservation was very poor and a long restoration process was required. To the present day 38 individuals have been examined: 16 males, 5 females and 17 undetermined (14 subadults).
Some individuals have been sampled to reconstruct the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type (barley, wheat: “Neolithic package”), whereas in other sites more or less contemporary from Northern Italy, a different agricultural practice has been recorded with production and consumption of millet (C4 plant type).
In this paper we are reporting the preliminary results of anthropological investigations and stable isotopes analysis.
Some individuals have been sampled to reconstruct the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type (barley, wheat: “Neolithic package”), whereas in other sites more or less contemporary from Northern Italy, a different agricultural practice has been recorded with production and consumption of millet (C4 plant type).
In this paper we are reporting the preliminary results of anthropological investigations and stable isotopes analysis.
Dietary complexity in Bronze Age Italy: the isotopic evidence
Mary Anne Tafuri, Michele Cupitò, Luciano Salzani, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi, Alessandra Varalli, Alessandro Canci
With most palaeoeconomic studies continuing to equate economy with a list of the foods humans ate... more With most palaeoeconomic studies continuing to equate economy with a list of the foods humans ate, the complexity of dietary practices in prehistoric Italy has seldom been questioned. This is particularly true for later phases of the prehistory, when the onset of fully productive economies has diverted the attention on food as a proxy of cultural change. One reason for this has been limited methodologies for investigating not only what foods were produced but also what foods people consumed. Stable Carbon and Nitrogen isotope analysis of human collagen preserved in ancient skeletal remains represents a direct scientific method to investigate on the diet of past populations, and is increasingly applied in archaeological investigations.
We have undertaken an isotope investigation on human and animal collagen from several Bronze Age sites of the Peninsula. Our results have revealed substantial distinctions between northern and southern regions, with the presence of specialized crops at very early phases. Intrasite differences are also indicative of social complexity and might relate to conflict and warfare.
We have undertaken an isotope investigation on human and animal collagen from several Bronze Age sites of the Peninsula. Our results have revealed substantial distinctions between northern and southern regions, with the presence of specialized crops at very early phases. Intrasite differences are also indicative of social complexity and might relate to conflict and warfare.
Stable isotopes analysis of the Early Bronze Age remains from the necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi, Verona).
Varalli A., Tafuri M., Boccone S., Bortoluzzi S., Salzani L., Salzani P., Moggi Cecchi J.
The skeletal remains from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi-Verona), ha... more The skeletal remains from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi-Verona), have been studied for their stable isotopes content, aimed at the reconstruction of the diet of this population. The C and N stable isotopes analysis showed that the agriculture in Arano was based on the cultivation of C3 cereal-type, typical of the so-called 'Neolithic package' consisting in barley, corn and wheat. In particular, the analysis yielded isotope values concentrated in a very narrow range, that indicates an homogeneous diet with no significant differences between the categories identified (burials with and without grave goods, deposition of the body on the left and right side, orientation of the skull to the North and South). Differences are apparent between sexes with slightly higher nitrogen values for men – although this results need to be confirmed. When the Arano stable isotope results are compared with the more or less contemporary sites from Northern Italy, as Sedegliano (UD) and Olmo di Nogara (VR), a different agricultural practice is evident. At the two latter sites a production and consumption of millet and C4 plant types, identified by different isotopic values, can be suggested. The exploitation of these plants in Central and Northern Europe suggests communications and trades with these areas, for which similar studies revealed a consumption of C4 species in the middle and late Bronze Age.
Papers by Alessandra Varalli
The Neolithic transition in Europe, marked by the shift from foraging to farming, has traditional... more The Neolithic transition in Europe, marked by the shift from foraging to farming, has traditionally been explained through models of either cultural or demic diffusion. However, emerging evidence suggests more complex, regionally specific interactions between incoming farmers and local foragers. In Liguria, a coastal region in northwestern Italy, the Neolithic adoption appears later than in southern regions, and the scarcity of Mesolithic sites raises questions about potential interactions, though this may be due to preservation bias. To investigate the biological origins and history of Neolithic populations in Liguria, this study applies craniofacial morphometric analysis to 27 adult individuals from Early, Middle and Late Neolithic contexts. Two datasets including comparative samples ranging from the Upper Paleolithic to recent periods were employed, one with 30 measurements (n = 629) and one with 10 (n = 2178). Morphometric relationships were analyzed using multiple multivariate techniques, including Principal Coordinate Analysis, Neighbor-Joining clustering, Principal Component Analysis, and Discriminant Function Analysis. The results indicate that while Ligurian Neolithic individuals are part of the broader European Neolithic variability, Early Neolithic individuals show a certain morphological affinity with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, suggesting possible genetic admixture. In contrast, Middle Neolithic individuals appear more homogeneous and less influenced by forager ancestry, suggesting population continuity without further admixture. These findings differ from the broader European trend of increasing hunter-gatherer ancestry over time. Although paleogenomic data from Liguria are currently lacking, this morphometric study provides critical insight into regional population dynamics during the Neolithic and highlights the need for integrated genetic and archaeological approaches in future research.
Charring Effects on Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Values on C4 Plants: Inferences for Archaeological Investigations
Plant Soil, 2025
Background and Aims Phytolith studies are still facing numerous challenges regarding the availabl... more Background and Aims Phytolith studies are still facing numerous challenges regarding the available notions of Si absorption from soil and its deposition in aerial organs. This study shows how plant water availability affects the biosilica content and silicon isotopic composition of phytoliths in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Methods Phytoliths were extracted from different plant parts of crops grown experimentally in lysimeters under water stress (WS) and well-watered (WW) conditions and analysed for silicon isotopic composition using femtosecond laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (fsLA-MC-ICP-MS). This method provided precise isotope ratios of individual phytolith morphotypes. Results Results indicate that while Si isotopic composition largely reflects watering conditions, single morphotypes present major differences with Bulliform phytoliths demonstrating superior predictive capability for water availability. The distinct Si isotopic signatures observed in Bulliform, Elongate, and Stoma suggest that variations in Si fractionation among morphotypes could be linked to differences in Si absorption and deposition processes, likely mediated by water stress. Conclusions Our findings align with prior research suggesting that water stress affects Si uptake,
L’âge du Bronze en France (2500 à 800 avant notre ère) Synthèses thématiques (Ed. C. Marcigny, C. Mordant). Recherche archéologiques 29 : 157-163., 2025
Ash-sharq, 2025
This paper examines the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age dry-stone funerary monuments... more This paper examines the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age dry-stone funerary monuments discovered along the northern coast of Kuwait Bay. The latter are studied in terms of funerary architecture, burial practices and socioeconomic dynamics. Kuwait Bay appears to be situated at the crossroads between the influences of northern Arabian Neolithic tribes, as well as of Mesopotamian-and later-Dilmun trade networks. As such, its populations might have been part of a translocal economic scheme based on the trade of goods, either bound for, or originating from within these different realms. Accordingly, we aimed to assess the impact of these socioeconomic and socio-cultural dynamics on a micro-regional scale, focusing on the imprint they might have left on Al-Subiyah's communities and their architectural traditions, funerary behaviours and material cultures.
Scientific Reports
Where "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in ... more Where "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in the northwestern corner of the cave against the wall (Supplementary Information Figure )" now reads "A few bones of a third individual (Nasino 3), not in anatomical connection, were found in the northwestern corner of the cave against the wall (Supplementary Information 1)" where "We therefore investigated the diet of the two adult Mesolithic individuals by comparing them with earlier Upper Paleolithic foragers that lived in the same area: the Late Epigravettian individuals (n = 13) from the Arene Candide Cave necropolis, dated between 12,800-12,500 and 12,100-11,800 cal. BP25, analyzed for this study, and the published data for the Gravettian "Il Principe" ("The Prince") from Arene Candide Cave, dated to ca. 27,900-27,300 cal. BP37 (Fig. ; raw data in Supplementary Information 1). " now reads "We therefore investigated the diet of the two adult Mesolithic individuals by comparing them with earlier Upper Paleolithic foragers that lived in the same area: the Late Epigravettian individuals (n = 13) from the Arene Candide Cave necropolis, dated between 12,800-12,500 and 12,100-11,800 cal. BP25, analyzed for this study, and the published data for the Gravettian "Il Principe" ("The Prince") from Arene Candide Cave, dated to ca. 27,900-27,300 cal. BP37 (Fig. ; raw data in Supplementary information 2).
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 1, 2018
HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific r... more HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.
Archaeothanathology and palaeopathology of the burials and “scattered human remains” from Arma dell’Aquila (Finale Ligure, Savona)
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2018
International audienc
Lifestyle and feeding in Italian caves during the metal ages: the contribution of stable isotopes analysis
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Apr 16, 2016
International audienc
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approach
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2017
Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropolog... more Females and diet at the beginning of farming (5th – 3rd millennium BC, France): a bio-anthropological approac
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
The Upper Seine Valley sees during the Bronze Age an increase in settlements and cemeteries chara... more The Upper Seine Valley sees during the Bronze Age an increase in settlements and cemeteries characterized by a variety of architectures and funerary practices. This variability originates from the coalescence of two cultural traditions, the Atlantic culture from the northwest and the Continental culture from the east, which find its roots in the Upper Rhine area. In this context, our research aims to understand the cultural identity of these communities by reconstructing subsistence economy and palaeodietary patterns and to trace human mobility, which influenced lifestyle and social–economic dynamics. Adding new 10 AMS dating and using multi-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) and multi-proxy (botanical, animal and human remains) biochemical investigations, we detected changes in dietary habits throughout the Bronze Age linked to varying C3 and C4 plant consumption and diverse animal protein intake by humans. Three main outcomes are highlighted: (1) a variety of farming strategies with diffe...