Spina Bifida Sacralis Occulta from Ancient Greek Sicily (Pozzanghera Necropolis, Leontinoi, 6th–4th Century BC): Anatomical, Anthropological and Ethnomedical Considerations on the Insular Presentation of this Congenital Anomaly

Abstract

In this article a case of spina bifida sacralis occulta (SBSO) from the Pozzanghera necropolis of the ancient Greek colony of Leontinoi (Sicily) and archaeologically dated to the 6th–4th century BC is morphologically analysed and discussed. An ethnomedical excursus on the knowledge and impact of this condition in Sicilian history is offered. Although SBO is one of the most frequent congenital anomalies in the global palaeopathological record, a comprehensive literature search did not yield results for the history of Sicily before Christ, hence this case enriches existing knowledge on the historical presentation of this vertebral congenital anomaly in this region.

The presence of Homo in Sicily: evidence, hypotheses and uncorroborated ideas. An archaeo-anthropological perspective

“…Sicily has long been the subject of anthropological research due to its long history and frequent population movements occuring throughout its territory both in prehistoric and historic times (Baker 2000). Besides classical ethnological and anthropological studies, bioarchaeological research and palaeopathological studies have been growing in recent years (Varotto et al 2021;Fiorentino et al 2022;Melintenda et al 2023). The present study, focusing on the early arrival of humankind to the island, aims to highlight the phases and methods of the peopling of Sicily in prehistoric times by offering an examination of the most updated scientific literature and comparing it to the relevant theories proposed in the 20 th century.…”