The Western (Buonfornello) necropolis (7th to 5th BC) of the Greek colony of Himera (Sicily, Italy): Site‐specific discriminant functions for sex determination in the common burials resulting from the battle of Himera (ca. 480 BC)

Lonoce, Norma; Palma, Monica; Viva, Serena; Valentino, Matteo; Vassallo, Stefano; Fabbri, Pier Francesco

doi:10.1002/oa.2702

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 51 publications

(55 reference statements)

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“…Of the 133 individuals, these were observed in 20 whereas skull‐based sex determination (Ferembach, Schwidetzky, & Stloukal, ) was possible on a further 10 more individuals. As to the remaining 60, sex was determined using site‐specific discriminant functions (Lonoce et al, ); the 43 remaining individuals were unsexed due to poor state of conservation (Table S1). As to age determination, the most appropriate methods—taking into account the state of preservation—are the morphology of the auricular surface of the ilium (Lovejoy, Meindl, Pryzbeck, & Mensforth, ), the apposition of secondary dentine to the canine (Cameriere, Cunha, Sassaroli, Nuzzolese, & Ferrante, ), and the degree of fusion of the long bone epiphyses (Ferembach et al, ).…”

Section: Materials Reference Sample and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In FC1–7, sex determination was ascertained in 20 individuals using pelvic morphology, in 24 individuals using site‐specific discriminant functions (Lonoce et al, ), and in 6 individuals using skull features. Thirty‐six individuals from FC8 + 9 were sexed using the same discriminant functions and four using cranial features (Table ).…”

Section: The Mass Burial Skeletal Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

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The mass burials from the western necropolis of the Greek colony of Himera (Sicily) related to the battles of 480 and 409 BCE

Viva

Lonoce

Vincenti

et al. 2020

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Throughout the ancient Greek, world mass burials are rare. Of the 10,000 excavated burials in the western necropolis of the Greek colony of Himera (649–409), only 16 contained more than one individual; seven of these can in all possibility be traced back to the two battles fought by Himera against the Carthaginians in 480 and 409 BCE. Written sources (Diod. 11.20ff.) state that the Himerans, accompanied by numerous Greek allies, defeated the Carthaginian forces in the first conflict whereas the loss of Greek allied support in the second battle resulted in the city's defeat and subsequent destruction. The anthropological and taphonomical studies of the human remains aim at testing the archaeological hypothesis that individuals interred in the seven mass graves can be related to the two battles. Skeleton density (skeletons per square metre), position, orientation, and conservation levels of the individuals in the mass burials were analysed and compared with a larger sample of 1,000 single burials from the same necropolis along with mass graves in other forensic and archaeological contexts. Sex, age at death, presence of skeletal stress indicators, and perimortal traumas were recorded using standard anthropological methods. In the case of poorly preserved remains, sex was estimated using site‐specific discriminant functions. Although representing catastrophic samples, the results from the seven mass burials all lead to the assumption that the graves can be associated with the interment of warriors fallen in battle. Moreover, burial differences have permitted to distinguish the mass burials dating to 480 BCE from those attributed to 409 BCE.

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Section: Materials Reference Sample and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Mass Burial Skeletal Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

The mass burials from the western necropolis of the Greek colony of Himera (Sicily) related to the battles of 480 and 409 BCE

Viva

Lonoce

Vincenti

et al. 2020

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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“…Seven graves date to 480 BCE (FC, fossa comune , 1–7) and one to 409 BCE (FC 8+9, originally numbered as separate mass graves but now thought to represent a single mass grave [ 25 ]) based on associated pottery and stratigraphy [ 22 ]. Their location on the documented battlefield site, stratigraphic position, dates, adult age, osteological male sex identification [ 26 ], and presence of weapons and violent trauma on several of the skeletons suggest they were soldiers [ 22 , 24 , 25 , 27 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isotopic evidence for geographic heterogeneity in Ancient Greek military forces

et al. 2021

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Increased mobility and human interactions in the Mediterranean region during the eighth through fifth centuries BCE resulted in heterogeneous communities held together by political and cultural affiliations, periodically engaged in military conflict. Ancient historians write of alliances that aided the Greek Sicilian colony Himera in victory against a Carthaginian army of hired foreign mercenaries in 480 BCE, and the demise of Himera when it fought Carthage again in 409 BCE, this time unaided. Archaeological human remains from the Battles of Himera provide unique opportunities to test early written history by geochemically assessing the geographic origins of ancient Greek fighting forces. We report strontium and oxygen isotope ratios of tooth enamel from 62 Greek soldiers to evaluate the historically-based hypothesis that a coalition of Greek allies saved Himera in 480 BCE, but not in 409 BCE. Among the burials of 480 BCE, approximately two-thirds of the individuals are non-local, whereas among the burials of 409 BCE, only one-quarter are non-local, in support of historical accounts. Although historical accounts specifically mention Sicilian Greek allies aiding Himera, isotopic values of many of the 480 BCE non-locals are consistent with geographic regions beyond Sicily, suggesting Greek tyrants hired foreign mercenaries from more distant places. We describe how the presence of mercenary soldiers confronts prevailing interpretations of traditional Greek values and society. Greek fighting forces reflect the interconnectedness and heterogeneity of communities of the time, rather than culturally similar groups of neighbors fighting for a common cause, unified by “Greekness,” as promoted in ancient texts.

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“…The reliable sexing method has a bearing on generation of the preliminary biological profile and sorting of commingled human remains (Smith & Boaks, 2014; Willey, Galloway, & Snyder, 1997). The diaphysis is more likely to survive in about 85% to >90% of the extant skeletal material than epiphyseal ends due to differences in the histological type and mineral density (Adams & Konigsberg, 2004; Lonoce et al, 2018; Nagaoka & Hirata, 2009; Safont, Malgosa, & Subirà, 2000; Willey et al, 1997). The morphological and structural characteristics of femora are important for the weight‐bearing function during locomotion and play a significant role in sexual dimorphism (Burr, 2002; Davies & Stock, 2014; Doershuk et al, 2019; Wescott, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sample specific sex estimation method using parameters around dominant nutrient foramina in unknown femur bones collection of contemporary Egyptians

Attia

El-Dine

Attia

et al. 2020

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Because there is no widely accepted sexing method of fragmented femoral diaphyses, we argue that the diaphyseal diameters and circumference around nutrient foramina (NF) have comparable sex discrimination capacity to their mid-shaft counterparts. Construction of reliable reference sample (n = 61, 29 males and 32 females) using the undocumented Alexandria University Osteological Collection was contingent upon consistent sex estimation of the epiphyses using population and sample specific methods. Statistically significant size differences were found between the males and females diaphyseal measurements around NF. Low intraobserver measurements error and high sexual dimorphism indices were observed in the new measurements at NF level. The logistic regression analysis revealed that combinations of anteroposterior diameter and circumference at both levels were the optimal models for sex classification. Testing in the holdout sample showed complete agreement in the results between both models. The best model at the level of NF achieved consistent total sex allocation of 81.1% with high probability >0.80 of correct estimates in approximately 60% of the reference sample. A great applicability pertinent to sex estimation of a tubular fragment of femur bearing a single NF using the diaphyseal measurements around it because the maximal length is not required to determine the location of the mid-shaft measurements.

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The Western (Buonfornello) necropolis (7th to 5th BC) of the Greek colony of Himera (Sicily, Italy): Site‐specific discriminant functions for sex determination in the common burials resulting from the battle of Himera (ca. 480 BC)

Cited by 9 publications

References 51 publications

The mass burials from the western necropolis of the Greek colony of Himera (Sicily) related to the battles of 480 and 409 BCE

The mass burials from the western necropolis of the Greek colony of Himera (Sicily) related to the battles of 480 and 409 BCE

Isotopic evidence for geographic heterogeneity in Ancient Greek military forces

Sample specific sex estimation method using parameters around dominant nutrient foramina in unknown femur bones collection of contemporary Egyptians

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