Contained in:
Book Chapter

Studio multidisciplinare dei resti mortali mummificati di sant’Atto da Pistoia († 1153)

  • Agata Lunardini
  • Valentina Giuffra
  • Antonio Fornaciari
  • Raffaele Gaeta
  • Giulia Riccomi
  • Gino Fornaciari
  • Simona Minozzi

In December 2019 the canonical recognition and the multidisciplinary study of the human remains of sant’Atto da Pistoia († 1153) took place in the cathedral of San Zeno in Pistoia. The investigation, which continued in the following months, included the anthropological and paleopathological examination, the radiological study through conventional X-ray and Computed Tomography, histological and immunohistochemistry analyses, radiometric dating and isotopical study for the reconstruction of the nutritional model and of the place of provenance. The results of the study showed that sant’Atto was a naturally mummified ancient human body. The state of preservation is good, even if evidences of restorations appeared in some areas of the body. Reconstruction of the biological profile of Atto outlines a male individual aged over 50 years, with a stature of about 168-170 cm. Paleopathological investigation indicated that the saint was suffering from caries, pulmonary anthracosis and osteoarthritis. The histological analysis showed a very good state of preservation of biological tissues. Radiocarbon dating places the saint's death between the tenth and eleventh centuries. The nutritional profile indicates a diet based on terrestrial and marine proteins, compatible with the status of abbot and bishop. Isotopical study suggests a compatibility of provenance of the saint with some Italian geographical areas, including the Alpine area, Tuscany, Lazio or Calabria.

  • Keywords:
  • Middle Ages – Tuscany – saint bodies - paleopathology- paleodiet- radiocarbon dating,
+ Show More

Agata Lunardini

University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0001-5491-1617

Valentina Giuffra

University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0001-9108-039X

Antonio Fornaciari

University of Sassari, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-4063-3166

Raffaele Gaeta

University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0001-5220-5997

Giulia Riccomi

University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-3048-0493

Gino Fornaciari

University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-1334-1707

Simona Minozzi

University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0003-3303-0014

  1. Acidini Luchinat C., La cattedrale di San Zeno a Pistoia, Silvana, Milano 2003.
  2. Aufderheide A.C., The scientific study of mummies, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2003.
  3. Beltrami C.A., Beato Odorico da Pordenone, in Atti della ricognizione scientifica del corpo del Beato Odorico da Pordenone, «Il Santo. Rivista Francescana di Storia, dottrina, arte», 44/ 2-3, 2004, pp. 523-527.
  4. Bentley R.A., Strontium isotopes from the earth to the archaeological skeleton: a review, «Journal of Archaeological Method Theory», 13, 2006, pp. 135-187.
  5. Bowman S., Radiocarbon Dating, British Museum Press, London 1995.
  6. Britton K., Isotope Analysis for Mobility and Climate Studies, in M.P. Richards e K. Britton (a cura di), Archaeological science. An introduction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2020, pp. 99-125.
  7. Britton K., Isotope Analysis for Mobility and Climate Studies, in M.P. Richards e K. Britton (a cura di), Archaeological science. An introduction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2020, pp. 99-125.
  8. Budda P., Montgomery J., Barreiro B. e Thomas R.G., Differential diagenesis of strontium in archaeological human dental tissues, «Applied Geochemistry», 15/5, 2000, pp. 687-694.
  9. Casey M.M. e Post D.M., The problem of isotopic baseline: reconstructing the diet and trophic position of fossil animals, «Earth-Science Reviews», 106, 2011, pp. 131-148.
  10. Cockburn A., Cockburn E. e Reyman T.A., Mummies, Disease and Ancient Cultures Second Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1998.
  11. Coelho I., Castanheira I., Bordado J.M., Donard O. e Silva J.A.L., Recent developments and trends in the application of strontium and its isotopes in biological related fields, «Trends in Analytical Chemistry», 90, 2017, pp. 45-61.
  12. Coelho I., Castanheira I., Moura Bordado J., Donard O., Silva J. A. L., Recent developments and trends in the application of strontium and its isotopes in biological related fields, «Trends in Analytical Chemistry», 90, 2017, pp. 45-61.
  13. Collini F., Andreola S.A., Gentile G., Marchesi M., Muccino E., Zoja R., Preservation of histological structure of cells in human skin presenting mummification and corification processes by Sandison’s rehydrating solution, «Forensic Science International», 244, 2014, pp. 207-212.
  14. Czermak A., Fernández-Crespo T., Ditchfield P-W. e Lee-Thorp J.A., A guide for an anatomically sensitive dentine microsampling and age-alignment approach for human teeth isotopic sequences, «American Journal of Physical Anthropology», 173, 2020, pp. 776-783.
  15. De Niro M. e Epstein S., Influence of diet on the distribution of nitrogen isotopes in animals, «Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta», 45, 1981, pp. 341-351.
  16. De Niro M.J., Postmortem preservation and alteration of in vivo bone collagen isotope rations in relation to palaeodietary reconstruction, «Nature», 317, 1985, pp. 806-809.
  17. Degli Innocenti A., Attone di Pistoia, in E. Guerriero e D. Tuniz (a cura di), Il grande libro dei Santi, dizionario enciclopedico, Edizioni San Paolo s.r.l., Cinisello Balsamo 1998, pp. 224-226.
  18. Emery M.V., Stark R.J., Murchie T.J., Elford S., Schwarcz H.P., Prowse T.L., Mapping the origins of Imperial Roman workers (1-4th century CE) at Vagnari, Southern Italy, using 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O variability, «American Journal of Physical Anthropology», 166, 2018, pp. 837-850.
  19. Ferrali S., Vita di S. Atto monaco vallombrosano e vescovo di Pistoia, Tipografia pistoiese, Pistoia 1953.
  20. Fornaciari G., Spremolla G., Vergamini P., Benedetti E., Analysis of pulmonary tissue from a natural mummy of the XIII century (Saint Zita, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy) by FT-IR microspectroscopy, «Paleopathology Newsletter», 68, 1989, pp. 5-8.
  21. Fulcheri E., Benedettucci M., Gabrielli N., Gualco M., Venturini M., Excessive care as a predisposing factor for disease. The case of Saint Ferdinando III King, of Castilla and Leon, in III Colloquio Europeo di Etnofarmacologia. I Conferenza Internazionale di Antropologia e Storia della salute e delle malattie, abstracts A. Guerci (a cura di), Genova 29 maggio-2 giugno 1996.
  22. Fulcheri E., Boano R., Analisi istologica per la valutazione dello stato di conservazione dei tessuti, in Atti della ricognizione scientifica del corpo del Beato Odorico da Pordenone, «Il Santo. Rivista Francescana di Storia, dottrina, arte», 44/ 2-3, 2004, pp. 501-506.
  23. Giannecchini M., J. Moggi-Cecchi, Stature in archeological samples from central Italy: methodological issues and diachronic changes, «American Journal of Physical Anthropology», 135/3, 2008, pp. 284-292.
  24. Hedges R.E.M. e Reynard L.M., Nitrogen isotopes and the trophic level of humans in archaeology, «Journal of Archaeological Science», 34, 2007, pp. 1240-1251.
  25. Humbert C., L’équitation et ses consequences sur le rachis lombaire du cavalier: à propos de 123 observations, «Sciences du Vivant», 2000, pp. 48-52.
  26. Koelzer V. H., Zlobec I., Berger M.D., Cathomas G., Dawson H., Dirschmid K., Hädrich M., Inderbitzin D., Offner F., Puppa G., Seelentag W., Schnüriger B., Tornillo L., Lugli A., Tumor budding in colorectal cancer revisited: results of a multicenter interobserver study, «Virchows Archiv», 466/5, 2015, pp. 485-493.
  27. Longin R., New method of collagen extraction for radiocarbon dating, «Nature», 230, 1971, pp. 241-242.
  28. Lu C., Dasgupta P., Cameron J., Fritschi L., Baade P., A systematic review and meta-analysis on international studies of prevalence, mortality and survival due to coal mine dust lung disease, «Plos One», 3, 16/8, 2021, pp. 1-29.
  29. Matoso A., Singh K., Jacob R., Greaves W.O., Tavares R., Noble L., Resnick M.B., Delellis R.A., Wang L.J., Comparison of thyroid transcription factor-1 expression by 2 monoclonal antibodies in pulmonary and nonpulmonary primary tumors, «Applied Immunohistochemistry Molecular Morphology», 18/2, 2010, pp. 142-149.
  30. Miles A.E.W., Dentition in the estimation of age, «Journal of Dental Research», 42, 1963, pp. 255-263.
  31. Palfi G., Traces des activités sur les squelettes des anciens Hongrois, «Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’anthropologie de Paris», 4/3-4, 1992, pp. 209-231.
  32. Reighard J. e Jennings H.S., Anatomy of the cat, Henry Holt and Company, New York 1901.
  33. Richards M.P., Isotope Analysis for Diet Studies, in M.P. Richards e K. Britton (a cura di), Archeological Science. An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2020, pp. 125-144.
  34. Šimonovičová A., Kraková L., Pangallo D., Majorošová M., Piecková E., Bodoriková S. e Dörnhoferová M., Fungi on mummified human remains and in the indoor air in the Kuffner family crypt in Sládkovičovo (Slovakia), «International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation», 99, 2015, pp. 157-164.
  35. Smith B.N. e Epstein S., Two categories of C/ C ratios for higher plants, «Plant Physiology», 47/3, 1971, pp. 380-384.
  36. Szleszkowski L., Kadej M., Thannhäuser A., Tarnawski D., Jurek T., Ecological aspects of unusual findings of animals nesting inside a mummified human corpse in natural conditions, «Forensic Science International», 289, 2018, pp. 390-396.
  37. Traversari M., Luiselli D., Tei F., Petrella E., Biselli A., Milani C., D’Altri G., Turla M., Ciocca S., Ventura L., Risultati preliminari delle indagini scientifiche sul corpo del Beato Antonio da Fano (m.1435), «Nuova Rivista di Storia della Medicina», 51/2, 2021, pp. 1-23.
PDF
  • Publication Year: 2024
  • Pages: 299-331
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
  • © 2024 Author(s)

XML
  • Publication Year: 2024
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
  • © 2024 Author(s)

Chapter Information

Chapter Title

Studio multidisciplinare dei resti mortali mummificati di sant’Atto da Pistoia († 1153)

Authors

Agata Lunardini, Valentina Giuffra, Antonio Fornaciari, Raffaele Gaeta, Giulia Riccomi, Gino Fornaciari, Simona Minozzi

Language

Italian

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0335-7.14

Peer Reviewed

Publication Year

2024

Copyright Information

© 2024 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Bibliographic Information

Book Title

Atto abate vallombrosano e vescovo di Pistoia

Book Subtitle

Bilancio storiografico e prospettive di ricerca sulla vita e l’opera di un protagonista del XII secolo

Editors

Francesco Salvestrini

Peer Reviewed

Number of Pages

378

Publication Year

2024

Copyright Information

© 2024 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Publisher Name

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0335-7

ISBN Print

979-12-215-0334-0

eISBN (pdf)

979-12-215-0335-7

eISBN (epub)

979-12-215-0336-4

Series Title

Fragmentaria. Studi di storia culturale e antropologia religiosa

Series ISSN

2975-1217

Series E-ISSN

2975-1225

58

Fulltext
downloads

81

Views

Export Citation

1,361

Open Access Books

in the Catalogue

2,368

Book Chapters

3,870,371

Fulltext
downloads

4,536

Authors

from 942 Research Institutions

of 66 Nations

67

scientific boards

from 357 Research Institutions

of 43 Nations

1,249

Referees

from 381 Research Institutions

of 38 Nations