Archaeothanatology and palaeopathology of the burials and "scattered human remains" from Arma dell'Aquila (Finale Ligure, Savona)

This chapter reviews the available anthropological and archaeothanatological information on the Neolithic skeletal series from Arma dell’Aquila, and adds data deriving from the study of the scattered human remains (“resti sparsi umani”) that were retrieved during the 1938 and 1942 excavations by C. Richard and V. Chiappella, but were never studied until now. The osteological information and the original notes accompanying the material (indicating the exact date of the finding) were catalogued and cross-referenced with the excavation diaries. This allowed for the recovery of some information on the spatial and stratigraphic depositional context of the human remains, and led to a more complete description of funerary behaviours at the site. The anthropological analysis focused on the palaeopathological evidence, in order to provide insights on the health status of this Neolithic group.