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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Med.
Sec. Pathology
Volume 11 - 2024 |
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1492328
This article is part of the Research Topic Paleoradiology and Mummy Studies for Disease Identification View all 3 articles
Integrated multidisciplinary analysis of mobile digital radiographic acquisitions of the mummies of the Hermits from the Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy -17 th to 19 th Century CE)
Provisionally accepted
Omar Larentis
1,2,3*
Ilaria Gorini
1*
Michele Campus
4*
Marta Lorenzetti
5*
Giancarlo Mansueto
6*
Susanna Bortolotto
7*
Emanuele Zappa
7*
Andrea Gregorini
7*
Laura Rampazzi
8*
Stefano Vanin
9*
Giuseppina Carta
9*
Alberto Carli
10*
Lara Simonaitis
1*
Lisa De Luca
1*
Enrica Tonina
1*- 1 Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences Department (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
- 2 Bagolini Archaeology, Archaeometry, Photography Laboratory, Department of Literature and Philosophy, University of Trento, Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy
- 3 Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Provinces of Como, Lecco, Monza-Brianza, Sondrio and Varese, Ministry of Culture (Italy), Milan, Lombardy, Italy
- 4 Fujifilm Italia, Milan, Italy
- 5 Studio di conservazione tessile Lorenzetti, Verona, Italy
- 6 Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
- 7 Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
- 8 Department of Human Sciences and Innovation for the Territory, University of Insubria, Como, Italy
- 9 Earth, Environment and Life Sciences Department (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- 10 SUSeF - Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
Paleoradiology has become a standard diagnostic method in the study of mummified or embalmed bodies. Among the various available techniques, computed tomography valuing for its ability to provide detailed information. However, computed tomography equipment is not always accessible to research teams, cannot be easily transported to all conservation sites, and raises health concerns.Therefore, mobile digital radiographic technology is often the most suitable investigative tool in specific contexts. In this study, three mummies preserved at the Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona, perched on a cliff above the Adige River Valley on the Monte Baldo at an elevation of 775 m a.s.l., were analyzed using radiographic techniques. The impossibility of transferring the bodies due to the sanctuary's remote location imposed the use of lightweight, portable equipment for the radiological examination. This article highlights next-generation X-ray technology utility, potential, and limitations in investigating clothing fabrics, restoration history, taphonomy, entomology, anthropology, and paleopathology. The interdisciplinary approach in this study has unveiled new historical and biological insights about these mummies, which, though revered in popular devotion, had previously been unknown to both Italian and international scientific communities.
Keywords: X-ray analyses, Anthropology, Paleopathology, Entomology, restoration, conservation, Taphonomy, Ethics
Received: 06 Sep 2024; Accepted: 05 Nov 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 Larentis, Gorini, Campus, Lorenzetti, Mansueto, Bortolotto, Zappa, Gregorini, Rampazzi, Vanin, Carta, Carli, Simonaitis, De Luca and Tonina. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Omar Larentis, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences Department (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, 21100, Italy
Ilaria Gorini, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences Department (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, 21100, Italy
Michele Campus, Fujifilm Italia, Milan, Italy
Marta Lorenzetti, Studio di conservazione tessile Lorenzetti, Verona, Italy
Giancarlo Mansueto, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, 37134, Veneto, Italy
Susanna Bortolotto, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Emanuele Zappa, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Andrea Gregorini, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Laura Rampazzi, Department of Human Sciences and Innovation for the Territory, University of Insubria, Como, 22100, Italy
Stefano Vanin, Earth, Environment and Life Sciences Department (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Giuseppina Carta, Earth, Environment and Life Sciences Department (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
Alberto Carli, SUSeF - Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
Lara Simonaitis, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences Department (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, 21100, Italy
Lisa De Luca, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences Department (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, 21100, Italy
Enrica Tonina, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences Department (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, 21100, Italy
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