DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17525396
title: Bioarchaeological dataset: environment and humans in the Ancient Latium

description: This article presents two complementary bioarchaeological datasets documenting human skeletal and archaeobotanical evidence from central Latium (Italy), spanning the Roman Imperial to Late Antique periods. The datasets were designed to ensure the systematic recording, standardisation, and long-term digital preservation of information relating to funerary, biological, and environmental contexts, including the presence of faunal remains, which have also been registered within the anthropological dataset.

The present research originates within Spoke 8, “Sustainability and Resilience of Tangible Cultural Heritage,” of the extended partnership CHANGES (Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Next-Gen Sustainable Society), a national initiative aimed at developing innovative and interdisciplinary approaches for the sustainable management of cultural heritage in Italy. Within this framework, the present study contributes to the broader objective of integrating advanced technologies, scientific methodologies, and participatory governance models to strengthen the knowledge, conservation, and resilience of Tangible Cultural Heritage (TCH). This research builds upon three fundamental pillars established within Spoke 8. The first concerns the systematic documentation and assessment of TCH through the integration of heterogeneous data sources, archaeological, historical, cartographic, and visual, within georeferenced digital environments. The second focuses on the development of shared infrastructures and methodological standards to ensure data interoperability, reproducibility, and long-term preservation, thereby enabling cross-disciplinary analyses and comparisons. The third pillar promotes sustainable and inclusive models of heritage management, in which technological innovation supports both conservation and community engagement.

The anthropological dataset presented here, named IULIA, integrates data from three necropolises, Lucus Feroniae, Isola Sacra, and Selvicciola, derived from archival documentation, published literature, and recent research conducted in the Laboratory of Paleoaanthropology and Bioarchaeology of the Sapienza University of Rome (PanBa Lab, Department of Environmental Biology) on skeletal collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology “Giuseppe Sergi”. Each individual is associated with a unique alphanumeric identifier (ID_INDIVIDUAL) linking osteobiographical, palaeopathological, and biomolecular data with related graphic materials and bibliographic references. The dataset provides standardised metadata in tabular format (.xlsx), enabling integration with other bioarchaeological databases and facilitating spatial, statistical, and comparative analyses.

The archaeobotanical dataset compiles and harmonises all published plant macro-remains from Lucus Feroniae, complemented by newly documented charred wood samples from the same archaeological context. Structured as a relational database (QGIS and PostgreSQL/PostGIS), the dataset follows the ARBOREA data model. It employs controlled vocabularies for taxonomy, chronology, and archaeological context, thereby ensuring interoperability and traceability.

Within this framework, the present study advances the methodological foundations of Spoke 8 by applying them to specific case studies. It demonstrates how integrated digital archives and contextual reconstructions can enhance the understanding, protection, and dissemination of Tangible Cultural Heritage from a dynamic and sustainable perspective.

Both datasets include georeferenced information and detailed metadata, allowing users to cross-reference biological, cultural, and environmental variables. Together, they represent a comprehensive digital resource for exploring mobility, health, and lifeways in ancient Latium. Designed as dynamic and reusable tools, these datasets will be periodically updated as new analyses and research outcomes become available, thereby supporting transparency, data preservation, and future interdisciplinary work in bioarchaeology.