Browsing by Author "Gaspar, Rosa Ramos"
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- The non-adult burials of cabeço da amoreira, muge (Portugal): recent discoveries and new insights into mesolithic funerary practicesPublication . Coutinho-Nogueira, Dany; Godinho, Ricardo Miguel; Gaspar, Rosa Ramos; Andre, Lino; Bicho, Nuno; Cascalheira, João; Gonçalves, Célia; Umbelino, CláudiaCabeço da Amoreira, a key Mesolithic shell mound in the Muge region (central Portugal) provides critical insights into the funerary and socio-cultural practices of Western Europe’s last hunter-gatherer-fisher populations. Recent systematic excavations have provided new data into biological diversity and funerary practices, particularly in relation to non-adult individuals. This study focuses on three non-adult burials uncovered since 2019. By employing state-of-the-art imaging techniques, we digitally recorded, virtually excavated, and analysed the biological profiles of these individuals. Our results demonstrate a notable variability in funerary practices, including differences in burial orientation, the presence or absence of artefacts, and even the construction of a purposeful burial feature for one individual. These discoveries contribute significantly to the growing body of research on Mesolithic funerary traditions, illustrating the complexity of social and ritual behaviours in southwestern Iberia’s last hunter-gatherer-fisher societies and opening new avenues for comparative research on childhood and burial practices in prehistory.
- Underneath the surface: examining “hidden lesions” with paleoimaging at Moita do Sebastião, Mesolithic Muge, PortugalPublication . Nogueira, Dany Coutinho; Gaspar, Rosa Ramos; Carreiro, Inês; Godinho, Ricardo Miguel; Umbelino, CláudiaDiscovered 160 years ago, the Muge archaeological sites in Portugal yield the most significant documentation of human skeletons from the Mesolithic period in Western Europe (8200-7100 cal B.P.). However, sediment weight has caused significant postmortem alterations that have limited previous studies. Paleoimaging techniques were applied to overcome these limitations and provide previously inaccessible information. Thirteen crania from Moita do Sebasti & atilde;o (one of the Muge shell middens) were CT scanned for virtual reconstruction and morphological analysis. Meticulous examination of 2D and 3D images revealed bone changes not visible to the naked eye and unrelated to postmortem alterations. A comprehensive differential diagnosis was carried out identifying various pathological conditions including epidermoid or dermoid cysts, intraosseous hemangioma, and a possible case of anemia. These "hidden pathologies" offer new insights into the health status of one of Europe's last hunter-gatherer populations.