Papers by Franceska Știrbu
Materiale si Cercetari Arheologice, 2024
Following the preventive archaeological research carried out in 2020–2021 in the town of Buftea, ... more Following the preventive archaeological research carried out in 2020–2021 in the town of Buftea, the site Buftea – La Cârna/Mănești (Ilfov County) brought back into the attention of the scientific community a large mediaeval cemetery, previously discovered and studied by Aristide Ștefănescu between 1972–1982. On this occasion, 1053 burial complexes were recovered, grouped chronologically into two funerary horizons: one from the 14th-15th centuries and a second one from the 16th–17th centuries, the latter comprising graves surrounding a brick church. The current research focuses on the anthropological analysis of a sample of graves belonging to the first burial horizon, namely that of the 14th–15th centuries. Regarding the sampling of skeletal material, only burial complexes datable through associated coins were selected for analysis. Thus, we are dealing with 12 individual graves and five double graves. First and foremost, the research focused on determining the demographic profile of this skeletal sample, establishing the minimum number of individuals, determining the anthropological sex, and estimating the age‑at‑death of the individuals. In order to reconstruct the biological profile of the population, cranial and postcranial measurements were performed; based on the latter, the skeletal stature and weight of the individuals could be calculated. The lifestyle of the analysed individuals was also highlighted by recording pathological changes, traumatic injuries, and skeletal and dental anomalies.
Revista de Arheologie, Antropologie și Studii Interdisciplinare, 2023
Between 2020 and 2021, the Institute of Archaeology “Vasile Pârvan” from Bucharest excavated a la... more Between 2020 and 2021, the Institute of Archaeology “Vasile Pârvan” from Bucharest excavated a large Mediaeval cemetery, as part of a preventive archaeological research, around the town of Buftea La Cârna/Mănești (Ilfov County, Romania), with more than 1000 graves, dated, so far, based on the analysed grave goods, between the 14th and the 17th centuries. The main focus of the research were the Mediaeval church and cemetery. This study presents results regarding less common funerary contexts, to which we have referred to, at least for this stage of the research, as double burials. This term defines funerary contexts in which two deceased individuals are simultaneously buried in the same grave. To date, 10 such situations have been identified. In terms of sex and age distribution, there were 16 subadults (one infant, eight children, and seven adolescents, of whom four were probably male and one was probably female) and five adults (four young adults and one old adult, of whom one was probably male, one male, two females, and one was indeterminate). The increased mortality among subadults has been particularly highlighted by three non-specific indicators of physiological stress: dental enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, and osteoperiostitis. All of these manifestations are linked to numerous aetiological factors, both hereditary and acquired, which are not yet fully understood. The absence of unhealed traumas, which suggests the possible existence of wars or massacres during this period, and the presence of a large number of infectious changes due to micronutrient deficiencies, led us to believe that the Early Mediaeval population of Buftea was affected either by epidemics (caused by bacteria and viruses) or famine, both of which are catastrophic factors likely to affect, first, the most vulnerable members of the population (the very young and the very old). The recording of the pathological manifestations observed in the analysed sample provides significant information regarding the socio-economic conditions and the way of life specific to the population of Wallachia in the Middle Ages.
Studii și Cercetări de Istorie Veche și Arheologie, 2023
Recent preventive archaeological excavations carried out in the courtyard of a local school in th... more Recent preventive archaeological excavations carried out in the courtyard of a local school in the village of Nufăru have led to the documentation of a Middle Byzantine inhumation cemetery comprising 191 funerary complexes. Among the individual burials, which are exclusive within the cemetery, our attention was drawn to a multiple burial containing the skeletal remains of three individuals: two adult females (a young adult ‑ approximately 34.6 years old, and a middle adult – approximately 43.3 years old) framing the skeleton of a subadult. The skeletal remains of the subadult belong to a child of approximately 10.0 years old. Beyond the issues raised by this less common practice in the Dobrudja funerary archaeology landscape regarding burial rituals, determining the cause of death for these three individuals becomes essential for the anthropologist. In the case of the middle adult, death most likely occurred due to a blow inflicted with a sharp object, such as a sword, in the cervical region. However, the situation is not as clear regarding the other two deceased individuals. Several atypical pathognomonic manifestations (hypervascularization and resorptive lesions on the bodies of all vertebrae, except for the cervical ones) observed in the child’s skeleton seem to indicate an infection with one of the species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. These macroscopically observed changes need to be confirmed by genetic analyses. As for the cause of death of the young adult, it remains a mystery despite numerous osteological (cribra orbitalia, osteoarthritis, spinal disc herniation, periostitis, vertebral compression fracture, osteomas, osteochondritis dissecans) and dental (caries, dental calculus, dental enamel hypoplasia, ante‑mortem tooth loss, congenital absences) pathological changes noted. Other pathological manifestations identified in the case of the middle adult include: cribra orbitalia, caries, dental calculus, dental abscesses, ante‑mortem tooth loss, congenital absences, osteoarthritis, spinal disc herniation, periostitis, Colles’ fracture, and osteochondritis dissecans. In the case of the child, cribra orbitalia, caries, dental calculus, and periostitis were also observed.
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Papers by Franceska Știrbu