The Study of the Skeletal Remains of the 16th Century Italian Commander Alessandro Farnese and His Wife, Maria D'Aviz

Abstract

Entheseal changes are indicators of persistent and long-term changes induced by occupational activity and refer to marks on the skeleton where a muscle, tendon, or ligament inserts into the periosteum. Their study makes it possible to deduce further information about the person to whom the human bone remains belong. The authors present here the analysis of these markers on the bone remains of two Italian historical figures who lived in the 16th century. In 2021, the exhumation of the remains of Alessandro Farnese and Maria D'Aviz was authorized for study purposes and the skeletal remains were examined. The data collected from the examination of the mortal remains of Alessandro Farnese are compatible with historical data about his biography. As a skilled leader and assiduous sportsman, he showed signs of entheseal changes in his bone tissue attributable to physical activities. On the other hand, the case of Maria D'Aviz differs significantly from that of Alessandro Farnese in that her bone segments show no signs of entheseal changes. The analysis carried out on the remains results to be very useful in verifying the comparison with the elements present in their biography. The possibility of confirming the connection between entheseal changes and lifestyle habits is fundamental to increasing credibility in the application of these elements in the process of identifying nameless bodies in the forensic context.