TY - JOUR

T1 - Biomolecular study of the human remains from tomb 5859 in the Etruscan necropolis of Monterozzi, Tarquinia (Viterbo, Italy)

AU - Cappellini, Enrico

AU - Chiarelli, Brunetto

AU - Sineo, Luca

AU - Casoli, Antonella

AU - Di Gioia, Antonella

AU - Vernesi, Cristiano

AU - Biella, Maria Cristina

AU - Caramelli, David

PY - 2004/5

Y1 - 2004/5

N2 - Archaeological excavation in an Etruscan room tomb, from the Monterozzi necropolis in Tarquinia led to the recovery of four individuals. It was hypothesized that they could be members of a single family group. As both archaeological data and classical anthropological analysis provided little information in this direction, ancient DNA (aDNA) was extracted from bone and tooth fragments of the individuals. For each subject HVR-I of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was cloned and sequenced. To identify the sex of the individuals, amelogenine and SRY genes were analysed. Short tandem repeat (STR) characterization was also performed. DNA studies were preceded by the evaluation of amino acids racemization extent and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), to evaluate, respectively, degradation and quantity of organic matter preserved in the samples. Results show that two subjects are males, whereas two are females. Furthermore, three of them share the same mtDNA sequence, and, as such, they could be related by maternal lineage. This evidence supports the hypothesis that the occupants of the tomb can be considered members of a family group composing two parents and their son and daughter. Molecular study supplies new data to better define the reconstruction previously proposed, based only on a morphological and archaeological approach. Multidisciplinary investigation also allows comparison of the different methods and integration of their contributions.

AB - Archaeological excavation in an Etruscan room tomb, from the Monterozzi necropolis in Tarquinia led to the recovery of four individuals. It was hypothesized that they could be members of a single family group. As both archaeological data and classical anthropological analysis provided little information in this direction, ancient DNA (aDNA) was extracted from bone and tooth fragments of the individuals. For each subject HVR-I of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was cloned and sequenced. To identify the sex of the individuals, amelogenine and SRY genes were analysed. Short tandem repeat (STR) characterization was also performed. DNA studies were preceded by the evaluation of amino acids racemization extent and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), to evaluate, respectively, degradation and quantity of organic matter preserved in the samples. Results show that two subjects are males, whereas two are females. Furthermore, three of them share the same mtDNA sequence, and, as such, they could be related by maternal lineage. This evidence supports the hypothesis that the occupants of the tomb can be considered members of a family group composing two parents and their son and daughter. Molecular study supplies new data to better define the reconstruction previously proposed, based only on a morphological and archaeological approach. Multidisciplinary investigation also allows comparison of the different methods and integration of their contributions.

KW - Etruscans

KW - Ancient DNA

KW - Sex identification

KW - Amino acid racemization

KW - TGA

KW - mtDNA

KW - Amelogenine

M3 - Tidsskriftartikel

VL - 31

SP - 603

EP - 612

JO - Journal of Archaeological Science

JF - Journal of Archaeological Science

SN - 0305-4403

IS - 5

ER -