Phd in ENVIRONMENTAL AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

Thesis title: Biography of an Age. Bioarchaeological and multi proxy studies of Italian Copper Age groups

This work aimed at reconstructing the everyday life of Italian Copper Age (4th and 3rd mill. BCE) human groups from Central and Southern Italy. The archaeological data suggest a relationship between mobility and exploitation of the environment, both at a cultural and economic scale. The application of multi-isotope analyses (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr) on human and animal remains allowed to discuss the dietary practices and the environment exploitation strategies of these communities. The results indicate an extensive use of the area surrounding the funerary place, with a short-range mobility, possibly associated with specific activities (i.e. pastoralism and raw materials acquisition). This framework suggests a close relation between the use of the landscape and the funerary practices. This exploratory study also made it possible to identify life histories, with particular reference to childhood, while demonstrating the advantage of multidisciplinary approaches in reconstructing everyday life of past populations.