Digging at the museum: Unveiling the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic individuals of Lapa da Bugalheira (Torres Novas) through bioarchaeology

Helena Maximiano Gomes; Filipa Rodrigues; Ana Maria Silva

doi:10.4312/dp.52.18

Authors

Helena Maximiano Gomes University of Coimbra, Portugal
Filipa Rodrigues University of Lisbon, Portugal
Ana Maria Silva University of Coimbra, Portugal; University of Lisbon, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/dp.52.18

Keywords:

collective burial, natural cave, museum collection, hypodontia, bioarchaeology

Abstract

Lapa da Bugalheira is a natural cave with a funerary context dated to the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic period. This cave was excavated in the 1940s, and in 2019. The aim of this work is the osteological study of the human remains recovered from both interventions that correspond to the same funerary context. This assemblage of human bones corresponds to a minimum of 35 individuals, 24 adults and 11 non-adults. The prevalence of pathological conditions is low, and they include oral, traumatic, infectious, degenerative and congenital ones. This research confirms that the re-examination and study of old collections are an essential contribution to our knowledge of past populations.

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