In the 1980s, the mummified head of an infant was discovered in Celano, a town in central Italy, in the Abruzzo region. To establish its archaeological, rather than judicial, nature, multiple macroscopic, microscopic, and radiographic analyses were performed on the specimen. The results revealed intriguing data. The head, in an exceptional state of preservation, likely belonged to a male child approximately one year old. Furthermore, it exhibits clear paleopathological lesions compatible with probable blunt trauma. The artifact is housed at the University Museum of Chieti in a glass display case that adheres to ethical and scientific standards for such exhibitions. The findings from this preliminary study provide a basis for future, more detailed investigations.
The mummified head of the child of Celano
Cilli, Jacopo;Di Felice, Arianna;D'Anastasio, Ruggero
2025-01-01
Abstract
In the 1980s, the mummified head of an infant was discovered in Celano, a town in central Italy, in the Abruzzo region. To establish its archaeological, rather than judicial, nature, multiple macroscopic, microscopic, and radiographic analyses were performed on the specimen. The results revealed intriguing data. The head, in an exceptional state of preservation, likely belonged to a male child approximately one year old. Furthermore, it exhibits clear paleopathological lesions compatible with probable blunt trauma. The artifact is housed at the University Museum of Chieti in a glass display case that adheres to ethical and scientific standards for such exhibitions. The findings from this preliminary study provide a basis for future, more detailed investigations.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
