Complessità e limiti della diagnosi paleopatologica in particolari contesti: l’esempio della necropoli di Aswan

The joint mission of the University of Milan and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (EIMAWA) operates in the necropolis (6th century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D.) located near the mausoleum of the Aga Khan, in Aswan. The necropolis shows signs of depredation and many graves had already been opened by ancient robbers. As a consequence, the materials inside the tombs may have been damaged and may not be in their original position. One of the main aspects of the archaeological mission in Aswan consists of fieldwork, as the excavation activities and the study of the materials take place in Egypt. Given the complexity of the context, archaeological investigation is supported by several disciplines, as interdisciplinarity can help resolve the limitations of such a unique situation. The aim of the presentation is to illustrate the difficulties in palaeopathological analyses in particular contexts such as Aswan. Bioarchaeological analyses are particularly complex due to the peculiar conditions of the context. Anthropological investigations were conducted in situ, where macroscopic analyses were carried out on skeletonized remains, which allowed biological profiles to be constructed. The picture that emerged from the anthropological analysis revealed the presence of pathologies of different nature, such as metabolic disorder, infectious diseases (the possible presence of tuberculosis was detected on some thoracic vertebrae) and traumatic injuries. A high percentage of physiological stress marks were found on subadults, particularly cribriotic lesions. Many remains were partially mummified or still covered by bandages complicating palaeopathological analyses and requiring radiological imaging, which is difficult to carry out given the logistical complications of the site. This study shows the potential of this site and look for solutions to overcome the limitations of the context to carry out a palaeopathological study at the population level.