Crisi nelle popolazioni umane antiche: studi paleopatologici e paleonutrizionali sui cambiamenti climatici, ambientali ed economici per futuri modelli alimentari sostenibili

This thesis investigates the health status and dietary habits of the Picenian population of Matelica (9th-6th centuries BC), in the Marche region, through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates palaeopathological and stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopic analyses. The main objective is to understand how and whether this population has changed its dietary patterns in response to times of crisis, and to assess the impact of diet on maintaining or improving health status. This research is based on the recognised role of diet in supporting physical well-being. The study involved the analysis of the skeletal remains of 147 individuals from five Matelica necropolises (Brecce, Crocifisso, Cavalieri, Incrocca and S. Rocco), complemented by faunal samples used to define the local isotopic baseline. The results of the isotopic analyses indicate a diet based mainly on terrestrial resources. Palaeopathological evidence confirmed the isotopic data and revealed health conditions consistent with an agricultural diet. This research provides new perspectives on the diet of Picenian society and contributes to a more general understanding of dietary dynamics in Iron Age Italy. The results offer insights into the value of ancient food traditions as a resource for promoting sustainable and healthy diets in the contemporary context, similar to what is being done with the Mediterranean diet.