Analysis of the changes in the biodiversity of arthropods in the Mediterranean area through studies of archaeo-funeral entomology

The study of arthropod remains associated with archaeological contexts provides valuable insights into past ecological dynamics, funerary practices, and environmental conditions. This doctoral research investigates the biodiversity of arthropods associated with human corpses’ colonisation in the Mediterranean area over the last millennium through the application of funerary archaeoentomology. The project aims to test the following hypotheses: 1) whether detectable variations occurred in the arthropod fauna associated with decomposing corpses in the Mediterranean region during the last thousand years; 2) whether processes of species introduction or local extinction can be identified; 3) whether observed faunal variations may be linked to environmental or landscape changes and 4) whether the analysis of ectoparasites can provide information on health conditions and social status in past populations. Archaeoentomological analyses were conducted on ten funerary contexts throughout Italian peninsula. The methodological approach combined the recovery and morphological identification of insect remains from archaeological contexts with the study of contemporary arthropod communities through targeted sampling, allowing comparison between past and present faunal assemblages. The results highlight recurring ecological patterns within burial environments. In confined funerary contexts such as crypts and hypogean chambers, dipteran assemblages are strongly dominated by species adapted to enclosed environments, particularly Hydrotaea capensis. The presence of fleas associated with rodents indicates episodes of animal intrusion and the use of funerary structures as shelters or nesting sites by small vertebrates. In addition, the recovery of ground beetles and other coleoptera linked to woodland habitats provides indirect evidence for the surrounding landscape characteristics at the time of burial. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential of funerary archaeoentomology as a multidisciplinary tool for reconstructing past ecological conditions, funerary environments, and human–animal interactions, contributing to a broader understanding of biodiversity dynamics in the Mediterranean region over historical timescales.