Pestilences and human societies: emergence, evolution and bio-cultural transformations – PSCHEET

- proceed to absolute datings,
- carry out taphonomic analysis of multiple burials using 3D modelling and scanning techniques in order to enrich the analysis of simultaneous death and the interpretation,
- draw up a historical corpus of antique epidemic crises,
- search for pathogens in order to identify the exact nature of the crisis and, more precisely, discuss the genetic modifications of the bacterium responsible for plague between the first and second pandemics or even the possible implication of Y. pestis in some antique epidemics,
- propose a spatial analysis based on the identification of textual and archaeological sources for the ancient and early medieval periods and allowing discussion on the diffusion of epidemics.
- undertake demographic analysis and analyse possible fluctuations in the sex ratio and mortality profiles which may be linked to differential exposure to the disease (event, occupational or social factors), or even to an evolution of the human/pathogen interaction over the centuries,
- examine the skeletal indicators of state of health in order to debate the selective or non-selective character of plague mortality, taking into account the pre-existing state of health of the individuals and to better appreciate the etiology of certain skeletal remodelling so as to judge their pathological character,
- initiate analysis of stable isotopes on different types of vestige (bone, teeth, hair) to discover the state of nutrition of individuals as well as their possible migrations (environmental, social and cultural perspectives) and try to detect potential dietary deficiencies,
- conduct synthesis work on methods and sites of inhumation for Justinian plague and identify methods of burial management for each antique site in order to document the evolution of burial treatment over the course of time and interpret its reasons.

Identifications of two new sites in relation to an epidemic crisis: Pydna in Greece dated to the 4th century BC, and «Garage Lux« in Egypt at Alexandria (6th-8th centuries).
Exploitation of the documentation related to the stratigraphy of the funerary deposits in the central sector of the St. Marcellinus and Petr catacomb and discussion on their origins. Study of the funerary practices of the catacomb galleries near the martyrs' sanctuary
Taphonomic study of several mass burials, modelling and 3D scannography of the most complicated ones.
Development of an historical corpus of ancient epidemic crises with the organisation of two study days devoted to the presentation of specific works allowing a review of current knowledge and an analysis of the perception, conception and narration of ancient epidemic events in all their diversity.
Historical data analysis (a book in preparation)
Pathogen analysis iat the Max Planck Institute (Germany), research on an RNA extraction protocol with hope to detect some viruses.
Doctoral research on the contribution of anthropobiology to the study of the Justinian plague: from retrospective diagnosis to the characterisation of mortality determinants.
Biological studies of series linked to ancient epidemics.
In spite of a delicate sanitary situation, several activities were undertaken: papers in symposia and conferences, organisation of international study days, publications, editorial activities (two books in progress) and valorisation of the research (documentary, press, audit and others).

Sampling for C14 dating and for isotopic analysis (summer 2021)
4-month contract at the end of 2021 with the archaeologists of the Soprintendenza Speciale Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma in order to exploit the documentation of the surface roman funerary sites that could be linked to an epididymis.
Continuation in early 2022 of the taphonomic study of the multiple burials of the Saint-Martin-au-Val site in Chartres
Study contract at the beginning of 2022 on the continuation of the analysis of historical data
For the isotopic analyses, a first two-month contract will be started at the beginning of the academic year 2021, the second in January 2022. The students have already been identified.
A data management plan will be developed by the end of 2021.

BÉRARD (R.-M.), CASTEX (D.) accepté fin mai 2021 sous réserve de légères modifications en cours, Epidemics and Wars: Comparative Archaeology and Anthropology of Ancient Greek Mass Burials, The Anthropology & Demography Unit of ATINER, Athens Journal of Social Sciences.
HUCHET (J.-B.), CASTEX (D.) sous presse, The Walking Dead - Life after Death. Archaeoentomological evidence in a Roman catacomb (Saints Marcellinus and Peter, central area; 1st-3rd century), in C. Knusel, E.M. Schotsmans (éds), The Routledge Handbook of Archaeothanatology. Abingdon: Routledge.
SALESSE (K.),…,CASTEX (D.), 2021, Far from home: a multi-analytical approach revealing the migration of an African-born individual to imperial Rome, JAS: Reports.
CASTEX (D.), KACKI (S.), 2021, Commémorer les épidémies dans un monde changeant : mémorialisation de la peste et autres fléaux infectieux du Moyen Âge à nos jours, in A. Hertzog A., R. Pirzada (éds), Commémorer dans un monde global : géopolitiques de la Commémoration, L’Espace Politique, 42.
CASTEX (D.), 2020, Trois cas singuliers de catacombes romaines, témoignages d'une gestion de morts par épidémies durant la période impériale, Regards croisés sur les grands fléaux épidémiques : loimos, pestis, pestes, Musée d’Histoire de Marseille. 27-30 octobre 2020. Visioconférence.
ROSSIGNOL (B.), 2020, Évaluer l'impact des épidémies antiques : les proxy face aux sources littéraires, Regards croisés sur les grands fléaux épidémiques : loimos, pestis, pestes, Musée d’Histoire de Marseille. 27-30 octobre 2020. Visioconférence.
CASTEX (D.), 2020, Là où les os se mêlent : une archéologie des épidémies, Séminaire d’archéologie du CReA-Patrimoine de l'Université libre de Bruxelles (A. Vokaer org.). 19 mars 2020
CASTEX (D.), 2020, L’archéo-anthropologie et l’histoire des maladies pestilentielles dans l’Antiquité et au Moyen Âge, Séminaire de l’Ecole française d’Athènes - Technologie de la recherche en sciences humaines, 4 mai et 5 octobre 2020. Visioconférences.

This project intends to widen the knowledge on past epidemics by considering altogether textual, archaeological and biological data from several European burial sites. Taking advantage of recent advances on the second plague pandemic in the fields of archaeothanatology and bioarchaeology, we propose to engage in an interdisciplinary and innovative research on the first plague pandemic (Justinian plague) and on ancient, supposedly plague, epidemics. Two objectives are proposed for the next 4 years:
The first is to track diffusion routes of pestilential diseases and will involve:
1. undertaking several radiocarbon dates,
2. the use of 3D modelling techniques to support the analysis and interpretation of complex funeral structures in order to prove the existence of a mortality crisis,
3. establishing a corpus of ancient epidemic crises on the basis of archive data (medical and legal writings, christian sources, papyrological and epigraphic documentation),
4. a search for pathogens that will allow the formulation of new phylogenetic hypotheses for plague (possibility of continuity between the first two pandemics) and identification of the exact nature of the ancient « plagues »,
5. development of a spatial analysis based on an inventory of archaeological and textual sources for the ancient period in order to understand the role of certain configurations and structures determining the appearance and spread of epidemics and to better understand health inequalities.
The second objective is to analyse and interpret the social and cultural impact of this disease and to accomplish it we would wish to:
- conduct demographic analyses using new anthropological techniques such as cementochronoly to better understand age and sex fluctuations observed for plague over time,
- examine skeletal indicators of health status in order to contribute to the current debate on the selectivity of plague mortality,
- initiate stable isotope analyses (nitrogen and carbon) for knowledge of the nutritional status of individuals and its potential link with epidemics,
- discuss the evolution of funeral treatments of individuals who died of plague over time in relation with the popular and medical knowledge of this disease during the time periods under study,
- refine, by a study of written sources, our knowledge on contemporary medical conceptions of epidemics (prophylaxis, treatment of the patient, notion of contagiousness and epidemic, health regulations, burial instructions, treatment of corpses, etc.).
This project, which contains a large part of fundamental research, is strongly motivated by an effective interdisciplinarity. Several French and foreign researchers with skills in different disciplinary fields (historical, archaeological and biological sciences) are ready to join it.
Our research will be based on the exploitation of unpublished archaeological documents from various European countries which form a coherent group. There is of course a real challenge concerning the detection of pathogens for ancient mortality crises but, more widely, this research should allow us to question the originality of the epidemiological characteristics of certain epidemics and the funeral behaviours adopted in the face of such plagues over the centuries. Moreover, it will be possible to highlight potential similarities or dissimilarities with later plague epidemics that are now better documented.