Bio-osteography: anthropo-biological remains as vectors of history | ADES

The main projects of this team can be divided into three main areas:

The main objective of this first research area is to participate in the improvement of a bio-cultural reading of anthropo-biological remains, allowing the reconstruction of certain aspects of the life of individuals and human populations. This reconstruction can be carried out according to synchronous or diachronic perspectives, often correlated and integrated, whether they are :

evolutionary and functional, to propose phylogenetic or functional hypotheses for the fossil species of homininsanthropological
and forensic, to determine a "biological profile" (age, sex, stature) and then to characterize (life history parameters, particularities, ancient traumas or pathologies) and eventually identify the individual(s) whose skeleton was found.
archaeo-anthropological, to be able to understand and interpret the course of the existence of individuals, and beyond populations, under its social and cultural aspects.
"Classical" paleopathology (modifications present on the bone or teeth), but also "innovative" crossing bone analysis (morphoscopic, biometric or morphometric) and molecular biology.

This approach is deployed in a multiscalar manner, in order to dimension at leisure our reading scale, from the individual to the population

Projets

"HOMININS"

This research project devoted to evolutionary approaches is essentially from a functional perspective. This is a major and very dynamic issue in paleoanthropology research at the international level. We will pursue the deployment of modelling, simulation and biomechanical analysis approaches, as well as genomic approaches (in particular in collaboration with the GENGLOBE team), developed in the framework of national and international collaborations.

"STARCH4SAPIENS"

In this project, we focus on the study of evolution from a functional perspective, specifically focusing on the biological and behavioral changes that made efficient starch metabolism possible.

"PALEOPATHO"

This program, which addresses questions of paleopathology and paleoepidemiology, deals with the health status of populations in the past and as such represents an important federating area for the team. In particular, it addresses the estimation of the impact of infections (visible or invisible on the bone) on the general health of immatures, in collaboration with colleagues of the GENGLOBE team (Hommes-Microbes project). This component on immatures, started in 2021, runs until 2025.

"PALEOMICROBIO": Paleomicrobiology of ancient populations

In close collaboration with colleagues from the GENGLOBE team (project "History of human-microbe interactions"), this project will focus on reconstructing and better understanding ancient epidemics. Both diachronic (from the metal ages to contemporary populations) and on a large geographical scale, this project will open to a strong international development.

"HERITAGE"

The patrimonialization of the VAB, as approached by the SHS (archaeology, social anthropology and law), questions in particular the conflicts of use and appropriation of these remains. The BONES team is a forerunner in these issues and has been involved in the implementation and management of the PAOHCE Project (working group on the implementation of protocols for sampling and analysis of human bones and on the conservation of samples) since 2020 thanks to Y. Ardagna.