ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE MULTIPROXY ANALYSIS OF THE ROMAN FUNERARY RITUAL IN MUTINA

The research is a key example of integrated analyses in order to adapt the archaeological and archaeobotanical strategy to identify and interpret funerary practices. An interdisciplinary method involving different disciplines of archaeology was carried out on Mutina necropolis, analysing hundreds of graves, especially cremation type, in order to have a complete view of the funerary rituals. In addition to traditional methods, advanced technologies helped to study funerary rituals. For what concerns NoviSad necropolis, the research focused on the foodstuffs and offers that were common during the Roman Age from the 1st to the 2nd century AD. A combination of Computer Tomography Scanning (CT-scan) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) were performed in order to obtain a more detailed data about the potential temperature of burning and the identification of some samples. For what concerns via Cesana and Tangenziale Pasternak necropolis, the urns still intact of their contents were examined by scanner computed tomography, thanks to the collaboration of TECEUROLAB (Mo). Once the scanner images had been taken, a traditional micro excavation and a virtual excavation were carried out at the same time, in order to compare the two different methods. Finally, some IR analysis were performed on the balsamari found inside the urns in order to check cosmetics traces.