Stories from Sicily: Research and Reflections

Today's entry was written by our friend from the UK, Dr. Emuobosa Orijemie.

The altar and painting in the crypt by candlelight 

Monday, July 31, 2017

The day started at the Porker Bar where participants usually have breakfast—brioche with cappuccino or gelato. We converged in the “lecture room” at 10:30 a.m. as against the usual 9:00 a.m.; Dr. Reinhard thought it would be better for the group to have more hours of rest having attended the “Eggplant Festival” the night before. Dr. Reinhard introduced the topic by providing the history of dietary analyses of mummies which began in the 1930s by Danish palaeobotanist, Helbaek. The mummies that Helbaek studied were wet so that it was easy for him to empty their intestinal contents, which had well-preserved seeds. In England, Dr. Holden was cited as one of the major contributors to the field; it was he who published a summary of the processes and contexts of regarding dietary remains of humans during the 1980s.

Dr. Reinhard talks about dietary analysis

In the United States, Callen and Cameron were among the pioneers in studying Peruvian human remains especially coprolites. With the unfortunate and untimely death of Callen due to health complications associated with the altitude of the site, Dr. Vaughan Bryant was invited to continue Callen’s work. Subsequently, Dr. Reinhard was introduced to dietary analysis by Dr. Bryant. An important point highlighted by Dr. Reinhard was the standards in dietary analysis of human remains. He indicated that stable isotopes emphasized meat intake and could not detect undigested plant food remains (fibers) which constituted a major percentage of the diet of early Native Americans. Hence, this technique would likely produce some error as it was with the case of Ötzi, the individual who was initially thought to have lived a vegetarian or vegan life style. However, the discovery of remains of wheat, plant fibers, and charred meat indicated that Ötzi was neither a vegetarian nor a vegan. A second case was when Bryant and Reinhard found that some of the mummies they studied yielded abundant plant remains. Their results were in contrast to those of stable isotope analysis, which had indicated that the individuals had 95% of their food resources from the ocean. Hence, where possible stable isotope analysis should be complemented by archaeobotanical analyses i.e. macro- and microbotanical analyses.

Dr. Orijemie gives his presentation on dietary reconstruction

After Dr. Reinhard's talk, there were three presentations namely by myself, Brianna Haberyan, and Ruth Grady. I talked about my experiment in Nigeria where pollen analysis was conducted on freshly collected faecal matter of two human subjects, a ram, and chicken. The main results were that few pollen grains were recovered from one of the human subjects, which indicated that it had most likely consumed processed foods. The other human and animal subjects had a diversified amount of pollen grains from which their diet and environment were reconstructed. 

Students ask questions at the end of Dr. Orijemie's presentation

Brianna talked about an America POW soldier in Korea who died in 1951 and became mummified. He was repatriated in 1954 and exhumed in 2006. A coprolite sample, 3cm in diameter, from this mummy was analysed. It yielded two kinds of seeds, which were initially thought to be Perilla frutescens and Brassica juncea (mustard seeds), but after scrutiny turned out to be inaccurate. Other plant remains recovered included the pollen of Rosaceae and Oryza sp., and fibers from a kimchi-like source. In addition, remains of military government-issued foods were absent, while very little starch grains were found. These findings were in sharp contrast to testimonies of Korean War veterans who indicated that they were fed starch-rich foods. The study, which is still ongoing, has the potential of becoming a classic upon completion.

Brie presents her research on a Korean War POW

Before Ruth Grady’s presentation, Dr. Reinhard talked about “Pollen in Mummy: New Methods”. He discussed the mummified remains of a 5-6 year old boy belonging to the Ventana Cave Burial 5 of the Tohono O’Odham group of Southern Arizona. It was excavated in 1941 and initially analysed between 1981 and 1984. A re-analysis of four coprolites was conducted by Dr. Reinhard where seeds of mesquites (Prosopis juliflora var. glandulosa) and saguaro (Carnegiea gagentica) were recovered. It was concluded that the child was fed with seed cakes of these two plants shortly before his death, while the fresh pollen of saguaro indicated that the child died between Mid-May and July, which is the flowering period of the plant.

Dr. Reinhard gives his second presentation on pollen in mummies

Ruth presents research done on the Piraino 1 mummy

Ruth Grady presented a paper on the dietary remains of the Piraino I, Sicily mummy who suffered cancer at the end of its life. Analysis of the intestinal remains revealed an absence of wheat starch and environmental pollen grains. There was occurrence of the eggs of the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura, seeds and stones of grapes, wheat chaff, and the pollen of Polygala, a medicinal plant. The main conclusions were that (i) the individual was heavily infected with Trichuris trichiura, (ii) absence of environmental pollen was suggestive of death during winter and (iii) the abundant Polygala was probably used as treatment for  stomach disorder and for the reduction of tumor size. 

Lunch was served at about 1:15 p.m. It was pasta covered in pesto (basil, cheese, and pine nuts), cheese, fresh tomatoes, and bread. Work was to resume at 2:45 p.m.

Some tomatoes, mozzarella, and bread to go with your pesto?

Pasta Pesto!

From 2:45-3:55 p.m., Dr. Morrow set up glass bottles containing seeds, fly puparia, and other insect fragments. We hoped to use the dissecting microscope, which unfortunately did not come up because of issues with converting the currents of our electronic devices. Hence, we had to improvise by using hand-held magnifying glasses and an Optivisor. In addition, a sample from a Lithuanian mummy was “analysed” by students. With Dr. Morrow’s supervision, faecal matter of rodents and/or small reptiles, small twigs, and the exoskeleton of unidentified insects were recovered.

Students look at macroscopic remains

At 4:00 p.m., our Italian lessons began. The instructor, Katia Trifirò, taught numeral figures, months, and years after which we were all engaged in specific tasks regarding constructing sentences using numbers, months, and birth dates. This was, as usual, challenging but exciting, particularly because I had erroneously indicated in Italian that my date of birth was 31st August 1908. This, indeed, almost scared the instructor. Half-way into the lesson, Dr. Reinhard requested that Katia Trifirò teach us terms (such as dead, skeleton, death, blood, embalming process, coffin, fire, window, clothing, St. Francis, art paintings, niche, ribs etc) found on and/or associated with the crypt and the mummies. We returned to the Italian lecture at 5:41 p.m. and ended at 6:12 p.m. at which point several students were experiencing slight headaches and had become fatigued.

The struggle is real..."Sono nato il trentuno agosto mille nove otto" I was born on 31st of August, 1908.

Katia gives the Italian names for items in  the crypt

Dinner was served at 8:20 p.m. with lettuce, flattened fried pork, pears, peaches, and chocolate dessert Salami.

Fried pork!

And for the Vegetarian in you, some fried eggplant

One of the crypt candles

At 9:30 p.m., the group, led by Dr. Piombino-Mascali, re-enacted the visitation scene at the crypt. Dr. Piombino-Mascali explained that on the 2nd of November every year it was the custom of Sicilian people to visit the crypt to have some form of symbolic relationship with the beloved relative who had passed away. Candles were lit, which gave the crypt a kind of ambiance reflective of “sacredness”. Every student was asked to reflect on the situation and the common thought was that it was “peaceful, quiet, and reassuring to see one’s beloved relative who had passed to the great beyond with the hope that one day it would be our turn.” A German journalist friend of Dr. Piombino-Mascali's, Michael Stang, was there to record the event. We left the crypt at about 10:20 p.m., and that was how we rounded off the day.

Reflecting on the dead

Stories from Sicily: Pollen, Pronunciation, Pathology, & a Party at the Piazza

Today was packed full of lectures, Italian lessons, mummies, and, of course, a festival for eggplants! The day's blog post was written by Carri Lupton.

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

Today began with, you guessed it, coffee and brioche at the Poker Bar. Fast becoming the favorite breakfast joint among the students. The locals spot us coming and greet us with ‘good mornings’ and smiles. We started off our lessons with a few lectures from Dr. Reinhard, who animatedly taught us about the nuances among pollen grains, especially those of Polygala and Myrtaceae. Following this, he spoke about the pollen interactive we were instructed to finish prior to the school, on a homicide case from Nebraska, involving a female whose head had been wrapped in plastic. This allowed for the recovery of differential pollen types between those on the skull and those on the rest of her exposed body. He finally introduced a few case studies from embalming jars encasing organs of the Medici Family. We were shown the differences between wind and insect pollen, herbaceous and arboreal pollen, in addition to ambient and contamination pollen types.

Dr. Reinhard with his pollen presentations

After a short break, Katia, our Italian instructor, once again tested us on simple introductions and greetings. We were given a crossword that consisted only of food words, a teasing gesture as we all impatiently awaited lunch. She proceeded to show us mouthwatering images of Italian cuisine, as we fumbled our way through the correct pronunciations. I’m sure most of us were more focused on the possibilities of what lunch Carmelina would surprise us with, than the actual Italian manner of ordering food. Either way, we can now all say with conviction: Preferiamo il cioccolato invece delle lezione Italiane!

Lunch came with mixed reactions from the students. Carmelina made a seafood pasta that consisted of spaghetti noodles, a tomato and caper sauce, garnished with… squid. Typically eaten in the States as fried calamari, the appearance of steamed squid frightened some and intrigued others, overall causing a semi-frenzy among the table. Bread was available as usual, and also typical of every meal we’ve had here, halfway devoured before the main course even arrived. Caprese salads were also served, and as a surprise, Carmelina produced two plate-fulls of the beloved chocolate sausage, or as Dr. Piombino-Mascali told us was named, salame Turko. We finished the meal with a much needed espresso.

The afternoon brought with it adventures in the crypt, where each group was re-assigned a new mummy for taphonomic, morphological, and analytical reflections. Dr. Piombino-Mascali joined the group, and we were first appointed the task of reviewing our previous findings with our first mummies with Dr. Piombino-Mascali, a somewhat daunting task as he is the mummy guru and go-to guy for all things anthropological. He wowed us with his quick analysis, and fortunately aided our group efforts with the second mummies. With his input, we were all able to find anomalous features in the bones, soft tissue, and with the help of Dr. Morrow, Dr. Orijemie, and Dr. Reinhard, evidence of pollen and insect activity. Because of the success of the crypt examinations, we all decided we would like to visit again at night to reproduce the ambiance and religious meaning behind the crypt by lighting candles and viewing the bodies inside the coffins, in addition to the repertoire of bones in the ossuaries.

Dr. Piombino-Mascali explains what to look for on a mummy

Students take notes about their mummy

Carri gets a closer look at her groups' mummy

We were privileged with a long break after our crypt studies and before dinner, allowing most of us to catch up with our families and friends. Dinner was amazing, as usual, consisting of the juiciest roast chicken, cheese, salad, pears and plums, and you guessed it, loads of bread. Afterwards, the much awaited eggplant festival showcased music, several types of prepared eggplant, and games for children in a carnival-like atmosphere. As much fun as the locals were having dancing to songs with some serious skill, somehow all of us ended up at our favorite joint, the Poker Bar, sharing jokes, granita, and gelato. Solo il meglio!

Probably the BEST baked chicken ever consumed!

Yes, they have a festival for eggplants. It includes music, dancing, and lots of fun!

Stories from Sicily: A Field Trip You Can't Refuse

Today's trip to Savoca was full of fun stories! Here's a few from MSFS, Alexis Kelly.

July 29th, 2017

A view from Savoca

As normal, the morning started with cappuccinos and croissants at the Poker Bar. We were then off to the bus to make the trip to Savoca. I was told the views were great, but all I saw was the inside of my eyelids, so I have to take everyone’s word for it. Upon arriving to Savoca, it immediately was a different style place than what we have been used to seeing in Santa Lucia del Mela and Piranio. This was more of a tourist attraction and it was exciting for those who have seen the movie, The Godfather. 

A bar used in the filming of The Godfather

Our first church of the day

We trudged up hill (a common thing for the day) to get to the first church. This was a 13^th century church and it was beautiful. There were five alters that were for different patron statues. The second church we stopped in was dedicated to Mary, the Mother Church. This was the church where mummification took place. The third church we went to was in danger; it is in the process of being restored. This was the church of Saint Michael. Most of the students, myself included, purchased items that the proceeds went to the restoration of the church. In addition, we paid to visit the churches so that our money also went towards the restoration. We then made our way back down the hill to get some souvenirs and wait until it was time for lunch. 

Our second visit was to the Mother Church

Dr. Piombino-Mascali reveals the entrance to the crypt

This way to the last church of the day 

Restoration in progress at the Church of Saint Michael

We were invited to have lunch in the same convent where the mummies that we came to see are kept. Lunch was prepared by Claudia and it included a delicious pasta with peas, mushrooms, and sausage. As if it couldn’t get any better, there was a SECOND COURSE! This was beef in a lemon sauce and salad, and then, of course, fresh fruit was served afterward. During lunch, Siegmund Wagner, a German artist that lives in Savoca, joined us. Siegmund created beautiful paintings of the mummies that we were about to meet, so it was great to get to talk with him about his work and connection with the mummies.

Lunch at the convent

Pasta with sausage, tomato, and peas (a.k.a. Boscaiola)

Our second course was veal scallopini with a lemon sauce and a fresh salad on the side

Now for the crypt! As many of my fellow students saw, I was very excited and couldn’t contain it. There were 17 mummies that we saw, most of which were nobility in status, however, because there were no labels the identities of the mummies were lost. Each student studied a mummy more in depth and later explained what they saw to the rest of the group. The mummy I chose caught my attention because of how well-preserved he was; however, many of them were well-preserved for how old they are. 

Entrance to the crypt from the church

Alexis shares with the class what she has observed from her mummy

Off to the museum!

Thanks to the generosity of Santo Lombardo, the director of the Historical and Ethno-Anthropological Museum of the City of Savoca, we were able to enter free of charge. The museum had ceramics and tools, pieces of The Godfather iconography, as well as an area for the mummies that we had previously seen. Dr. Piombino-Mascali had a display table made by a family from Santa Lucia del Mela to hold a very special set of items relating to the mummies. These items were instruments belonging to the late Dr. Art Aufderheide, also known as "the father of mummy studies", who worked on these and many other mummies across the world. The cloth beneath the instruments was made from the same fabric as that we saw on the pillow of the Blessed Antonio Franco. One of Dr. Piombino-Mascali's family members stitched the trim on the cloth.

Lights, camera, and action!

In memory of a great Paleopathologist and Mummologist, Dr. Aufderheide

Dr. Aufderheide's priceless tools; donated my Dr. Piombino-Mascali. 

Of course, we had to make a gelato stop. It wouldn’t be a day in Italy without gelato or granita. Then it was back to our own convent in Santa Lucia del Mela for dinner. Carmelina made pork, mushrooms, and rice which was delicious…of course. Today was definitely one of my favorite days and just makes me more excited for the rest of this trip!

Pork and mushrooms

Rice, meat, and vegetables 

Stories from Sicily: Big Hearts and New Adventures

Today, we took our first field trip. The day's blogpost was written by Brianna Haberyan.

Our Ride up to Piraino

Today was a very eventful day! We went to three different churches, a crypt, and a medieval tower. We started the day by leaving the convent and walking down the very steep hill to get our lunches from our chef, Carmelina. Then we got on the bus to head to Piraino. We were very surprised to see a large charter bus! I was expecting something much smaller. We all got on the bus and began our adventure!

Meeting Padre Carlo and Dr. Marcello Mollica

The bus ride to Piraino was, for the most part, uneventful. When we got closer to the town, we realized how steep and curved the roads were. A few of us (myself included) were very nervous about this part of the trip, but we made it safely and we were all very impressed by the bus driver. When we arrived, we were met by Padre Carlo the main priest of the town. He was very excited to see us, and took many pictures throughout the day. Before heading to any churches or crypts, we stopped at a local cafe for granitas and brioche. I had an "Angelica" granita, which is strawberry and lemon together. After admiring the amazing views from the cafe, we headed to the first church. It featured many old fresco paintings. We also learned about the history of Catholicism in Sicily and about the nature of the paintings featured in the church. Next we headed to the second church, where we spent a majority of the day.

Chiesa del Rosario (Church of the Rosary)

The "Mother Church" was a beautiful church that housed some of the most elite crypt spaces of the city. When we walked in, Padre Carlo was playing on an authentic organ that he restored. This church also featured a crypt for saints and some of the wealthy. Before going into the crypt, we had a lecture by local cultural anthropologist, Dr. Marcello Mollica. He described the history of the church, crypt, and the complicated process to get buried there. After the lecture we went into the crypt! We learned about the preparation, storage, and upkeep of mummies. We also compared the similarities and differences between this crypt and the ones we visited in Palermo and Santa Lucia del Mela. For me, it was really helpful to discuss the reasons behind the differences such as how the mummies were stored (vertically vs horizontally) or level of decomposition.

Dr. Piombino-Mascali shows off his musical skills.

Dr. Mollica tells us the history of the Mother Church

Brie goes down into the crypt.

Dr. Reinhard feeling pumped about the mummies!

After visiting the crypt, we paused for lunch and then headed to a medieval tower. We climbed up a some spiral staircases and were met at the top by an amazing view of Piraino and the surrounding area.

Climbing the tower after climbing the hill.

Visiting the last church.

For our last stop in Piraino, we went to another church. It was a small chapel featuring a room full of wall paintings. These paintings depicted Jesus's life and crucifixion. While it was a small church, it added more depth to our understanding of  Catholicism in Sicily.










Finally, we ended the day with a trip to the beach. We swam in the Mediterranean Sea and hung out at a local restaurant. It was a really wonderful way to end a busy day! The best part of relaxing at the beach was knowing that we would have another fun-filled field trip the next day.

A beautiful sunset to complete the day.