The Unidentified Skeletal Collection of Capuchos Cemetery (Santarém) housed at the University of Coimbra

Andreia José; Laura Tomé; Catarina Coelho; Eugénia Cunha; Cláudia Umbelino; Maria Teresa Ferreira

doi:10.14195/2182-7982_38_5

Authors

Andreia José University of Coimbra, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1139-0131
Laura Tomé University of Coimbra, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8077-959X
Catarina Coelho University of Coimbra, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7338-4955
Eugénia Cunha University of Coimbra, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2998-371X
Cláudia Umbelino University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology
Maria Teresa Ferreira University of Coimbra, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2437-7780

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14195/2182-7982_38_5

Keywords:

Skeletal collection, Biological Profile, Paleopathology, Forensic Anthropology, Biological Anthropology

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present to the scientific and academic community the Unidentified Skeletal Collection of the Capuchos Cemetery. The skeletons, of contemporary individuals, were collected from the same cemetery as those of the 21^st Century Identified Skeletal Collection, but their identification is unknown. The collection is composed of 73 individuals, of which 68 are adults of both sexes (34 females, 33 males, and one individual of unknown sex) and five are non-adults. The skeletons are reasonably preserved although several are incomplete as result of taphonomic changes during inhumations, but also due to the experimental research made so far. Most of the adult individuals present nonmetric characters, being the scapular notch the most frequent. Regarding the osteopathology, it was observed that the majority of adult individuals have pathological changes, with degenerative pathology being the most frequent. In addition, some individual exhibit medical devices and/or signs of chirurgical procedures.

The Unidentified Skeletal Collection of the Capuchos Cemetery is an osteological collection that, although not containing individual biographical data, has contributed to teaching and research in Biological and Forensic Anthropology in subjects such as osteology, morphology, biological profile, paleopathology, cremains, and the development of new methods.