Italy before the Romans. Addressing the interplay between genetic and cultural variation in Pre-Roman Italy

In recent years, studies of the European Bronze and Iron Age have experienced a paradigm shift in which interdisciplinary approaches have taken centre stage in an effort to produce new knowledge. In particular, the study of ancient genomics has seen a dramatic boost adding dimensions to our understanding of prehistoric societies that previously were unimaginable.

Recently, critical voices have raised as to the interpretative models used to present the attained results and as to the danger of uncritically linking culture and genetics.

The present project approach the issues at stake focusing on the first millennium BCE Italian Peninsula and a uniquely large dataset (c. 500 individuals from all over the country). Ancient Italy offers a unique wealth of archaeological and textual evidence suggesting a sizable cultural and linguistic variety prior to the Roman Era. It is therefore an outstanding case to investigate the complex interplay between cultural and genetic variation.

The unprecedented novelty of this project is to include in a synergic interdisciplinary approach, archaeological, genetic, stable isotope and cutting-edge proteomic studies. The latter will unfold data about both dietary customs, and life style/health, thus adding a new depth to our assessments of cultural characterization. The aim is to produce a novel methodological approach for the investigations of the relationship between culture and genetics widely applicable to the study of past societies.