title: The Medici Project first anthropological and paleopathological results of the exploration of the Medici tombs in Florence.
abstract: Within the framework of the Medici Project, a paleopathological team of experts from the University of Pisa, the University of Florence and the Superintendence for Florentine Museums, is carrying out a study on 49 tombs of some of the Medici family members (16th-18th centuries) housed in the so-called Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence. The project involves disciplines such as paleopathology, funerary archeology, physical anthropology, paleonutrition, parasitology, histology, histochemistry, immuno-histochemistry, electron microscopy, molecular biology, and identification of ancient pathogens. The most recent biomedical imaging technologies have been employed to obtain as much information as possible about the genetic make-up, eating habits, life styles and diseases of these important rulers of Renaissance Florence. The first anthropological and paleopathological results are presented here.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, I. g.fornaciari@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fornaciari
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitiello
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giusiani
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giuffra
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fornaciari
authors.forename: Natale
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Villari
mesh_terms: D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000266:history; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D002048:Burial / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male