Abstract
Understanding taphonomic patterns on skeletal remains, along with associated entomological evidence, remains a critical challenge in forensic and archaeological investigations. This study examines the specific impact of an Alpine environment on a WWI mass grave of 12 Austro-Hungarian soldiers (Cima Cady, Italy). Alongside general poor preservation caused by acidic soil erosion, a distinctive reddish staining affected over 80% of the skeletal elements. This was linked to the invasive root system of Juniperus sp., a plant species typical of Alpine zones, which had penetrated the grave and bone cavities. Additional unusual deterioration patterns were observed on tarsal elements that had been in contact with leather boots. Entomological evidence included the presence of Pterostichus multipunctatus and puparia of Protophormia terraenovae, known to mainly colonise exposed remains. The combined taphonomic and entomological findings provide important insights into the postmortem history of the remains and the environmental factors influencing their preservation. Collectively, these results support historical records and testimonies of the burial dynamics from over a century ago, and highlight the broader forensic potential of such evidence in reconstructing mass grave scenarios, including the contemporary investigations of human rights violations or war crimes.
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Data availability
The complete osteometric dataset and all derived data are available upon reasonable request. Because the skeletal remains and associated records are the exclusive property of the Italian State and classified as military heritage pursuant to D. Lgs. 42/2004 (Codice dei Beni Culturali e del Paesaggio), D.Lgs. 66/2010 art. 272 (Codice dell’Ordinamento Militare), and L. 365/1999, the release of the data requires prior written authorisation from the Ufficio Beni Archeologici of the Autonomous Province of Trento and the Ufficio per la Tutela della Cultura e della Memoria della Difesa (Ministero della Difesa). The human remains were reburied in accordance with the current Italian regulations governing military burials (e.g.: Decreto Legislativo 15 marzo 2010, n. 66). Therefore, no human remains of that mass grave are currently held in a museum or research repository. Personal and military items recovered during the excavation are stored and preserved at the Restoration Laboratory of the Archaeological Heritage Office of Trento Province. These materials are curated under the authority’s supervision and may be accessed for research purposes upon request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Sergio Boem for his historical research on World War soldiers in Passo Tonale. We are also grateful to all colleagues from SAP who conducted the excavation and produced the report that supported this research. Special thanks go to Karen Milek, Mike Church, and Sarah Sample (Durham University) for their suggestions on the manuscript, and to Alexander Turner (SAT Archaeology) and Monica Maldarella for assistance with the images. We acknowledge the institutional support provided by the Ufficio per la Tutela della Cultura e della Memoria della Difesa, Ministry of Defence, Italy, which made this work possible. We thank all the students of the MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology program, class of 2022/23 (Durham University), for their contribution to data collection. Thanks also to Tina Jakob, Becky Gowland, and Tim Thompson for sharing their experience and knowledge during the fieldwork. Finally, we thank MUSE (Museo delle Scienze di Trento) for hosting us during the fieldwork and, in particular, Marco Avanzini.
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DG and WB jointly conceptualised the study. DG supervised the research. WB collected and elaborated the data and performed all the statistical analyses. WB and DG co-wrote the manuscript. MG and SV analysed the entomological material and contributed the related sections to the manuscript; both also reviewed the manuscript. FN coordinated and supervised the fieldwork, contributed the contextual and historical background, and reviewed the manuscript.
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Baranowska, W., Gobbi, M., Vanin, S. et al. Taphonomic patterns of a WWI Alpine mass grave: insights from the Italian front.
Sci Rep (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-32171-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-32171-y
Keywords
- Alpine environment
- Forensic taphonomy
- Mass grave
- Pink teeth
- Reddish staining
- World War I
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