Primi dati paleobiologici sugli individui rinvenuti all’interno della Tomba 3 del sito di Cap de Forma (Minorca)

This paper presents new paleobiological data from the skeletal remains founded in the
necropolis of Cap de Forma; the site is located on a narrow isthmus that links a 30-m-high
coastal promontory in the island of Minorca (Mahon). The archeological complex, made of rock
tombs called Cuevas, surrounds a complex cyclopean monument that is an atypical example of
Talayotic architecture. The excavations of the necropolis were carried out between 1997 and
2001, and during these years two tombs, the number 3 and 22, respectively, were excavated.
This paper describes the digging operations and the subsequent anthropological investigations
focused on the analysis of the skeletal remains from the tomb 3. It was possible to identify
37 adult individuals, including 5 females and 12 males, and 7 subadults. The preliminary
investigations of pathologies and stress markers reveled good health conditions characterized by
an intense physical activity.