Digital imaging techniques applied to a case of concha bullosa from an early medieval funerary area in central Italy

Objective Concha bullosa is a rather common condition of the nasal turbinates, rarely reported in archaeological skeletal collections. This paper examines a case of concha bullosa as seen in a female cranium from a burial in central Italy, dated to the Longobard domination in the Peninsula (mid-7th– early 8th century CE). Materials The individual under investigation (T86/17) comes from the funerary area of Selvicciola, located near the town of Viterbo in northern Latium, Italy. Methods The skeleton was macroscopically examined. We analyzed the CT-scans of the defect by applying innovative R-based virtual tools. Results It was possible to calculate the inner volume of the concha bullosa and to provide a 3D visual assessment of its shape. Conclusions Its size and shape suggest that the individual had this condition for a considerable period of time, during which its presence may have had affected her daily activities and health status. Significance An under-represented paleopathological defect is examined for the first time through a virtual approach aimed at visualizing its shape and the assessment of its volume. New methods of 3D based virtual assessment can increase the informative value of defects. Suggestions for Further Research Techniques used in this assessment should be considered as an evaluative tool for other conditions when macroscopic and radiographic imaging are limited.