ISIS@MACH - Inelastic Neutron Scattering investigation of Ancient Roman’s Aebutia Quarta human skeletal remains

The “Hypogeum of the Garlands” is an extraordinary ancient Roman sepulchral site dated back of I-II century AD and discovered in 2000 at Grottaferrata (Rome). The site includes two sarcophagi, identified as Aebutia Quarta and Carvilius Gemellus, which have original sealing and additional human skeletal combusted remains. The Aebutia and Carvilium remains are well preserved, showing still intact decorations with vegetal garlands. Aebutia Quarta remains show traces of possible combustion of the bones, associated with a probable thermal deformation. We propose to perform an inelastic neutron scattering investigation in TOSCA to measure the whole neutron vibrational spectra of these ancient bones with high sensitivity, with a view to better understand the changes undergone by the samples.