First evidence of vivianite in human bones from a third millennium BC Domus de Janas: Filigosa tomb 1, Macomer (NU), Sardinia

Researchers have uncovered the first evidence of vivianite, a phosphate mineral, in human bones from a third millennium BC Domus de Janas tomb in Sardinia. This discovery, documented in Filigosa Tomb 1 near Macomer, represents one of the oldest occurrences of this mineral in Italy and predates the use of iron. Vivianite forms through the interaction of phosphate, iron, and water, suggesting unique environmental or burial conditions that facilitated its preservation. The study, conducted on osteological samples from a well-preserved tomb excavated in 1965, provides insights into prehistoric funerary practices and mineralization processes in Sardinian archaeological sites.

Rodriguez, C., Sanciu, L., Idini, A., Fancello, D., Murgia, C., Atzori, I., Mazzarello, V., & Subirà, M. E. (2021). First evidence of vivianite in human bones from a third millennium BC Domus de Janas: Filigosa tomb 1, Macomer (NU), Sardinia. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 37, 102918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102918