XRM imaging for non-destructive age at death estimation of the incinerated teeth from the Motya Tophet (Sicily, 6th century BC)

The study of odonto-skeletal remains of immature individuals provides important information on the cultural significance of childhood in past societies. The Tophets – i.e., distinct burial areas for infant cremated remains found in several Phoenician-Punic colonies in the Mediterranean area – offer an ideal case study to test the potential of alternative analysis approaches on cremated remains. This study presents a non-destructive methodology based on X-ray microscopy (XRM), aimed to analyze a sample of cremated deciduous teeth from the Tophet of Motya, providing information on the demographic profile and age-at-death classes of the buried individuals. The results are consistent with previous studies on remains from other Tophets and highlight the importance of using non-invasive techniques to collect and analyze data that are useful for the interpretation of burial practices reserved for newborns and infants in the Phoenician world.