The Parish of Machico is currently one of the emblematic places but for the knowledge of the expansion of archeology in Portugal, for its wealth of historical patrimony that has now been made public, the discovery of the bones of one of the first people who lived in the island. A finding of great importance in terms of biological anthropology, explained to us, by the biologist with the Center for Studies beyond the Sea, Rafael Nunes. So who was this woman, nicknamed Ana D'Arfet
What is the significance of this finding?
Rafael Nunes: It is very important because we believe are the oldest human remains of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The archaeological data of these findings date the fifteenth century, who together with traces also found in Carreira street in Funchal, makes this the oldest, i.e., date back to the discoverers of the island. It can be the first indication of a settlement from the mainland, the first generation.
Doesn't confirm the legend of Machin and Anna D'Arfet?
RN: No, the legend appears in the imaginary Madeira and it is intrinsic in the minds of the people of Machico, but is just that, a legend. No one can speculate that this is a finding confirms this story for two reasons, allegedly Ana D'Arfet was buried in Machico and these bones were not and supposedly the young lovers came to the island in the twelfth century and these are vestiges of the fifteenth century. This is just an analogy with the lady who first arrives to this island.
What was your contribution?
RN: After an archaeological excavation where data both animal and human was found, I have prepared and studied the remains are now on display. Mostly doing comparative anatomy, the bones relate to the anatomical model and study the fragments that are there, the tarsals, the metatarsals and phalanges.
And the jaw?
RN: Yes, the maxillary and the mandible remains are the most important, because from such small fragment we could remove the most information possible. Namely, we can determine the sex by their morphology we could unfold it was female; we determined the age, the wear of the tooth, approximately 35 years old. We also determine some diseases, the most relevant is the dental hypoplasia is a condition that occurs due to a lack nutrient during tooth development, and these data may help to understand her social background. A person who has this type of dental disorder usually comes from a lower socioeconomic group, poorer.
The femur what kind of information can show?
NB: This fracture may have occurred because of an external element to the bone, may have been caused by the falling of a tree, or something that broke at the time the remains were already buried under the earth. It also placed the hypothesis that happened in the hour of death, because the fracture is not regenerated.
Is post-mortem?
NB: It may be peri-mortem. If it had been caused by the tree would then be post-mortem. But we think based on the place the remains were found in an extremely swampy, muddy soil, with large stones that it was an alluvium. We thought that this lady was dragged by the force of the land and water and fractured her leg at the time of her death.
Also reached this conclusion based on the fact that there are no traces of an act burial?
RN: Yes, I was not present at the time of excavation, archaeological data supplied by the remains show it was not in a position to suggest a funeral act, was not in a burial position, so we could verify that in this case there was an accidental death and the last analogy is that she was drag because of a natural disaster.
