Sep 13, 2019 20:00:00

`` Modena's lovers '' buried by holding hands more than 1000 years ago turned out to be men

by

Gustavo Peres

In ancient ruins, it is often found that two pairs or several people are buried together. In Italy, the existence of a pair of bodies called “ Lovers of Modena ” buried around the 4th to 6th centuries is known, but according to the latest survey, both bodies were men. Turned out

Enamel peptides reveal the sex of the Late Antique 'Lovers of Modena' | Scientific Reports
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-49562-7

'Lovers of Modena' skeletons holding hands were both men | World news | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/12/lovers-of-modena-skeletons-holding-hands-were-both-men-study

The “modena lovers” studied were the bodies of two people discovered in 2009 near Modena in northern Italy. The burial period was thought to be around the 4th to 6th centuries, and the bodies were buried with their hands deliberately held.

An example where two bodies are buried by holding hands or hugging each other is often found in ancient ruins. For example, the Neolithic remains called “

Lovers of Valdaro ” discovered in northern Italy were discovered as they faced each other and hugged each other. This pair seems to be a man and woman under the age of 20, and was buried with side funerals such as flint and knives.

The two bodies that have been found and held together so far are all considered to be male and female pairs based on various evidences. On the other hand, in the case of “modena lovers”, the body was in a bad state, and gender could not be determined by genetic analysis, and gender could not be determined even by using osteological methods. Still, many people have thought that they would be “lovers of men and women” (as in other examples).

A research team

at the University of Bologna examined the sex of 'modena lovers' using a gender discrimination technique that uses the amelogenin gene contained in the tooth enamel.

As a result, both “modena lovers” were found to be male. Federico Lugli, who led the research, said, “There are no examples of gay couples buried so far holding their hands.” “In the past, many couples were found buried together holding their hands. However, in all cases it was a pair of men and women, and what the “modena lovers” were was still a mystery, ”commented.

by Jean-Baptiste Burbaud

The relationship of “Modena's lovers” is related to the possibility of being a brother or cousin, and the remains of the ruins where “Modena's lovers” were found have many traumas, and people involved in the conflict Because it is speculated that it is a place where many were buried, it can be considered that it was a soldier who died in the same battle.