Hello, I'm not an expert in funerary archaeology or burial rituals and customs, but upon observation, I notice that you have one articulated individual accompanied by several disarticulated bones. Judging from the bone elements visible in the photo, it appears that there has been spatial modification of this funerary unit. This type of burial practice is unfamiliar to me in the Mediterranean peninsula, but I have encountered similar practices in burials in Korea and China.

This modification often involves binding the feet and/or hands of the deceased to prevent them from dragging others into death, particularly in individuals who haven't reached adulthood. Returning to taphonomic logic, it's essential to examine the articulatory congruence and assess postmortem damage to the hands and feet. Many grave robbers remove grave goods, thus modifying the primary burial method. If they remove grave goods while the body still has flesh, there won't be any staining on the bones. Check for postmortem bone fragmentation, especially in areas where rings could be present on the phalanges, and where other items of grave goods might be placed, such as at the feet.

Therefore, it's crucial to inspect the condition of the feet for any pathological components, though this can be challenging as bones from the feet and hands are often lost during excavation. I hope that my response can contribute in some way. This is a very interesting case! I hope you can gain valuable insights into this individual!

Thank you very much for your answer Antony Cevallos !

Indeed, there are several individuals in this funerary unit. It is a case of reuse of space, it is a very small cemetery that was used for more than 300 years.

The position of the legs makes me think that in the gap between them there was "something" but there are no remains that could justify that idea. I am beginning to consider the possibility of pathology. While waiting to study the bones in depth and to be able to find some problem in the bone structure, the possibility of some disease that leaves no direct trace in the skeleton or in the burial and that could force that strange position occurs to me.

After much speculation, my hypothesis is the presence of a testicular tumor or a large inguinal hernia... but as I say, it is a risky hypothesis and nothing supports me, for the moment.

Thanks again for the information! I do not rule out any hypothesis at this time.

Maybe was a very fat person, so legs couldn't be together