Psyche and human thought from the anatomies of the past.

De Blasio's research focuses on the anthropology of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His investigations extend from criminalistics to ancient mummies, driven by his passion for archaeology and human history. He delves into the intricate relationship between anatomy and the human psyche, intertwining disciplines like archaeology, anthropology, and history. His examination of ancient human remains, though lacking modern tools, reveals insights into embalming practices and cultural beliefs. De Blasio's interest in craniology leads to the exploration of cranial deformations, considering as cultural factors. By connecting anthropology with psychology, he questions the cognitive effects of cranial deformations and even associates certain traits with skull morphology. This interplay showcases his ability to merge natural and cultural sciences, offering unique perspectives on human development and cultural practices.

Biomolecular analyses enable new insights into ancient Egyptian embalming.

The ability of the ancient Egyptians to preserve the human body through embalming has not only fascinated people since antiquity, but also has always raised the question of how this outstanding chemical and ritual process was practically achieved. Here we integrate archaeological, philological and organic residue analyses, shedding new light on the practice and economy of embalming in ancient Egypt. We analysed the organic contents of 31 ceramic vessels recovered from a 26th Dynasty embalming workshop at Saqqara1,2. These vessels were labelled according to their content and/or use, enabling us to correlate organic substances with their Egyptian names and specific embalming practices. We identified specific mixtures of fragrant or antiseptic oils, tars and resins that were used to embalm the head and treat the wrappings using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Our study of the Saqqara workshop extends interpretations from a micro-level analysis highlighting the socio-economic status of a tomb owner3-7 to macro-level interpretations of the society. The identification of non-local organic substances enables the reconstruction of trade networks that provided ancient Egyptian embalmers with the substances required for mummification. This extensive demand for foreign products promoted trade both within the Mediterranean8-10 (for example, Pistacia and conifer by-products) and with tropical forest regions (for example, dammar and elemi). Additionally, we show that at Saqqara, antiu and sefet-well known from ancient texts and usually translated as 'myrrh' or 'incense'11-13 and 'a sacred oil'13,14-refer to a coniferous oils-or-tars-based mixture and an unguent with plant additives, respectively.

Alfredo Salafia's handwritten memoir and the embalming of Rosalia Lombardo: a commentary.

Alfredo Salafia, an Italian embalmer who was active in the early 20th century, treated a number of corpses with his own preservation method. Among them was the young Rosalia Lombardo, just shy of two years old at the time of her death, whose remarkable preservation has brought her significant attention. It is well documented that Salafia had concocted a formula for a highly advanced embalming fluid which is believed to have been used to preserve Lombardo. This is referenced in a book and in two unpublished documents, and was also traced through familial memories and stories within the Capuchin Brotherhood of Palermo, where three of those bodies embalmed by Salafia are kept in a world-renowned crypt. Salafia's paternity of this specific preparation is further supported by some indirect evidence, which corresponds to what the embalmer described in his handwritten memoir. A recent article by Galassi and co-workers, however, attempted to debunk Salafia's role, and questioned the results of previous research performed on this case. They suggest additional studies on Lombardo that are not only unnecessary, but would irreversibly damage the long-term conservation of the mummy. Our paper aims to demonstrate that their article is biased and built upon incorrect assumptions and interpretations, thus re-establishing the validity of the narrative shared up until now.

Decorated bodies for eternal life: A multidisciplinary study of late Roman Period stucco-shrouded portrait mummies from Saqqara (Egypt).

This study focuses on the multidisciplinary investigation of three stucco-shrouded mummies with mummy portrait from Egypt dating from the late 3rd to the middle of the 4th century AD, corresponding to the late Roman Period. These three mummies were excavated in the early 17th and late 19th centuries in the Saqqara necropolis near the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. Two of them experienced an interesting collection history, when they became part of the collection of the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland August II in Dresden, Germany, in 1728. The investigation includes information about the mummies' discovery, collection history and shroud decoration obtained through Egyptological expertise. In addition, information on the state of preservation, technique of artificial mummification, age at death, sex, body height and health of the deceased was achieved through computed tomography (CT) analysis. Research yielded an adult male, a middle-aged female and a young female. Due to the rather poorly preserved bodies of the male and middle-aged female, a specific technique of artificial mummification could not be ascertained. Brain and several internal organs of the well-preserved young female were identified. Wooden boards, beads of necklaces, a hairpin, and metal dense items, such as lead seals, nails and two coins or medallions were discovered. Paleopathological findings included carious lesions, Schmorl's nodes, evidence of arthritis and a vertebral hemangioma. The study revealed insights on the decoration and burial preparation of individuals of upper socioeconomic status living in the late Roman Period, as well as comprehensive bioanthropological information of the deceased.

An ideal solution? Optimising pretreatment methods for artificially mummified ancient Egyptian tissues.

RATIONALE: Although the analysis of skeletal remains dominates the study of ancient dietary stable isotopes, mummified bodies also allow short-term diet to be studied through the analysis of soft tissues. The application of resins, waxes and oils during mummification can affect the results obtained. This study assesses a range of methods for removing such substances from mummified tissue. METHODS: An experimental mummification model following ancient Egyptian methods was created using a modern pig leg. Sub-samples of skin, muscle and bone were removed and coated with a range of substances used in Egyptian mummification. Four methods were used to clean these samples before the measurement of the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of their gelatinised collagen content using a ThermoFinnigan Flash Elemental analyser coupled to a DeltaPlus XL isotope ratio mass spectrometer via a ConFlo III interface. RESULTS: The results showed that embalming materials can significantly affect dietary stable isotope ratios, and that these substances are most effectively removed using a mixture of polar and non-polar solvents. Results indicate that bone samples demineralised with HCl and skin samples produce more accurate results than bone samples demineralised with EDTA or muscle samples. CONCLUSIONS: The choice of tissue and the preparation methods used can have a significant effect on the accuracy of stable isotope data obtained from mummified tissue, particularly when embalming materials are also present. A mixture of solvents appears to be a more effective cleaning agent than a single solvent. Demineralisation with HCl is preferable for well-preserved bone, as used in this study, but whether this is the case for more fragile, less well-preserved bone requires further study. Skin samples produce more consistent data than muscle, but visually distinguishing between these tissues is not simple on ancient mummies.

To Save a Corpse from Decomposition - the Purpose of Petrification in the Second Half of the 19th Century.

We present this interesting note on the petrification of corpses, published in 1890 in the Italian Journal of Natural Sciences. After a brief review of the oldest forms of embalming, the author, Michele Martone, presents petrification as the only way to obtain the perfect conservation of the corpse. CONCLUSION: This scientific note presents some considerations regarding the constant search of humanity to arrest, if not the death of a person, the decomposition of their body.

[A comparison between Giovan Battista Rini and Paolo Gorini] / Giovan Battista Rini e Paolo Gorini: due personaggi a confronto

This short paper aims to explore analogies between the two famous embalmers from Lombardy, Giovan Battista Rini and Paolo Gorini. These extraordinary figures are wellknown due to their petrified specimens and are compared on the basis of preparation typologies, materials employed and the shroud of mystery that characterized their stories.

Study of a seventeenth-century French artificial mummy: autopsical, native, and contrast-injected CT investigations.

BACKGROUND: A lead coffin was fortuitously discovered in a church called "Eglise des Toussaints" in Rennes (French Brittany). A collaborative taskforce investigated this extraordinary discovery. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from the National Institute for Preventive Archeological Research (INRAP) and Rangueil University Hospital of Toulouse was created, including anthropologists, archeologists, forensic pathologists, radiologists, and pathologists. The inscription on the lead coffin specified that the body belonged to "Messer Louys de Bruslon, Lord of Plessis," a nobleman who died on November 1, 1661. Multiple holes were visible in the lead coffin, and deterioration threatened the mummy. We opened the lead coffin and discovered an excellently preserved mummy, except for mostly skeletonized upper and lower limbs. The mummy was conserved in several layers of shrouds. Vegetal embalming material covered the head and filled the face, the thorax, and the abdomen. The embalmers had removed all thoracic and abdominal organs and conserved some pelvic organs (e.g., the bladder). METHODS: Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scanner evaluated the mummy, at each step of our analysis. The excellent preservation of abdominal vascular axes led us to perform a CT angiography using Angiofil®, an oily contrast agent developed for postmortem imaging, before an autopsy. RESULTS: Sub-diaphragmatic arteries, including the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries, were excellently preserved. The vascular contrast agent filled all arteries. The native CT, CT angiography, and autopsy did not detect any vascular lesion. CONCLUSION: Our study, based on rare archeological material, allowed a complete examination of an excellently preserved seventeenth-century mummy, using MSCT, angiography, and an autopsy. We did not detect any arterial lesion and proposed a comprehensive description of the embalmment process.

Petamenophis (Padiamenemipet), an Egyptian Child Mummy Protected for Eternity: Revelation by Multidetector Computed Tomography.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our work was to report the most recent findings obtained with multidetector computed tomography of a child mummy from the Roman period (119-123 CE) housed at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. METHODS: Multidetector computed tomography and postprocessing were applied to understand the embalming techniques, the nature of a foreign object, and anthropometrical values. The information was compared with that from other mummies that were buried in the same tomb, but today housed in different museums. RESULTS: New information regarding the embalming technique was revealed. Multidetector computed tomography allowed the identification of a knife-like metallic object, probably an amulet for the child's protection in the afterlife. CONCLUSIONS: Multidetector computed tomography and image postprocessing confirm their valuable role in noninvasive studies in ancient mummies and provided evidence of a unique cultural practice in the late history of Ancient Egypt such as placing a knife possibly as an amulet.

Prehispanic (Guanches) mummies and natrium salts in burial caves of Las Cañadas del Teide (Tenerife).

ABSTRACT: The prehispanic population of Tenerife (Guanches) buried their dead in caves. Many corpses are totally or partially mummified. Embalming procedures are largely unknown, besides some information recorded by chroniclers and the general idea that environmental conditions in some areas may favour natural mummification. Detailed observation of burial caves containing mummified corpses revealed the presence of a white mineral in form of crusts or powder that was not present in the vast majority of non-burial caves, especially in basaltic and trachybasaltic lava flows. We analysed these crusts and they consist of natrium carbonate salts. Therefore, we conducted a search visiting 30 caves, 3 of them harbouring mummified corpses, and made analyses if there were natrium salts in these caves and their amount. One burial cave was located in trachyphonolitic lava flow, and two further caves in trachybasaltic and basaltic lava flows. There was a significant association between presence of natrium salts and use of the cave as a burial site (χ2 = 9.37; p = 0.0259). The semiquantitatively assessed amount of natrium salts was also by far higher in burial caves than in non-burial ones (Z = 2.58, p = 0.01). There are no reports that support the use of natrium salts in the embalming process among the Guanches, but we found a clear-cut relationship between the presence and/or amount of natrium salts in caves and their use as burial sites by the prehispanic population buried in the central highlands, suggesting an intentional use of caves containing this mineral as burial caves, based perhaps on the observation of the ability of natrium salts to preserve corpses.

Meningeal Preservation in a Child Mummy from Ancient Egypt.

Over many centuries, the ancient Egyptians developed a method of preserving bodies so they would remain lifelike. Mummification of bodies was originally a natural process in Egypt, and it evolved to a sophisticated embalming system to preserve the individual for the afterlife. Afterwards, mummification continued to be practiced in Egypt for some 3000 years, lasting until the end of the Christian era. In the Coptic necropolis of Qarara (Middle Egypt), 17 mummified individuals were studied during the 2012 campaign. One of them was a 6-8 old-year male child with a damaged skull that allowed us to see the meningeal structures covering the entire cranial vault, in absence of brain remains. This finding in a child mummy is exceptional, as reflected in the specialized literature.

[Divine cadavers: gender, medical discourse, and anatomical collections in the legend of Pedro González de Velasco]. / Divinos cadáveres: género, discurso médico y colecciones anatómicas en la leyenda de Pedro Gonzólez de Velasco.

This paper examines the relationship between the public image of Pedro Gonzólez de Velasco (1815-1882), famous for his anatomical collections and his Anthropological Museum, founded in 1875 in Madrid, and the popular legend related to the death, embalming and exhumation of his daughter Concepción. The doctor who is committed to the nation becomes a mad scientist, and his official biography is transformed into an urban legend. Beyond the merely anecdotal, I show how the aesthetics associated with female corpses and artificial women organize cultural imaginaries, bringing together medical discourses and literary and artistic representations.

[Not Available]. / Les produits d'embaumement égyptiens : nouvelles données pharmacologiques.

Today, the development of analytic methods brings new scientific insights into the research on the mummification process used by embalmers in ancient Egypt. The application of these techniques of molecular analysis, elementary analysis, botanical analysis and bibliographic analysis of ancient texts allows us to know the composition of mummification balms and material involved in the conservation of the body. Such substances, which are mineral, animal or plant material, played a practical and a symbolic part in the composition of balms used for the preservation of mummified bodies and therefore in the passage to the eternal life after the death. The comparison of analysis results can inform us about changes in embalming techniques depending of the time, the place of mummification, the deceased's social status. However the number of mummies studied is very small compared to the number of bodies that were mummified. Finally the techniques of mummification and making balms were very variable according to practitioners and their modus operandi. Today, using these technic of chemical analysis and medical imaging techniques, we can authenticate and reconstruct the history of museum pieces, as we have done in the unpublished studies conducted in support of literature data previously collected.

Autoptic practices in 16th-18th century Florence: Skeletal evidences from the Medici family.

During the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance autopsy started to be practised for medico-legal purposes in order to investigate the causes of death. The other reason for dissecting a body was embalming, a diffused custom typical of the elitarian classes. The exploration of the Medici tombs in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence offered the opportunity to investigate the practice of autopsy on these aristocratic personages of the Renaissance and Early Modern Age. A total of 25 currently skeletonized individuals, almost all of whom formerly artificial mummies, were exhumed. Accurate examination of the skeletons revealed evident signs of autoptic practices such as horizontal and oblique craniotomies, longitudinal and transversal cuts of the sternum, and sectioning of the sternal extremities of the ribs. In this group, women were treated differently to men at autopsy, as only men underwent craniotomy; autopsy and embalming were carried out also for the illegitimate members of the family and for subaldults. The extremely rich documentary archives of the Medici family confirm that the corpses were in several cases submitted to autopsy. The present study offers important direct information on the 16-18th century autoptic practices that the court surgeons in Florence performed on the members of the elite class.

Imaging of Ancient Egyptian Animal Mummies.

Human mummies have long been studied by using imaging as a primary investigative method. Mummified animal remains from ancient Egypt are less well researched, yet much can be learned about species diversity and the methods of preservation. Noninvasive imaging methods enable mummy bundles to remain intact, with no detrimental physical effects, thus ensuring protection of a valuable archaeological resource. This article is based on the research experience gathered during 13 years (2000-2012) with 152 animal mummies held in the collections of 17 museums in the United Kingdom. Conventional radiography, computed radiography, digital radiography, and computed tomography (CT) available in the clinical setting were used to assess the value of each imaging modality in the study of animal mummies and related material. Radiography proved to be an excellent research method that provided initial insight into the contents of the mummy bundle, and CT contributed additional useful detail in some cases. Paleoradiologic analyses enabled information on mummy bundle contents to be proved, including the nature of the skeletal remains and the methods of mummification. An optimum method involving radiography and CT is described.

[Embalming: ritual and symbol of power in the West]. / L'embaumement: rituel et symbole de pouvoir en Occident.

Western embalming follows two main goals: a practical function of post-mortem body conservation at least the long time necessary for the organization of a funeral ceremony. But also a theological function with the transformation of the dead body into a good smelling corpse that will be received in Paradise during the "apotheosis". Several forensic anthropological and osteo-archaeological recent studies have enlightened the complexity of such practices. We present here the main results of such studies carried out by our research team.

Subcutaneous packing in royal Egyptian mummies dated from 18th to 20th dynasties.

OBJECTIVE: It has been widely disseminated in the literature that subcutaneous packing, as part of mummification, was not usually done until the 21st dynasty. We aimed to study by computed tomography (CT) if subcutaneous packing was part of mummification of royal Egyptians dated to 18th to 20th dynasties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the 2- and 3-dimensional CT images of 13 royal mummies dated to circa 1550 to 1153 BC for presence of subcutaneous embalming materials. Among the studied mummies were Amenhotep III, Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramesses II. We reported the CT characters of any detected subcutaneous embalming materials and noted their impact on the morphology of the involved body part. We correlated the CT findings with the archeological literature. RESULTS: Computed tomographic images showed subcutaneous packing in 12 (92.3%) mummies; whereas the mummy that was previously known as "Thutmose I" showed no such evidence. Subcutaneous packing involved the faces (n = 11), necks (n = 4), torsos (n = 5), and/or extremities (n = 4) of the mummies. Subcutaneous filling materials showed variation in homogeneity and CT densities and they were likely composed of resin, bits of linen with resin, or other substances. Subcutaneous packing procedure succeeded in providing uniform full contour of the involved body regions without causing significant tissue damages. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous packing procedure was used as part of mummification of royal Ancient Egyptians dated to 18th to 20th dynasties earlier than what was believed in archaeology. The Ancient Egyptian embalmers must have been skilled in dissection and possessed surgical tools that enabled them to perform this fine procedure.