A comparison between Giovan Battista Rini and Paolo Gorini

Il presente contributo è finalizzato ad esplorare le analogie tra due celebri imbalsamatori lombardi, Giovan Battista Rini e Paolo Gorini. Tali straordinarie figure, note soprattutto per la preparazione di esemplari pietrificati, vengono confrontate sulla base della tipologia di reperti, dei materiali impiegati e dell’alone di mistero che li accomunò.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

Molecular identification of parasites in an intestinal coprolite from a mummified religious dignitary of the Piraino Mother Church crypt, Sicily

Intestinal contents were sampled from a spontaneously enhanced mummy from the Sepulcher of the Priests of the Piraino Mother Church in the Province of Messina, Sicily. This adult male mummy, Piraino 1, is an unidentified religious dignitary dating from the late-18th to mid-19th centuries. Immunological and molecular diagnostics were used to test for common and clinically significant parasites. A morphological diagnosis of Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) was confirmed genetically. A previously undetected Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) infection was also identified genetically. These data indicate that the Piraino 1 individual was simultaneously infected with multiple intestinal parasite species indicative of poor hygiene. This study also emphasizes the importance of utilizing multiple diagnostic techniques to detect pathogens from archaeological contexts

The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs Project: a multidisciplinary approach to the study of a modern Mummy Collection (ca 1600-1900)

In this paper we present a multidisciplinary project for the study of the present conditions, history, bioanthropological features and conservation status of a large collection of modern human mummies, kept in the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (Sicily, Italy). Due to the large amount of spontaneously and anthropogenically mummified human bodies, and to an abundant presence of associated artefacts, this collection provides a unique opportunity to carry out a large multidisciplinary survey useful for a thorough biocultural understanding of these remains, a conservation plan, and testing of new restoration protocols

Human mummification practices among the Ibaloy of Kabayan, North Luzon, the Philippines

The province of Benguet, situated in North Luzon, the Philippines, holds a large number of ancient mummified remains, mostly located within the municipality of Kabayan. Such bodies are mainly associated to the Ibaloy – one of the indigenous groups collectively known as Igorot – and are stored in natural rockshelters or caves carved into the stone, inside wooden coffins often obtained from hollowed pine tree segments. Recent inspections of some of these corpses, carried out in 2002 and 2012, indicated the nature of their mummification process as well as some details regarding their bioanthropological features. Although very little information was initially available on these bodies, the authors have gathered significant oral information on funerary rituals and attitudes towards the ancestors via interviews with the local elders, as well as data on the vegetal materials employed and the practice of tattooing. This paper is the first critical evaluation of these mummies and demonstrates the uniqueness and preciousness of this biocultural heritage now in danger

Unveiling the Identities of the Juvenile Mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily

Two kilometers west of the historic city of Palermo (Sicily) lie the Capuchin Catacombs. This site is home to 1,284 mummified individuals, including the mummified and skeletal remains of at least 163 children. The individuals within the Catacombs provide a window into historical funerary rites, beliefs, and traditions. Until recently, anthropological research has focused on the adults; this study aims to rectify this imbalance. Using a portable direct digital (DR) radiography unit and anthropological methods, forty-three individuals, the majority of whom were housed in the “Children’s Room”, were examined. This methodological approach provided an insight into demography, pathology, funerary attire and artifacts, and mummification methods associated with the children of nineteenth-century Palermo. In total, 35/43 (81.4%) individuals were between two and eight years of age. The high concentration of young children in the “Children’s Room” may have been an attempt to appeal to visitors’ preferences over the course of the twentieth century. Despite the high social standing of these children, some individuals exhibited Harris Lines, which suggest physiological growth disruption or disturbance. Most individuals (35/43) were spontaneously mummified, while evidence suggests the remaining juveniles were likely offered anthropogenic mummification. This may indicate a difference in social identity and/or status, which was possibly associated with family wealth. The overall findings have revealed new evidence for the age profile, health status, and funerary rites associated with the children who inhabited and died in late modern Palermo, allowing researchers to form a fuller understanding of the city and its inhabitants during this period

Pollen Evidence of Medicine from an Embalming Jar Associated with Vittoria della Rovere, Florence, Italy

Various samples of human viscera fragments, sponges, and cloth were collected from embalming jars belonging to members of the Medici family of Florence. One jar was labeled with the name Vittoria della Rovere, who died in March of 1694. This jar contained viscera fragments that were identified as a section of collapsed intestine. The intestine of the Vittoria della Rovere sample contained a large concentration of pollen belonging to the Myrtaceae family. The Myrtaceae pollen was sometimes observed in clusters during analysis, which is indicative of purposeful ingestion of flowers, buds, or a substance derived from floral structures. Thus, the high concentrations and clustering of Myrtaceae pollen grains recovered from this sample are reflective of dietary or medicinal practices. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the pollen was from cloves, Syzygium aromaticum. It is most likely that Vittoria della Rovere consumed cloves for medicinal or culinary reasons shortly before death

New trends in immunohistochemical methods to estimate the time since death: a review

The identification of a reliable and accurate post-mortem interval (PMI) is a major challenge in the field of forensic sciences and criminal investigation. Several laboratory techniques have recently been developed that offer a better contribution to the estimation of PMI, in addition to the traditional physical or physico-chemical (body cooling, lividity, radiocarbon dating, rigor mortis), chemical (autolysis), microbiological (putrefaction), entomological, as well as botanical parameters. Molecular biology (degradation pattern of macromolecules such as proteins, DNA, RNA), biochemical analysis of biological fluids (such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and vitreous humor), and immunohistochemistry are some of the most recent technological innovations. A systematic review of the literature was performed with the aim of presenting an up-to-date overview on the correlation between the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of specific antigenic markers at different PMIs. The systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Scopus and PubMed were used as search engines from January 1, 1998 to March 1, 2022 to evaluate the effectiveness of immunohistochemistry in estimating PMI. The following keywords were used: (immunohistochemical) OR (immunohistochemistry) AND (time since death) OR (post-mortem interval) OR (PMI). A total of 6571 articles were collected. Ultimately, 16 studies were included in this review. The results of this systematic review highlighted that IHC techniques, in association with traditional methods, add, in Bayesian terms, additional information to define a more accurate time of death and PMI. However, current IHC results are numerically limited and more data and studies are desirable in the near future