Hutten or not? A re-examination of two late medieval skeletons from the island of Ufenau SZ

Ulrich von Hutten (1488 - 1523) was a renowned German knight, humanist, and poet. With his famous treatise De Guaiacum medicina et morbo Gallico liber unus from 1519, he was also the first known patient describing the syphilis epidemic ravaging in Europe at the beginning of the 16th century. He died from complications of his disease on the island of Ufenau (Lake Zürich, Schwyz – SZ, Switzerland). Two skeletons discovered in 1958 (H58) and 1968 (H68) have been assumed to be his remains. Thanks to renovation work on the island in 2016, we were able to re-exhume these skeletons and we present here our preliminary anthropological, palaeopathological and archaeometrical analyses. We compare the localizations of his syphilitic lesions as well as other possiblep athological manifestations with those described in Hutten's works. As he also reported at least eleven unsuccessful treatments with mercury ointments, we compare the mercury content of the two skeletons with that of eleven Late Medieval individuals from the St. Johann city church in Rapperswil-Jona (St. Gallen - SG, Switzerland). This reference could possibly help in the attribution of one of the skeletons to Ulrich von Hutten

Ulrich von Huttens Grab: Ist es wirklich Hutten?

In den Jahren 1958 und 1968 wurden auf der Insel Ufenau (Schwyz, Schweiz) zwei Skelette entdeckt, welche beide als die menschlichen Überreste des Deutschen Ritters, Humanisten und poeta laureatus Ulrich von Hutten (1488–1523) beschrieben wurden. Sie wurden in der Gruft unter der Gedenkplatte auf der Südseite der Pfarrkirche St. Peter und Paul wiederbestattet und konnten im Rahmen von Umbauarbeiten auf der Insel Ufenau Ende 2016 erneut exhumiert und interdisziplinär untersucht werden

Multidisciplinary Identification of the Controversial Freedom Fighter Jörg Jenatsch, Assassinated 1639 in Chur, Switzerland.

Jörg Jenatsch, a leading freedom fighter during the Thirty Year's War in Graubünden, Switzerland, was assassinated on carnival 1639. Jenatsch's controversial biography and the unclear circumstances of his death inspired the formation of various legends, novels and films. In 1959, a skeleton discovered in the cathedral of Chur with remains of wealthy baroque clothing was tentatively attributed to Jenatsch. Here, we reassess the skeleton based on a new exhumation. Our multidisciplinary analysis and the head injuries are consistent with reports of the eyewitnesses of the crime, demonstrating that Jenatsch was killed from behind with a semi-sharp implement, supposedly an axe, as well as by a blow with a broad-surfaced object. Moreover, our facial reconstruction closely matches an oil portrait of Jenatsch, and the HIrisPlex system applied to DNA-extracts from the femoral bone reveals brown eye and dark brown hair colour, which coincides well with the portrait, too. Finally, isotope analysis of the femoral bone and a molar support Jenatsch's high social status, luxury diet and a high mobility in the last decade of his life. This multidisciplinary approach thus reinforces personal identification and provides additional insight into the life of this important historic person beyond written resources

Different stages of the facial reconstruction.

<p>Different stages of the facial reconstruction.</p

CT based panoramic radiograph of the maxillary (top) and mandibular dentition (bottom).

<p>Two teeth have been extracted before radiographic examination (right first and left second mandibular molar), while the left mandibular wisdom tooth, whose clinical crown was completely destroyed, was not in its alveolus, and both maxillary first molars have been lost intra vitam. Radiographically visible deep carious lesions are shown by large arrows; small carious lesions that are only visible macroscopically are shown by small arrows.</p

Comparison of the facial reconstruction with the portrait of Jörg Jenatsch.

<p>A) Raw facial reconstruction, performed without influence of the portrait. B) The same hairstyle superimposed on the facial reconstruction as in the portrait. C) Original portrait of Jörg Jenatsch (Courtesy of Swiss Embassy in Paris, France).</p

The preserved bones of the lower extremities.

<p>The 7 x 2 cm large defect in the left femoral shaft resulted from DNA sampling. Scale bar 10 cm.</p

Prediction probabilities for hair colour categories and shade, as well as eye colour, for the four options of bone sample A.

<p>Prediction probabilities for hair colour categories and shade, as well as eye colour, for the four options of bone sample A.</p

Hair and eye colour analysis based on the HIrisPlex system, results from bone samples A and B, and person C.

<p>Hair and eye colour analysis based on the HIrisPlex system, results from bone samples A and B, and person C.</p