Body petrification in Italy. Another recipe of the 19th century revealed.

Body petrification in Italy. Another recipe of the 19th century revealed.

Authors

  • Omar Larentis Insubria University, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Varese, Italy
  • Chiara Tesi Insubria University, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Varese, Italy
  • Marta Licata Insubria University, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Varese, Italy
  • Roberta Fusco Insubria University, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Varese, Italy
  • Ilaria Gorini Insubria University, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Varese, Italy
  • Chiara Rossetti Insubria University, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Centre of Research in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, Varese, Italy
  • Enrica Tonina B. Bagolini laboratory, Department of Humanities, University of Trento, Trento, Italy

Keywords:

Embalming, Petrification, Formulae, Italy, 19th century, 20th century

Abstract

The embalming of bodies through various techniques and materials characterized the paths of some Italian scholars between the 19th and 20th century. The so-called petrifiers developed their own formulas and methods, which have so far remained mostly unknown.

In this article, we present one of the formulas used in Italy between the 19th and 20th centuries. This recipe increases our knowledge of embalming practices and may well prove useful for the conservation and protection of ancient anatomical preparations, which should be regarded as unique and priceless assets.

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Published

26-01-2021

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2020)

Section

Original articles: Paleopathology

License

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

1.
Larentis O, Tesi C, Licata M, Fusco R, Gorini I, Rossetti C, et al. Body petrification in Italy. Another recipe of the 19th century revealed. Med Histor [Internet]. 2021 Jan. 26 [cited 2025 Mar. 15];4(3):e2020020. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/MedHistor/article/view/11143

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