Mummified remains in the field of forensics. The comparison of a 19th century case report with current cases

Abstract

From the medical report published in the “Rivista Italiana di Scienze Naturali” in 1890 about a forensic examination conducted on two mummified fetuses, we discuss the interdisciplinary approach in forensic field. Already in this nineteenth-century case, we note how the multidisciplinary approach was able to answer certain questions. During the forensic investigation of a mummified body, a correct analysis allows to determine the era of death and causes of the mummification process, the manner in which the person died, whether it is related to homicide, suicide or a case of corpse concealment. The dialogue between the different disciplines (forensic pathology, anthropology, radiology, histology, entomology, archeology, psychiatry, etc.) is fundamental today as it was in the past in order to solve cases in the criminological field. We hope that the collaboration between the different sciences can grow again in the future.