title: Mummified saints of the Northern Croatian Littoral.
abstract: The Istrian town of Vodnjan hosts a collection of mummified bodies and relics. Three mummies  are completely preserved and belong to Blessed Leon Bembo, St Giovanni Olini, and St  Nicolosa Bursa, while the other three are mummified remains of St Barbara, St Sebastian,  and St Mary of Egypt.  This article gives an overview of the three completely preserved bodies, including their external  condition, hagiographic data, statements and hypotheses that need verification by future  targeted scientific research. Although local populations attribute divine properties to the  remains and treat their continued preservation as a mystery, their origin is probably similar  to that of other mummified saints. A scientific study performed on the mummies will probably  help to reveal the true origin and type of mummification of the bodies. Additional paleopathological  research could also determine the cause of death, if the saints died by natural causes,  or attest to any mutilation or sign of torture suffered in life and confirm them as the cause of  death. Proper bioarchaeological research could bring useful osteobiographical updates to the  existing records about these saints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Criminalistics, Rijeka University School of Medicine, Croatia. anja.petaros@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petaros
authors.forename: Ante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skrobonja
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosnar
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009106:Mummies / Q000266:history*; D018597:Saints / Q000266:history*