title: A glimpse into the early origins of medieval anatomy through the oldest conserved human dissection (Western Europe, 13(th) c. A.D.).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medieval autopsy practice is very poorly known in Western Europe, due to a lack of both descriptive medico-surgical texts and conserved dissected human remains. This period is currently considered the dark ages according to a common belief of systematic opposition of Christian religious authorities to the opening of human cadavers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The identification in a private collection of an autopsied human individual dated from the 13(th) century A.D. is an opportunity for better knowledge of such practice in this chrono-cultural context, i.e. the early origins of occidental dissections. A complete forensic anthropological procedure was carried out, completed by radiological and elemental analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete procedure of this body opening and internal organs exploration is explained, and compared with historical data about forensic and anatomical autopsies from this period. During the analysis, a red substance filling all arterial cavities, made of mercury sulfide (cinnabar) mixed with vegetal oil (oleic and palmitic acids) was identified; it was presumably used to highlight vascularization by coloring in red such vessels, and help in the preservation of the body.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of particular interest for the description of early medical and anatomical knowledge, this "human preparation" is the oldest known yet, and is particularly important for the fields of history of medicine, surgery and anatomical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, University Hospital R. Poincaré, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Charlier
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Pitié-Salpétrière (AP-HP), Paris, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huynh-Charlier
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Toxicology, University Hospital Lariboisière (AP-HP), Paris, France.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poupon
authors.affiliation: Horiba,Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
authors.forename: Eloïse
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lancelot
authors.affiliation: Niels Böhr Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Paula F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: International Flavors and Fragrancies, Neuilly sur Seine, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Favier
authors.affiliation: International Flavors and Fragrancies, Neuilly sur Seine, France.
authors.forename: Gaël-François
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Jeannel
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Storia della Scienza, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio Rippa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bonati
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, University Hospital R. Poincaré, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Geoffroy Lorin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: de la Grandmaison
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Ethics and Forensic Medicine, University of Paris 5, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hervé
keywords: cadaver; death; forensic anthropology; history of medicine; medical anatomy; medical ethics; paleopathology; status of body