Bodies of Stone: Petrification and Human Anatomy in 19th and 20th Century Italy

Event description

In the 19th century, the development of natural sciences resulted in methods aimed at mineralising anatomical specimens. Italy in particular saw a surge of preparations that aspired to find the best technique to preserve bodies for artistic activities, scientific museum collections, educational purposes and even commemorative uses.

This presentation will deal with the most recent advances in the knowledge of such medical mummies, and will present case studies shedding new light on how these specimens were prepared.