Brief communication: skeletal evidence of operations on cadavers from Sens (Yonne, France) at the end of the XVth century.

Abstract

Human remains giving direct evidence concerning the history of dissection practices are rare. Thirteen cranial fragments which bear evidence of having been purposely cut and sawn were discovered in a crypt during excavations undertaken in Sens (Yonne, France). Ceramics date these remains to the period from the end of the XIVth to the end of the XVIth centuries. Nine individuals are represented: one adolescent and eight adults of both sexes. The position of the cutmarks, which were produced by a long, sharp cutting tool, show that the scalp was completely removed from the skull. The sawing, which was done with a large-toothed saw, was both clockwise and counterclockwise in direction. The sawn surfaces reveal a deliberate attempt not to damage the brain. This procedure is compared to that of modern autopsies. The remains from Sens are also compared with several other sawn cranial fragments recently discovered in France and England. Three hypotheses are discussed: embalmment, autopsy, and anatomical studies. Analysis of these remains and historical documentation suggest embalmment and/or autopsy as the probable purpose of the opening of the skull.