Vestiges of autopsies and surgical procedures in the "Baron von Asch" skulls of the Blumenbach Skull Collection in Göttingen.

Abstract

Some of the oldest specimens from the Blumenbach Skull Collection were provided by Baron Georg Thomas von Asch (1729-1807) from Saint Petersburg, who was staff-surgeon general of the Imperial Russian Army, and Privy Council for Empress Catherine II. The 63 human skulls, which originate from all over the Russian Empire, provide the basis of a new anthropological and palaeopathological investigation. The distribution of age-at-death and sex of the skull sample reveals that most of the individuals were young adult males. Cut marks, as well as remnants of soft tissue, deliver information about the preparation of the skulls. Some skulls were craniotomised. The way the craniotomies were performed suggests that they mostly were carried out for autoptic reasons. Two of the skulls show trepanation openings from a circular cranial trepan. One of these individuals obviously died during or soon after the surgical event, while the other one survived the procedure. The interpretation of the results of the anthropological and palaeopathological analysis gives an interesting insight into the character of these collection specimens. Furthermore, it reveals essential information about autoptic and surgical practice during the second half of the 18th century AD.