Researchers find evidence of embalming practices in 16th century France

A research paper published in the journal Scientific Reports detailed the discovery of embalming practices by an aristocratic French family between the 16th and 17th centuries. A team from the Austrian Archaeological Institute, the Université de Bordeaux and the Aix-Marseille Université have reportedly discovered remains of the dead in a shared crypt at the Château des Milandes in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle in the Dordogne. The skeletal remains of twelve individuals, including seven adults and five children, were analyzed and demonstrated the systematic use of embalming methods.

Embalming techniques and processes

According to the research, it was found that embalming focused on temporary preservation for burial ceremonies. Internal organs, including the brain, were precisely removed and the skulls carefully reopened and replaced. The bodies were treated with a mixture of balm and aromatics. In the paper, the research team also emphasized that the embalming method was identical to that mentioned in a 1708 autopsy manual by French surgeon Pierre Dionis.

A rare family practice

The study highlighted the uniqueness of the find and noted that long-term family embalming practices are extremely rare. The process has been used consistently across generations, with both children and adults, suggesting its cultural significance within the Caumont family. Their wealth and social status were likely factors in sustaining the practice.

Significance of the results

The late 16th-century crypt offers an unprecedented insight into autopsy rituals in early modern France. The research offers a unique perspective on autopsy practices in early modern France and illuminates the cultural and social significance of embalming in aristocratic circles.

As reported in Scientific Reports, the results represent an unprecedented insight into the burial traditions of the period.