A new study published in the Scientific Reports journal revealed evidence of a mummification practice among French nobility from the early 16th century to the late 17th century.
The tradition of mummification spans centuries and is most famously associated with ancient Egypt and early South American cultures. At the heart of ancient Egyptian belief was mummification, which they saw as granting the dead eternal life in the afterlife, as preserving bodies in the best possible condition was vital.
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Surgical marks found on French noble's body
(Photo: C. Partiot, M. Bessou, Scientific Reports)
Similarly, mummification in South America was widespread among ancient cultures like the Chinchorro, who lived thousands of years ago in what is now Peru, possibly to memorialize family members who passed away prematurely.
The research team of bioarchaeologists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences' Institute for Archaeology, the University of Bordeaux and Aix-Marseille University examined this phenomenon.
Their findings, as reported on Phys.org, suggest that these mummification efforts were not aimed at long-term preservation but rather at maintaining the bodies until burial ceremonies were held.
The researchers analyzed the skeletal remains of 12 individuals buried in a shared crypt — a burial space preserving bodies — used by the noble Caumont family at Chateau des Milandes in the Dordogne region of southern France. This tradition, which lasted nearly 200 years, reflects an intergenerational transmission of knowledge unprecedented in its consistency.
The team uncovered around 2,000 bone fragments belonging to seven adults and five children, all mummified using similar methods. In additional excavations, the remains of an elderly woman, also mummified and part of the noble family, were found.
The mummification process involved removing all internal organs, including the brain, through highly sterile cranial incisions. The bodies were then thoroughly cleansed and filled with embalming substances made from plants and aromatic materials.
The researchers noted that this process aligns with descriptions by French surgeon Pierre Dionis in his postmortem dissection guide, published in 1708. Furthermore, the consistency of the methods used for both adults and children supports the notion that the practice was passed down across generations.
The discovery is considered a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind, as multiple mummifications within the same family are exceedingly rare, not only at this particular site but across the world. According to the researchers, the continuity of this technique over such a long period indicates that the Caumont family was exceptionally wealthy and held highly social status.
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The findings provide a unique opportunity to study late medieval European mummification techniques, including the incision marks on skulls and other skeletal elements, offering insights into the detailed procedures of skin removal and preparation across generations.