In this contribution, we present and discuss two paleotoxicological studies by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) on the mummified remains of the members of Aragon and vice-royal court of Naples, buried in the Neapolitan Basilica of Saint Domenico Maggiore (15–17th centuries). In the first study, we performed a toxicological analysis of the hair content of fourteen mummified individuals: four mummies showed external perimortem application, three had no traces of mercury, and seven showed mercury values in hair ranging from 411 to 47 ppm, which indicated prolonged exposure in life to the metal. The historical identification of the bodies and the consequent nosography reconstruction, together with the direct paleopathological study of mummies, allowed us to assume that the prolonged exposure in life to the metal was probably due to mercurial anti-syphilitic therapy. The second study was conducted on the colon samples of the natural mummy of Luigi Carafa, prince of Stigliano (1511-1576), affected by a stage III invasive adenocarcinoma of the colon. The very high toxic levels of lead (50 ppm) and copper (53.5 ppm) demonstrate that the prince had been subjected in life to an iatrochemical-Paracelsian therapy with a high content of these metals. Paleotoxicology is therefore an important resource in studies on mummified remains as, together with accurate paleopathological and nosographic diagnoses, it can help to obtain new information on past therapeutic practices.
The mummies of the Basilica of Saint Domenico Maggiore in Naples (XV-XVII centuries): a paleotoxicological approach
Antonio FornaciariPrimo
;Valentina Giuffra;Chericoni Silvio;Fabio Stefanelli;Raffaele Gaeta;Gino Fornaciari
2022-01-01
Abstract
In this contribution, we present and discuss two paleotoxicological studies by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) on the mummified remains of the members of Aragon and vice-royal court of Naples, buried in the Neapolitan Basilica of Saint Domenico Maggiore (15–17th centuries). In the first study, we performed a toxicological analysis of the hair content of fourteen mummified individuals: four mummies showed external perimortem application, three had no traces of mercury, and seven showed mercury values in hair ranging from 411 to 47 ppm, which indicated prolonged exposure in life to the metal. The historical identification of the bodies and the consequent nosography reconstruction, together with the direct paleopathological study of mummies, allowed us to assume that the prolonged exposure in life to the metal was probably due to mercurial anti-syphilitic therapy. The second study was conducted on the colon samples of the natural mummy of Luigi Carafa, prince of Stigliano (1511-1576), affected by a stage III invasive adenocarcinoma of the colon. The very high toxic levels of lead (50 ppm) and copper (53.5 ppm) demonstrate that the prince had been subjected in life to an iatrochemical-Paracelsian therapy with a high content of these metals. Paleotoxicology is therefore an important resource in studies on mummified remains as, together with accurate paleopathological and nosographic diagnoses, it can help to obtain new information on past therapeutic practices.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.