Citation

Leccia C, Alunni V, Quatrehomme G. Forensic Sci. Int. 2018; 288: 330.e1-330.e9.

Affiliation

Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Faculté de Médecine, Université Côte d'Azur, and CEPAM (UMR CNRS 7264), 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice Cedex 2, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.04.029

PMID

29807756

Abstract

Twenty mummies discovered in a forensic context between 2002 and 2016 were compiled in this work. 15 cases were excluded and 15 cases of forensic mummies were found in the literature. In the current work the percentage of mummification was calculated by "the rule of nines" used for describing burned injuries in livings. Dry and hot environments, emaciation, little access to flies are favorable conditions for mummification. Nevertheless mummification was also observed in other cold and humid environments. Extensive mummification (defined in this work as "at least 50% of mummification of the body skin) has occurred in as little as three weeks in the current series. The post mortem interval was estimated by indirect clues. The cause of death was usually impossible to establish.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Autopsy; Forensic anthropology population data; Mummies; Mummification; Post mortem interval