Traces of Dissection on Human Skeletal Remains of the First Half of 19th Century from Ostrava, Czech Republic

Abstract

Rescue archaeological excavation in Puchmajerova Street, Ostrava, Czech Republic, has resulted in the discovery of approximately 40 graves dating back to the Early Modern Period. One of the graves, number 841, connected with the last stage of the cemetery’s existence, has provided human bones in a very poor state of preservation. These have been anthropologically analysed and subsequently interpreted as the remains of a woman who died in her young adult life (20–25 years). The skeleton number 841 shows traces of dissection-like intervention in the right parietal bone and squama of the frontal bone, which has proved to be a key factor for subsequent investigations. Based on archaeological findings (the dating and grave inventory), anthropological assessment (sex, age and dissection traces), and written sources (registers of deaths), we have been able to identify this skeleton as the remains of the Ostrava burgher Marianna Máchová (1817–1837), who committed suicide in 1837. IANSA 2016 ● VII/2 ● 197–205 Michal Živný, Zbyněk Moravec: Traces of Dissection on Human Skeletal Remains of the First Half of 19th Century from Ostrava, Czech Republic 198 identify the skeleton with a known person, and subsequently to look deeper into her life by means of the available written sources. Thus the skeletal remains from grave number 841 play a major role in this paper. The primary goal is to refer to the rare and unusual archaeological find of a postmortem invasion into the skull. The identification of the skeletal remains with a real historical person who has provided recorded information on the said postmortem manipulation is regarded as proof as to the correctness of our observations. 2. Material and methods 2.1 Archaeological background Grave number 841 was situated in the very latest (most recent) group of burials at our cemetery. It is dated back to the period 1785–1843 and, in agreement with the funeral practices of that times, it was placed in a single line. The eastern (or lower) half of the grave (and skeletal remains) did not still exist at the time of our archaeological excavation, having been already removed by earlier building activities on the cemetery site. Thus only the western (or upper) half of the grave had been preserved for subsequent research (Figure 1). The grave was oriented in a NW–SE direction. There were poorly preserved human skeletal remains in a stretched supine position in the grave pit, with the upper extremities bent at the elbow joints and hands laid on the chest. Furthermore, the remains of a wooden coffin were detected around the skeleton (Moravec et al. 2014, 68–69). In contrast to the condition of the skeletal remains themselves, these wooden residues represent the best preserved coffin remnants at our cemetery. The coffin was originally closed by iron nails and was Figure 1. Skeleton number 841: field excavation. Taken from Moravec et al. 2014. IANSA 2016 ● VII/2 ● 197–205 Michal Živný, Zbyněk Moravec: Traces of Dissection on Human Skeletal Remains of the First Half of 19th Century from Ostrava, Czech Republic 199 probably inlaid by textiles (Moravcová et al. 2015, 285). The grave goods consisted of two items of a devotional character (crosses, one on the chest, the other in the palm of the hand, presumably), which represent very common components of Early Modern Period graves (Králíková 2007; Moravcová et al. 2015, 285–287; Rubinková 1999). The objects of the grave’s inventory and other aspects of the burial rites do not predict the biological features of the deceased (e.g. gender), but do indicate higher social status. 2.2 State of preservation The skeletal remains in grave number 841 have been preserved poorly overall, both in quantity and quality. We only have around 15–20% of the bone mass of the entire skeleton (Figure 2). All preserved bones (or fragments thereof) were found in their normal anatomical position. The upper half Figure 2. Skeleton number 841: depiction of available parts. Drawn by Michal Živný. Chart made by University of Göttingen (Zentrum Anatomie, M. Schultz). IANSA 2016 ● VII/2 ● 197–205 Michal Živný, Zbyněk Moravec: Traces of Dissection on Human Skeletal Remains of the First Half of 19th Century from Ostrava, Czech Republic 200 of the body (especially the trunk) was strongly affected by post-depositional taphonomic processes (probably due to decaying wood from the coffin remnants), which resulted in almost the complete disintegration of the spine (vertebrae) and chest bones (ribs), the disappearance of most of the skull, and the partial disturbance of the bones of upper extremities. The lower half of the body (lumbar and sacral spine and lower extremities) was fully damaged and removed by earlier building activity in the area of the former cemetery during the 20th century. 2.3 Brief summary of preserved bones 2.3.1 Trunk skeleton Only around 1% of bone volume has been preserved in the case of trunk bones (only a few tiny fragments of ribs and vertebrae are available). 2.3.2 Skull In the case of the cranium (excluding lower jawbone), around 30–40% of bone mass has been preserved. Despite this, the surviving parts of the skull provide a very important source of information concerning the anthropological features of the skeleton. In the neurocranium, remnants of cranial vault bones in particular are available, while bones of the skull base have been preserved only slightly. We have a large part of the right parietal bone, part of the squama, pars petrosa, pars tympanica and a complete processus mastoideus of the right temporal bone, a pars petrosa of the left temporal bone, a few fragments of the frontal and occipital bones, and a few tiny fragments of hardly classifiable cranial vault bones. As regards the facial skeleton, only two fragments of upper jawbones (to the extent of alveolar arches) and parts of both cheek bones are available. 2.3.3 Lower jawbone The lower jawbone has been preserved in the form of a larger fragment comprising around 70% of its bone mass. This fragment contains a part of the corpus and ramus dexter (with incompletely preserved both coronoid and articular processes). 2.3.4 Teeth In addition, we have almost all the permanent teeth of both jawbones available, excluding the third molars. Only the right and left upper first molars were still fixed in the tooth alveols, other teeth had already fallen out (postmortem) by the time of exhumation. 2.3.5 Right upper extremity This part of the body has been preserved to the extent of around 60–70% of bone mass volume. The following bones and their fragments are available: • clavicula: approximately 80% of the bone mass (body without sternal and acromial end), • scapula: approximately 5–10% of the bone mass (area of attachment of spina scapulae), • humerus: approximately 80% of the bone mass (diaphysis proximally broken off in area of collum chirurgicum and distally under the point of the shortest circumference; neither of the epiphyses were available), • radius: approximately 80% of the bone mass (diaphysis proximally broken off in area of collum radii and distally slightly above the connection point with the distal epiphysis; neither of the epiphyses were available), • ulna: about 60% of the bone mass (diaphysis proximally broken off at level of incisura trochlearis) and distally slightly below the midpoint of the bone; neither of the epiphyses were available), • ossa manus: three metacarpal bone fragments. 2.3.6 Left upper extremity This has also been preserved to the extent of around 60– 70% of bone mass volume. The following bones and their fragments are available: • clavicula: approximately 10% of the bone mass (small portion close to the acromial end), • humerus: approximately 80% of the bone mass (diaphysis proximally broken off in area of collum chirurgicum; distally an accreted portion of the epiphysis with part of trochlea has been preserved; the proximal epiphysis was not available), • radius: approximately 90% of the bone mass (2 fragments – diaphysis proximally broken off in area of collum radii and part of the distal portion of the diaphysis with accreted epiphysis with carpal articular surface; the proximal epiphysis were not available), • ulna: approximately 90% of the bone mass (2 fragments – diaphysis proximally broken off in area of incisura trochlearis and olecranon and part of the distal portion of the diaphysis with accreted epiphysis), • ossa manus: four carpal bones (os scaphoideum, os lunatum, os capitatum and os hamatum) and all five almost complete metacarpal bones. 2.4 Methods of anthropological assessment Human skeletal remains from grave number 841 underwent laboratory treatment and subsequent anthropological examination, which comprised of osteometric analysis, assessment of sex as well as age at death, estimation of body height and, subsequently, description of peculiarities and their interpretation in the context of archaeological observations and historical sources. The state of preservation of the skeletal remains prevented an extensive metric analysis of the bones. The skull is completely immeasurable (it was not possible to reconstruct it in terms of preserved fragments). Only the long bones of the upper extremities, owing to their relatively favourable state of preservation, have provided several significant osteometric results, which could be used for the assessment of sex and body height. Basic anthropological characteristics, such as sex and age, have been researched using standard macroscopic procedures IANSA 2016 ● VII/2 ● 197–205 Michal Živný, Zbyněk Moravec: Traces of Dissection on Human Skeletal Remains of the First Half of 19th Century from Ostrava, Czech Republic 201 of skeletal anthropology (summarized, for example, in Buikstra, Ubelaker 1994; Stloukal 1999). Methods used for particular steps of the anthropological determination are specified in the relevant chapters. In spite of the available bones being in such an unsatisfactory state, an attempt to