Duas Próteses Anatómicas, da Idade Moderna, encontradas em Lisboa

Abstract

Two rare 17th century human prostheses were found during archaeological excavations in Lisbon, one of them exhumed from an inhumation grave in Carmo Church and the other from a well, reused as cesspit, in the Santana Convent. The first corresponds to a thumb distal part, made in silver and the other to four teeth (upper incisors), and produced in ivory, probably from elephant. Since early times most human societies gave huge importance to its members’ body aesthetics and bodily conditions. However, those aspects, resulting mainly from economic and social factors, perhaps even religious, would be exacerbated, especially among the political, military and religious elites, from the 16th century onwards, where it was intended to identify the look of each person with their social and material condition.