Rozenn Colleter1,2, Fabrice Dedouit2,3, Sylvie Duchesne1,2, Patrice Gérard2, Laurent Dercle4,5, Pierre Poilpré1, Véronique Gendrot6,7, Hervé Rousseau8, Éric Crubézy2, Norbert Telmon2,9, Fatima-Zohra Mokrane10,11,12. 1. INRAP National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP, France), 37 rue du Bignon, CS 67737, 35577, Cesson-Sévigné, France. 2. AMIS Laboratory: University of Toulouse, French National Center for Scientific Research, UMR 5288, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31073, Toulouse, France. 3. Unit of Forensic and Anthropological Imaging, Centre Universitaire Romand de Médecine Légale (CURML), Chemin de la Vulliette 4, CH-1000, Lausanne 25, Switzerland. 4. Gustave Roussy Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, F-94805, Villejuif, France. 5. New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA. 6. French Regional Archaeological Service, Bretagne Avenue Charles Foulon, 35700, Rennes, France. 7. French National Center for Scientific Research, UMR 6566, Rennes, France. 8. Radiology Department, Rangueil University Hospital, 1 Avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhes, 31059 Cedex, Toulouse, France. 9. Forensic Department, Rangueil University Hospital, 1 avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhes, 31059 Cedex, Toulouse, France. 10. AMIS Laboratory: University of Toulouse, French National Center for Scientific Research, UMR 5288, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31073, Toulouse, France. mokrane_fatimazohra@yahoo.fr. 11. New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA. mokrane_fatimazohra@yahoo.fr. 12. Radiology Department, Rangueil University Hospital, 1 Avenue du Professeur Jean Poulhes, 31059 Cedex, Toulouse, France. mokrane_fatimazohra@yahoo.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A lead coffin was fortuitously discovered in a church called "Eglise des Toussaints" in Rennes (French Brittany). A collaborative taskforce investigated this extraordinary discovery. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from the National Institute for Preventive Archeological Research (INRAP) and Rangueil University Hospital of Toulouse was created, including anthropologists, archeologists, forensic pathologists, radiologists, and pathologists. The inscription on the lead coffin specified that the body belonged to "Messer Louys de Bruslon, Lord of Plessis," a nobleman who died on November 1, 1661. Multiple holes were visible in the lead coffin, and deterioration threatened the mummy. We opened the lead coffin and discovered an excellently preserved mummy, except for mostly skeletonized upper and lower limbs. The mummy was conserved in several layers of shrouds. Vegetal embalming material covered the head and filled the face, the thorax, and the abdomen. The embalmers had removed all thoracic and abdominal organs and conserved some pelvic organs (e.g., the bladder). METHODS: Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scanner evaluated the mummy, at each step of our analysis. The excellent preservation of abdominal vascular axes led us to perform a CT angiography using Angiofil®, an oily contrast agent developed for postmortem imaging, before an autopsy. RESULTS: Sub-diaphragmatic arteries, including the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries, were excellently preserved. The vascular contrast agent filled all arteries. The native CT, CT angiography, and autopsy did not detect any vascular lesion. CONCLUSION: Our study, based on rare archeological material, allowed a complete examination of an excellently preserved seventeenth-century mummy, using MSCT, angiography, and an autopsy. We did not detect any arterial lesion and proposed a comprehensive description of the embalmment process.
BACKGROUND: A lead coffin was fortuitously discovered in a church called "Eglise des Toussaints" in Rennes (French Brittany). A collaborative taskforce investigated this extraordinary discovery. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from the National Institute for Preventive Archeological Research (INRAP) and Rangueil University Hospital of Toulouse was created, including anthropologists, archeologists, forensic pathologists, radiologists, and pathologists. The inscription on the lead coffin specified that the body belonged to "Messer Louys de Bruslon, Lord of Plessis," a nobleman who died on November 1, 1661. Multiple holes were visible in the lead coffin, and deterioration threatened the mummy. We opened the lead coffin and discovered an excellently preserved mummy, except for mostly skeletonized upper and lower limbs. The mummy was conserved in several layers of shrouds. Vegetal embalming material covered the head and filled the face, the thorax, and the abdomen. The embalmers had removed all thoracic and abdominal organs and conserved some pelvic organs (e.g., the bladder). METHODS: Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scanner evaluated the mummy, at each step of our analysis. The excellent preservation of abdominal vascular axes led us to perform a CT angiography using Angiofil®, an oily contrast agent developed for postmortem imaging, before an autopsy. RESULTS: Sub-diaphragmatic arteries, including the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries, were excellently preserved. The vascular contrast agent filled all arteries. The native CT, CT angiography, and autopsy did not detect any vascular lesion. CONCLUSION: Our study, based on rare archeological material, allowed a complete examination of an excellently preserved seventeenth-century mummy, using MSCT, angiography, and an autopsy. We did not detect any arterial lesion and proposed a comprehensive description of the embalmment process.
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