ORCID Profile
0000-0002-0193-9672
Current Organisations
Flinders University
,
FAPAB Research Center
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-02-2018
DOI: 10.1007/S10072-018-3285-6
Abstract: St. Catherine of Siena suffered from an extreme form of holy fasting, a condition classified as anorexia mirabilis (also known as inedia prodigiosa). Historical and medical scholarships alike have drawn a comparison between this primaeval type of anorexia with a relatively common form of eating disorder among young women in the modern world, anorexia nervosa. St. Catherine's condition was characterised by a disgust for sweet taste, a condition also described in anorexia nervosa, and characterised by specific neurophysiological changes in the brain. St. Catherine's case may be considered one of the oldest veritable descriptions of altered gustation (dysgeusia). Moreover, a more compelling neurophysiological similarity between anorexia mirabilis and anorexia nervosa may be proposed.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 30-05-2018
DOI: 10.1101/334912
Abstract: In this article a complete history of Charlemagne's mortal remains is given, including the publication for the first time of the report of the last opening of the tomb in 1988. Besides exclusive bioarchaeological aspects - highlighting that his body was indeed mummified - a full clinical interpretation of the Emperor's final illnesses and death is given: a likely combination of osteoarthritis, gout and a recurrent fever - causing infectious disease.
Publisher: Moravske Zemsk Muzeum (Monrovian Museum)
Date: 2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJCARD.2017.02.128
Abstract: Several studies have associated the earlobe crease sign, discovered by Sanders T. Frank in 1973, with cardiovascular pathology, yet very few studies have focused on the antiquity of this trait, with the most ancient one thought to date back to the Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138CE). This article presents two more cases from the Italian Renaissance in the works of the artist Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) and examines them in a multidisciplinary fashion.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-06-2019
Publisher: S. Karger AG
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1159/000490797
Abstract: Ancient Egyptian human remains have been of interest in the fields of both medical and Egyptological research for decades. However, canopic jar holders for internal organs (liver, lungs, stomach, intestines) of Egyptian mummies appear to be but a very occasional source of data for such investigations. The few medical approaches focusing on the content of these jars are summarized and listed according to pathogens and diseases to give a structured overview of this field of study. An extensive search of the literature has been conducted from different bibliographic databases with a total of i n /i = 26 studies found. The majority of diseases found consisted of infectious diseases and internal medicine conditions such as schistosomiasis or emphysema. These are just 2 ex les of many that, instead of primarily affecting bone, muscle or skin, specifically target internal organs. Hence, a better understanding of the evolution of diseases that still affect mankind could be gained. In conclusion, this reassessment shows that canopic jars represent a highly underestimated source for histological, radiological and ancient DNA examination of Ancient Egyptian remains and should, thus, be more and more brought back into the focus of retrospective medical research.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
Publisher: Moravske Zemsk Muzeum (Monrovian Museum)
Date: 2021
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 04-08-2017
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 18-10-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0253693
Abstract: This study documents a rare case of mummified human remains from Japan, dating to the late Heian period, 12 th Century AD. The remains have only been scientifically investigated once in 1950 so far. The results of this investigation were translated, analyzed, and interpreted using methods of the 21 st century. The remains have been traditionally identified as the four ruling generations of the Ōshū Fujiwara clan, who built a cultural and economic center in Hiraizumi. Accordingly, this paper will first examine the historical and cultural significance of Hiraizumi and its ruling class before re-evaluating the findings of the 1950 investigation. This study is the first in the Western scientific literature to provide a comprehensive historical, cultural, and medical evaluation of these mummies.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.PUHE.2022.08.016
Abstract: This article examines the politico-scientific mechanism, which leads nations to declare an epidemic or a pandemic finished, irrespective of the actual epidemiological situation at a given time. A historical comparison is made with the famous behavior of Emperor Justinian I (482-565 CE) during the plague pandemic named after him (part of the first plague pandemic). Finally, a reference to the importance of the multidisciplinary study of the history of medicine and the intersection between pandemics and wars is made.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.EHB.2018.11.002
Abstract: In this article, a complete history of Charlemagne's mortal remains is outlined, including the first publication reporting on the most recent tomb opening in 1988. Besides exclusive bioarchaeological details - namely that his body was indeed mummified - a full clinical interpretation of the Emperor's final illnesses and death is given: a likely combination of osteoarthritis, gout and a recurrent fever caused by an infectious disease.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-04-2015
DOI: 10.1002/AJPA.22728
Abstract: Body height is an important factor in reconstructing health conditions and it serves as an indicator of socio-economic status. Researchers rely on ancient data to analyze evolutionary aspects of human health and its interrelation with environmental influences. This study presents body height estimates from all periods of ancient Egyptian history and compares the general population with the existing mummies of the members of royal families. A s le of 259 adult Egyptian mummies originating from various collections and published sources with body lengths (long bone measures or/and overall measurements, CT data) were analyzed, and royal mummies were scored with respect to the level of consanguinity. Male royals were taller than males in the general ancient Egyptian population, while female royals were shorter than females in the general population. The body height variation of the royals is significantly reduced when compared with a pool of non-royal mummies. This provides evidence for inbreeding resulting from consanguineous marriages. However, there appears to be no correlation between the level of inbreeding and in idual body height. The random s le of general population does not show signs of inbreeding. Due to the present lack of larger, technically and ethically challenging genetic studies, the selected non-invasive approach of body height is the most reliable indicator of sibling marriages of pharaohs based on direct physical evidence.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-09-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1002/AJPA.22909
Abstract: For centuries, ancient Egyptian Royal mummies have drawn the attention both of the general public and scientists. Many royal mummies from the New Kingdom have survived. The discoveries of the bodies of these ancient rulers have always sparked much attention, yet not all identifications are clear even nowadays. This study presents a meta-analysis to demonstrate the difficulties in identifying ancient Egyptian royal mummies. Various methods and pitfalls in the identification of the Pharaohs are reassessed since new scientific methods can be used, such as ancient DNA-profiling and CT-scanning. While the ancestors of Tutankhamun have been identified, some identities are still highly controversial (e.g., the mystery of the KV-55 skeleton, recently most likely identified as the genetic father of Tutankhamun). The meta-analysis confirms the suggested identity of some mummies (e.g., Amenhotep III, Thutmosis IV, and Queen Tjye).
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-06-2018
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8AN01288A
Abstract: Canopic jars vs. mummies: first time use of modern metabolomic techniques to unravel ancient embalming chemistry.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-09-2018
DOI: 10.1007/S10072-018-3565-1
Abstract: The preservation of the meningeal artery in ancient mummified bodies, particularly in anthropogenic Egyptian mummies, is a highly controversial topic in neuroscience and anthropological research. A recent (2015) debate between Wade and Isidro, based on the interpretation of the meningeal grooves and cast in a skull from the necropolis of Kom al-Ahmar Sharuna (Egypt), highlighted both the necessity of having clear radiological descriptions of this anatomical structure and of assessing large collections of mummified crania. Here, we present for the first time an instance of extremely well-preserved middle meningeal artery in the mummy of the ancient Egyptian dignitary Nakht-ta-Netjeret (ca. 950 BC), still inside the meninx, using paleo-radiological techniques. We finally link this find with experimental data from the neurological literature on the methodology of excerebration implemented by ancient Egyptian embalmers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2016
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 30-11-2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-10-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 10-2019
DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000005902
Abstract: This article examines the clinical presentation of epiphora in Ancient Rome through the historico-medical analysis of the literary evidence provided by the verses by the poet Juvenal in his Satire VI . A gladiator's ophthalmological problem is interpreted as epiphora caused by traumatic injuries to the craniofacial region, compatible with those described in the palaeopathological literature. This analysis also focuses on the history of epiphora in antiquity and its treatment.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-07-2015
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-02-2020
DOI: 10.1002/CA.23568
Abstract: Understanding natural and artificial postmortem alterations in different tissues of the human body is essential for bioarchaeology, paleogenetics, physical anthropology, forensic medicine, and many related disciplines. With this study, we tried to gain a better understanding of tissue alterations associated with the artificial mummification techniques of ancient Egypt, in particular for mummified visceral organs. We used several entire porcine organs and organ sections (liver, lung, stomach, ileum, and colon), which provided a close approximation to human organs. First, we dehydrated the specimens in artificial natron, before applying natural ointments, according to the ancient literary sources and recent publications. We periodically monitored the temperature, pH value, and weight of the specimens, in addition to radiodensity and volumetric measurements by clinical computed tomography and s ling for histological, bacteriological, and molecular analyses. After seven weeks, mummification was seen completed in all specimens. We observed a considerable loss of weight and volume, as well as similar courses in the decay of tissue architecture but varying levels of DNA degradation. Bacteriologically we did not detect any of the initially identified taxa in the s les by the end of the mummification process, nor any fungi. This feasibility study established an experimental protocol for future experiments modeling ancient Egyptian mummification of visceral organs using human specimens. Understanding desiccation and mummification processes in non-pathological tissues of specific visceral organs may help to identify and interpret disease-specific alterations in mummified tissues in ancient Egyptian canopic jars and organ packages contained in whole mummies.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Publisher: Brill
Date: 17-11-2017
DOI: 10.1163/18741665-12340035
Abstract: A recently discovered inscription on an ancient Egyptian ointment jar mentions the heliacal rising of Sirius. In the time of the early Pharaohs, this specific astronomical event marked the beginning of the Egyptian New Year and originally the annual return of the Nile flood, making it of great ritual importance. Since the Egyptian civil calendar of 365 days permanently shifted one day in four years in comparison to the stars due to the lack of intercalation, the connection of a date from the Egyptian civil calendar with the heliacal rising of Sothis is vitally important for the reconstruction of chronology. The new Sothis date from the Old Kingdom (3rd–6th Dynasties) in combination with other astronomical data and radiocarbon dating re-calibrates the chronology of ancient Egypt and consequently the dating of the Pyramids. A chronological model for Dynasties 3 to 6 constructed on the basis of calculated astronomical data and contemporaneously documented year dates of Pharaohs is presented.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2016
No related grants have been discovered for Michael Habicht.