A team of bioarchaeologists from the Austrian Archaeological Institute at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Université de Bordeaux, and Aix-Marseille Université have uncovered remarkable evidence of embalming practices in France that spanned nearly two centuries. Their groundbreaking findings, published in Scientific Reports, provide new insights into an aristocratic family’s mortuary rituals. The research marks the first discovery of its kind, revealing embalming practices that were likely carried out by the Caumont family from the early 16th century to the late 17th century.
While embalming is famously associated with ancient Egypt and certain regions of South America, this new study sheds light on its use in France, particularly among the nobility. The bioarchaeologists studied the skeletal remains of 12 individuals—seven adults and five children—who had been buried together in a shared crypt beneath the Château des Milandes, the family estate. The researchers discovered around 2,000 bone fragments, all of which were embalmed using very similar techniques.
Unlike the Egyptian mummification process, which sought to preserve bodies for thousands of years, the goal of the embalming practiced by the Caumont family appears to have been more focused on the immediate needs of the burial process. The research suggests that the purpose was not long-term preservation but rather a temporary preservation to ensure the body remained intact for the funeral rites and ceremonies.
The embalming process involved removing the deceased person’s internal organs, including the brain. The skulls of the individuals were carefully sliced open to allow the organs to be extracted and later replaced, a procedure that reflects practices outlined in a 1708 autopsy manual by French surgeon Pierre Dionis. Afterward, the body was thoroughly washed and packed with a mixture of balsam and aromatic substances—likely to help mask decomposition odors and prepare the body for burial.
Interestingly, the embalming techniques were consistently applied to both children and adults, highlighting the high status of the family and the importance of these rituals across all ages. The researchers also found that the practice was handed down over generations, further suggesting that the embalming was a deeply ingrained tradition for the family.
This discovery is noteworthy because instances of embalming practiced over such an extended period and within a single family are exceptionally rare. The researchers suggest that the Caumont family’s continued use of these techniques for nearly two centuries speaks to their immense wealth and societal prestige. Such long-term, generational embalming rituals reflect a family that was not only powerful but also had the means to engage in elaborate mortuary practices.
Overall, this study expands our understanding of European mortuary customs, providing rare insight into the funeral practices of an aristocratic family from the Renaissance to the early modern period. The findings challenge existing ideas about embalming traditions in Europe and offer a unique glimpse into the burial rites of the Caumont family, whose influence spanned multiple generations.