


































Historical Forensics: The use of Medicine and Forensic principles in 
Bioarchaeological and Historic Research. 

Review by Amy L. Hair

2 Aug, 2021

Charlier, Philippe, 2017, When Science Sheds Light on History, Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 
175 pp., ISBN 978-0813056548

Key Words: Forensics, paleopathology, bioarchaeology, medicine, diagnosis 

When Science Sheds Light on History by Philippe Charlier is an excellent example of 
interdisciplinary research in biological anthropology, medicine, and history. The book, while in 
no way intended for specialists, provides readers with case studies spanning from Mesolithic 
Morocco (9,000 BC) through nineteenth century colonial encounters while simultaneously 
exposing the audience to a range of relevant ethical considerations. The book is divided into four 
parts that explore health and disease chronologically with a variety of materials ranging from 
physical human remains, autopsy reports, to death masks, and more. The book opens with an 
introduction by Charlier and Bernard Proust who argue in support of interdisciplinary approaches
to forensic and paleopathological research to both inform on health and disease throughout the 
human experience and to advance methodologies in forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and 
the history of medicine. 

In part one, “Prehistory,” Charlier discusses the social context of disability and care in the human 
past. Consisting of two chapters, this section describes numerous cases of disability in the past, 
including the bioarcheological analysis of toothless elderly individuals and those with healed 
cases of severe trauma (6). An entire chapter is dedicated to an amputation case in Neolithic 
France. In this case, the left, distal humerus of this individual was amputated with no evidence of 
other trauma, infection, or hemorrhage (9). This case lends the greatest support to Charlier’s 
argument about the role of care in human antiquity and provides readers with a short glimpse 
into social bioarchaeological theory used in contemporary research by scholars like Tilley (2015) 
or Agarwal and Glencross (2011). Part one is an excellent introduction to social theory in 
biological anthropology for non-specialists, while simultaneously beginning their medico-legal 
explorations into the human experience. 

Part two, entitled “Antiquity,” contains 19 case studies from roughly 5,000 BC in Proto-Dynastic 
Egypt through roughly 300 CE in the Roman Empire. This section describes numerous cases of 
ailments in the past, and throughout each the author emphasizes an interdisciplinary and social 



approach that accounts for both medical and social contexts. For example, in Chapter 6 Charlier 
describes a child excavated underneath a statue of Emperor Domitian (19). This individual 
displayed several interesting characteristics including skeletal anomalies often associated with 
down syndrome and perimortem cranial ax trauma, factors that the author believes could be 
representative of religious sacrifice (20). The author ends this section with Chapter 21 that 
describes a case of a large sternal teratoma, that is, a twin who died in utero and was 
subsequently consumed by the other, in a 2nd to 3rd century Roman enslaved cemetery (63). A 
large, well-developed teratoma with dentition was excavated in the sternal region of a 25–35-
year-old female (63). Teratomas are large tumors that develop tissues and organs including teeth, 
muscle, or bone. The author reassures readers by stating that it likely caused no harm to the 
individual except possibly breathing difficulties (64). Part two provides numerous examples of 
interesting pathologies in the past, and while too brief for a specialist, introduces students and 
recreational readers to a range of diseases often invisible in the bioarchaeological record. 

The third part entitled the “Middle Ages” discusses a range of case studies throughout the era. Of 
the twelve chapters in this section, Chapter 24 is particularly interesting as it combines 
bioarchaeological, mortuary, and social theory for readers to understand the necessity of a 
multidisciplinary approach. This study addressed the remains of an individual that had been 
disposed of in an ancient grain silo near modern-day Paris (72). Analysis of tartar recovered from 
the individual’s teeth showed remains of a parasite native to Asia or Africa, indicating that this 
individual was non-local and othered in death by the local population (72). Another chapter in 
Part Three discusses the portrayal of diseases in the Mount Athos medical library in texts and 
frescos (87). Throughout Chapter 29, the author recalls how some of the illnesses described in 
these 14th- 16th-century texts were quite realistic including the of edema, however; many 
ailments like paralysis and skin diseases were idealized (88). This chapter is refreshing as it takes 
a step away from traditional bioarchaeological research and incorporates literature and art in the 
study of ancient human health, a feature that is helpful to both understanding the occurrence of 
such diseases but also how they were perceived in antiquity. 

The final section, entitled “Renaissance to Modern Times” contains 8 diverse case studies that 
reinforce the value of interdisciplinary research in bioarchaeological and historical research. Part 
four begins with a fascinating study of Diane de Poitiers’, a prominent French noble women and 
courtier in the 16th century, remains (111). This study in particular investigates atypical burial 
processes that ultimately resulted in her internment in 1577, eleven years followed her death 
(111). In addition, this case sheds light on the study of Medieval medicine, namely gold, and the 
limitations of modern methods in reconstructing historic narratives (113). Another interesting 
case is detailed in Chapter 37 where Charlier analyzes a strange autopsy report from the 18 th 
century (129). The atypical autopsy raised several flags, as one of the two participating 
physicians treated the individual prior to death (130). This chapter is a welcomed addition to part 
as it highlights the diversity in evidence that can be used in archaeological and medicolegal 
investigations. 

The author concludes with an epilogue and two additional chapters that address biological and 
ethical concerns that accompany the study of human remains. Charlier set out to explore disease 
and health in the past through a medical lens and provided everyday readers with insights into 
both the biological dimensions of human health in antiquity, but also the ethical and social 



contexts that accompany many studies in bioarchaeology. At times the author is brief in his 
explanations of historical context, however, and the number of cases included in the book 
demanded such brevity. Regardless, Charlier has created an excellent addition to 
bioarchaeological literature, particularly for hobby readers and those new to forensic or 
archaeological literature. Further, the author highlights the value of a multidisciplinary approach 
by incorporating methods and theory of medicine and biological anthropology into investigations 
of the past.

References 
Agarwal, Sabrina C., and Bonnie A. Glencross. 2011. “Building a Social Bioarchaeology.” In 
Social Bioarchaeology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

Tilley, Lorna. 2015. Theory and Practice in the Bioarchaeology of Care. New York, NY: 
Springer.

Amy L. Hair is a Ph.D. student at Louisiana State University. She is an anthropological 
bioarchaeologist interested in labor, health, and bone histology. Previous research has utilized three-
dimensional methodologies and their applications in bioarchaeological research and preservation.

© 2021 Amy L. Hair


