A post-traumatic osteomyelitis case on partially mummified human remains (Roccapelago, Modena, 17th century)

Between 2009 and 2011, during restorative works at the Church of Roccapelago (province of Modena, Italy), hundreds of bodies, some of them mummified due to natural processes, were discovered in a forgotten crypt. Mummification processes occurred unevenly, with bodies partially skeletonized and bodies only partly articulated. During the anthropological study, a skull was found with a large osteolytic lesion on the right maxillary sinus, with peripheral osteoproductive reactions. Here we present a case of post traumatic osteomyelitis in an adult male skull (>50 years old) dating back to the 17th century. The diagnosis was based on macroscopic evidences and computer tomographic (CT) images. A virtual 3D reconstruction of the skull, obtained from the CT image data, was used for a kinematics analysis of the trauma. The lesion is consistent with osteomyelitis with bone sequestration, probably developed following a severe comminuted open maxillary sinus fracture, caused by a blunt force directed from below through the sinus to the roof of the orbit. Further analyses will entail ancient DNA to identify bacterial pathogens associated with the pathology.