Welcome to our top 10 human journey through the world’s most intriguing preserved bodies and bones, where history, science, and a dash of the macabre intersect.

10 Egyptian Mummies United Kingdom

The ancient Egyptians wrapped their royalty, priests and even beloved pets in linen and natron, hoping the preserved form would escort their souls safely into the afterworld. The ritual was gruesome: vital organs were plucked out and stowed in canopic jars, while the brain was painstakingly extracted through the nose in tiny fragments.

Victorian Britain fell under the spell of Egyptology, especially after Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon uncovered Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. That fever of discovery led the British Museum to amass the largest collection of Egyptian artefacts outside Egypt, featuring two dedicated mummy galleries in the Roxie Walker Galleries, one of which houses a 5,000‑year‑old specimen.

Among the museum’s prized acquisitions is the mummy of a high priestess of Amen‑Ra, reputed to be cursed. After Thomas Douglas Murray bought the mummy in 1889, a string of misfortunes—lost limbs, sudden deaths among acquaintances, and eerie nocturnal noises—were blamed on the cursed sarcophagus. Even museum staff reported strange occurrences when handling the case.

Other UK institutions also keep Egyptian mummies: Manchester Museum displays twenty mummies collected by William Matthew Flinders Petrie, while the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Louvre, Berlin’s Egyptian Museum, Turin’s Museo Egizio, and Cairo’s Egyptian Museum all showcase their own ancient remains.

9 Sokushinbutsu Monks Japan

Sokushinbutsu translates to “self‑mummification” and was practiced by Buddhist monks between the 10th and 18th centuries. The monks sought enlightenment by turning their own bodies into living relics, believing that a perfectly preserved corpse would act as a bridge between the mortal world and the spirit realm.

The process began with a strict diet of nuts and bark to starve the body of fat and moisture, followed by a prolonged period of dehydration. Finally, the monk was sealed within a small wooden coffin, buried alive under a temperature‑controlled mound while a tiny air tube kept him breathing until death. The result was a nearly intact, desiccated body.

Unlike Egyptian mummies, sokushinbutsu are displayed in the open, often still wearing their robes, with hair and nails intact, and forever seated in the lotus pose they chose for their final breath. When successfully achieved, the monks were venerated as living Buddhas, much like Egyptian royalty were treated as divine figures.

The practice was never codified in Buddhist doctrine, but it grew popular among ascetics wishing posthumous worship. In 1877, the Japanese government outlawed the ritual, deeming it a form of suicide, which was already illegal. The last documented attempt involved Tetsuryukai, a one‑eyed monk whose followers back‑dated his death record to evade the ban.

Today, several successful sokushinbutsu can be visited: Tetsuryukai resides in Nangaku Temple in central Tsuruoka, while others are displayed at Dainichi‑Boo Temple on Mount Yudono and Kaikokuji Temple in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture. Numerous other monk bodies likely remain hidden in the region, abandoned after the practice was prohibited.

8 The Sedlec Ossuary Czech Republic

The Sedlec Ossuary, often dubbed the “Bone Church,” is a 15th‑century chapel whose interior is entirely fashioned from human bone. Inside, you’ll find a massive chandelier composed of every bone in the human skeleton, plus countless decorative skulls, all arranged in intricate patterns that total between 40,000 and 70,000 individuals.

Originally built in 1400, the ossuary was transformed in 1870 by woodcarver František Rint, who was tasked only with clearing out the massive bone piles stored in the crypt. He took artistic liberty, fashioning elaborate chandeliers, a coat of arms for the Schwarzenberg family, and a macabre grotto—all from skeletal material.

The story begins with King Otakar II of Bohemia sending a monk on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The monk returned with a vial of holy soil, which he sprinkled over the Sedlec cemetery, instantly making it a coveted burial spot for anyone desiring proximity to sacred earth.

As the cemetery filled, the burial grounds overflowed, and bones were moved to the lower chambers, creating a storage problem. Rint’s creative solution was to turn the surplus into art, giving the ossuary its haunting yet peaceful ambience.

Today, visitors marvel at the bone‑laden chandeliers, the massive “pulpit” of femurs, and the sheer scale of the skeletal arrangement—an eerie yet reverent tribute to the dead, presented with a surprisingly tranquil atmosphere.

7 Korperwelten (aka Body Worlds) Germany

Body Worlds blends art, anatomy and a pinch of shock value, showcasing real human bodies that have been stripped of skin, plastinated, and posed in dynamic positions—running, doing yoga, or simply reclining—to illustrate muscular function.

While the exhibition tours globally, its permanent home and laboratory sit in Guben, Brandenburg, Germany. The show owes its existence to Gunther von Hagens, who invented the plastination process—a technique that replaces water and fat in tissues with polymer resin, turning fragile organs into durable, lifelike specimens.

Since its debut, Body Worlds has sparked fierce debate. Religious leaders, ethicists and politicians argue that displaying donated bodies is disrespectful, while von Hagens insists every specimen is a voluntary donation, with more than 15,000 people pledging their bodies for future exhibits.

The cost of plastination is steep: roughly €70,000 (about $75,000) for a full body, €15,000 for a head, and €2,500 for individual organs. Yet admission remains modest—around €12 (under $13) per adult—raising questions about the financial sustainability of the project.

Despite the controversy, the exhibition continues to attract curious crowds, offering a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the human form, all while preserving the donors’ legacy of scientific contribution.

6 Les Catacombes France

Paris’s Catacombs are a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that house the skeletal remains of six million Parisians, originally interred at the Cemetery of the Innocents. From the 13th to the 18th centuries, the cemetery became a health hazard, prompting the city to relocate the bones beneath the streets.

Between 1786 and 1860, workers transferred the masses of skeletal remains into the underground ossuaries, arranging them in decorative piles that line the walls of the 320‑kilometre network. While a portion of the catacombs is open to the public, many sections remain off‑limits, sparking urban legend about secret passages.

Those “Cataphiles”—adventurous urban explorers—have been known to sneak into forbidden zones, fueling rumors of hidden chambers, fresh corpses, and even a supposed “Gate of Hell.” Though sensational, these stories lack verification, yet they add a layer of mystique to the already eerie environment.

The official tours showcase the neatly stacked skulls and femurs, while the darkness and silence evoke a contemplative mood, reminding visitors of mortality and the city’s layered history.

5 Tollund Man Denmark

The Tollund Man is a remarkably preserved bog body discovered in 1950 in a Danish peat bog. Initially thought to be a recent homicide victim, the body’s extraordinary state of preservation revealed a 30‑year‑old man who died around 350 BC, likely by hanging, as evidenced by a rope still encircling his neck.

Inside his stomach, scientists found remnants of a simple porridge‑like meal, indicating his final sustenance. The acidic, low‑oxygen environment of the bog kept his skin, hair, and even his brain intact, while his clothing had long since dissolved.

Detailed examination showed that his head was later removed and treated with a mixture of beeswax and paraffin to replace the bog water, preserving facial features. The body’s shrunken state caused his bones to protrude through the skin, a testament to the powerful forces of the peat.Today, the Silkeborg Museum displays the reconstructed skin, the original head, and the well‑preserved finger that provided one of the oldest known fingerprints, offering a vivid window into Iron‑Age life and death.

4 Barts Pathology Museum United Kingdom

Barts Pathology Museum in London is a specialised medical collection that opens its doors only for themed events—think Valentine’s Day displays of dissected hearts or Halloween workshops on edible body parts and alleged vampire remains.

The museum’s specimens are all pathological, sourced from various eras. Visitors can explore a 1750 inguinal hernia, a bound foot from an 1862 Chinese woman, and the skeletal remains of a 1926 hanging victim, offering a stark glimpse into historical medical practices.

Many of the items arrived via the old judicial system, where convicted criminals were executed, then anatomised. One notable piece is the skull of John Bellingham, the assassin of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval, who was hanged and dissected in 1812.

Housing over 5,000 specimens, the museum constantly rotates its displays, with some awaiting conservation. Barts maintains a strict ethical policy, publishing research on respectful handling of human remains—setting it apart from more commercial exhibitions like Body Worlds.

Beyond academia, the museum engages the public through interactive workshops, encouraging hands‑on learning and fostering dialogue about the intersection of medicine, art and ethics.

3 Vladimir Lenin Russia

Vladimir Lenin, the founder of Soviet Russia, requested to be embalmed after his 1924 death. His preserved corpse now rests behind glass in a mausoleum on Red Square, drawing free‑of‑charge visitors from around the globe eager to see the face of the man who shaped 20th‑century communism.

The preservation process is a continuous routine of bathing, re‑embalming, and strict climate control. While the original autopsy removed all internal organs—some of which are kept at the Russian Academy of Sciences—the body’s appearance has been meticulously maintained by a rotating team of up to 200 scientists.

Because the work is classified under Russia’s state‑secrets legislation, the scientists cannot discuss the specifics of their methods. Over the decades, debates have swirled about whether Lenin’s remains should stay on display or finally be interred, with some arguing that the mausoleum has become a shrine, while others view it as a relic of a painful past.

Proposals to dismantle the mausoleum have sparked protests from loyalists who deem such actions blasphemous, underscoring the enduring political and cultural tension surrounding the preservation of this iconic leader.

2 The Elephant Man United Kingdom

Joseph Merrick, popularly known as the “Elephant Man,” suffered from Proteus syndrome, a condition that grotesquely distorted his skeleton and soft tissue. His tragic life—spanning workhouses, freak shows and a brief period of dignified care at the London Hospital—has inspired countless films and documentaries.

After his death, doctors cast his skin, sampled tissue, and preserved his skeleton, which now resides in a glass case at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. Though the public cannot view the remains directly, medical students and professionals may request access for study.

The skeleton’s display has sparked ethical debates. Some scholars argue that continued exhibition offers valuable insight into rare medical conditions, while others contend that Merrick’s remains deserve a respectful burial after decades of public scrutiny.

Images of his skeletal remains circulate widely, fueling both scientific curiosity and public fascination, and keeping the conversation about dignity, exploitation, and medical history alive.

1 Albert Einstein’s Brain United States

Following Albert Einstein’s 1955 death, pathologist Thomas Harvey removed his brain in hopes of uncovering the neurological basis of his genius. Initially, Einstein’s son, Hans, opposed the removal, but later consented to scientific study.

The brain was sliced into 240 tiny sections, each mounted on glass slides and dispatched to leading neurologists across the United States. Early analyses found no striking differences compared with average adult brains, though later studies suggested a higher density of glial cells and unusual arrangement in the frontal cortex.

Harvey’s personal possession of many brain slices sparked controversy, leading to professional ostracism and personal turmoil. Eventually, the remaining fragments were donated to Princeton’s University Medical Center, though they are not on public display.

Researchers can still examine the slides, and a selection is exhibited at Philadelphia’s Mutter Museum, offering a rare glimpse into the physical remnants of one of history’s brightest minds.

Exploring the Top 10 Human Remains

This curated tour of the top 10 human relics showcases how cultures preserve, venerate, and study the dead, blending science, history, and a touch of the uncanny. Whether you’re a curious traveler, a student of anthropology, or simply fascinated by the macabre, these sites prove that the human body continues to captivate long after life has faded.

The world of archaeology is full of skeletons that tell tales of war, disease, and everyday life, but the truly fascinating stories come from the oddball and unexpected discoveries that bridge millennia. In this top 10 unusual roundup we’ll travel from a Mesolithic Greek girl to a pirate graveyard, a phantom‑like mummy to a six‑inch human, uncovering the bizarre details that make each find unforgettable.

10 Girl From Dawn Of Civilization

Theopetra Cave, nestled in central Greece, has yielded artifacts spanning many eras. In 1993, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a teenage girl dating to around 7000 BC, squarely within the Mesolithic period that many consider the true dawn of civilization.

She was christened Avgi—Greek for “Dawn”—and her bones paint a grim portrait of a life plagued by health woes. Avgi, aged roughly fifteen to eighteen at death, suffered from anemia, chronic malnutrition, and likely scurvy, all of which left her skeletal record in a fragile state.

Beyond the obvious ailments, her skeleton revealed severe joint degeneration, especially in the hips, which would have hampered her mobility. A pronounced jutting jaw suggested she may have habitually chewed hides to produce leather, a demanding task for a young person.

In 2018, the Acropolis Museum commissioned a facial reconstruction, deliberately giving her an angry expression—one expert quipped that “it’s impossible for her not to be angry during such an era.”

9 First Mayan Dog Breeders

In 2018 the Smithsonian announced a breakthrough: the first solid evidence that the ancient Maya practiced controlled breeding of dogs. The clue lay hidden in teeth and the remnants of corn.

Earlier excavations at Ceibal, a long‑occupied Maya city in Guatemala, had amassed animal bones—including those of turkeys, dogs, large cats, and deer—dating from roughly 700 to 350 BC.

Researchers turned to dental strontium signatures, a chemical fingerprint that reveals where an animal sourced its diet. By analyzing these signatures they could differentiate domesticated, corn‑fed animals from wild foragers.

The study found that every dog, two turkeys, and at least one big cat (either a puma or jaguar) bore the hallmarks of a corn‑based diet, indicating they were raised by humans. The deer showed no such evidence of domestication.

Perhaps most astonishing was the dental “signature” on several dogs, which indicated they originated from regions outside Ceibal, implying they were imported for ceremonial purposes rather than being locally born.

8 A Giant Pharaoh

King Sa‑Nakht would be considered a regular‑sized man today, but 4,700 years ago his height of 187 cm (about 6 ft 2 in) made him tower over his contemporaries.

His remains were unearthed in an elite desert tomb in 1901 and have been dated to roughly 2700–2575 BC. The extraordinary stature, coupled with distinctive facial features, led scholars to associate the skeleton with the enigmatic ruler Sa‑Nakht.

Medical analysis suggests Sa‑Nakht suffered from acromegaly, a condition caused by excess growth hormone that results in gigantism. A 2017 comparative study of his skull against other Egyptian royalty and commoners found no comparable cases, reinforcing the diagnosis.

If future DNA testing confirms the disorder, Sa‑Nakht would become the oldest known giant in human history, a truly remarkable medical anomaly from antiquity.

7 The Triple‑Mystery Head

When archaeologists cracked open a 1915 tomb in Egypt’s Deir el‑Bersha necropolis, they were greeted by a chilling sight: a decapitated head perched atop a coffin belonging to a 4,000‑year‑old couple, governor Djehutynakht and his wife.

Initially, the head’s identity was a mystery. In 2016, FBI forensic scientists managed to extract DNA from a tooth—a first for such an ancient Egyptian mummy—proving the head belonged to the male governor.

Even more puzzling, the head had undergone a precise coronoidectomy, a surgical removal of the jaw hinge and surrounding muscles, executed with a skill that seemed ahead of its time. Some speculate it was part of the “Opening of the Mouth” ceremony performed during mummification.

Genetic analysis also revealed Djehutynakht carried Eurasian ancestry, a surprising discovery that was independently corroborated by other researchers in 2017, adding a new layer to our understanding of ancient Egyptian population dynamics.

6 A Coffin Birth

About 1,300 years ago a woman from Imola, Italy, met a tragic end, and when her burial was rediscovered, archaeologists found an unexpected companion: a newborn’s skeleton positioned between her legs.

Examination of the mother’s skull revealed a tiny 4.6 mm hole drilled into the bone, accompanied by a slash scar—evidence that she had undergone trepanation, an ancient form of brain surgery.

The slash likely resulted from a scalp incision made to access the skull for drilling. Trepanation was sometimes performed to alleviate high blood pressure, suggesting the woman may have suffered a hypertensive pregnancy complication such as pre‑eclampsia.

She appears to have survived roughly a week after the procedure, but both she and the infant died shortly thereafter. The infant’s emergence from the coffin is believed to have been caused by post‑mortem gases forcing the baby out—a phenomenon known as a “coffin birth,” which is exceedingly rare, especially when paired with medieval trepanation.

5 The Unexpected Mummy

For a century and a half, a casket housed at Sydney University was assumed to be empty, a misconception that likely spared it from close inspection.

When researchers finally lifted the lid in 2018, they uncovered a dusty but unmistakable set of mummified remains. The individual was not a famous pharaoh but a badly handled mummy, its body fragmented and damaged.

Among the finds was a lump of black resin that once filled the skull, as well as a pair of feet wrapped in cloth and a fused sacrum, indicating the remains belonged to an adult.

Hieroglyphic inscriptions on the coffin reference a priestess named Mer‑Neith‑it‑es, suggesting the box may have been intended for her, though the actual body inside could belong to someone else. In antiquity, dealers often placed any mummy they could acquire into an available coffin to increase its market value.

Further research using cutting‑edge technologies promises to reveal more about this enigmatic individual, shedding light on a puzzling chapter of Egyptian funerary practice.

4 Black Sam’s Crew

Captain “Black Sam” Bellamy, famed as the richest pirate of his era, met his fate in 1717 when his ship, the Whydah Gally, sank off Cape Cod, leaving over a hundred sailors to wash ashore.

In 2018 archaeologists announced the discovery of what is now considered America’s largest pirate burial ground. To protect the site from looters, its exact location remains confidential, but excavations have uncovered burial mounds, ceramic shards from the 17th century, and the skeletal remains of more than a hundred individuals.

Evidence suggests that Bellamy’s own remains may have been recovered from the wreck itself. The ship, located in 1984, yielded a distinctive pistol linked to the captain, accompanied by human bones nearby.

The Whydah crew is remembered for their surprisingly democratic shipboard society and Bellamy’s reputation as a stern yet humane leader, earning him the nickname “Prince of Pirates.”

3 King Tut’s Worn Armor

King Tutankhamen, perhaps the most celebrated of Egypt’s pharaohs, is often portrayed as a youthful warrior despite his frail health, which included a clubfoot and bouts of malaria.

Recent analysis of a piece of leather armor recovered from his tomb suggests it was not merely a ceremonial object. Wear patterns and scuffed edges indicate the armor was actually used, showing signs of abrasion around the leather scales.

The piece suffered additional damage during a botched preservation attempt after its 1922 discovery, but researchers argue that the observed wear predates that mishandling. Early photographs confirm the armor already displayed a torn seam and stretched ties before modern interference.

While the notion that Tutankhamen personally wielded this armor remains speculative, the evidence hints at a more active martial role than traditionally assumed.

2 Truth About Alien Mummies

In early 2018, a wave of sensational media reports claimed that five Peruvian mummies displayed bizarre, elongated fingers, prompting speculation they were extraterrestrial beings.

Scientists quickly debunked the alien narrative, noting that the bodies were unmistakably human. The mummies were allegedly uncovered by a notorious tomb‑raider who demanded payment for any further study.

The primary research was led by a Russian investigator named Konstantin Korotkov, whose claims of alien origins were undermined by his questionable affiliations and lack of peer‑reviewed support.

Credible researchers contend the odd hand shapes resulted from deliberate post‑mortem manipulation—human remains were rearranged and sculpted to create a sensational appearance. One of the mummies even adopts a classic Nazca burial pose, reinforcing its cultural, not cosmic, origins.

1 The Hand‑Sized Skeleton

In 2003, a tiny, human‑like skeleton was discovered concealed in a bag behind a church in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Its size—just 15 cm (about six inches) tall—initially sparked rumors of a hoax or even alien origin.

The skeleton displayed a cone‑shaped skull, a fierce expression, ten pairs of ribs (instead of the usual twelve), and bone structures resembling those of a six‑year‑old child, all of which fueled speculation.

Genetic testing performed in 2018 revealed the remains were indeed human. The DNA matched the regional mix of European and Native American ancestry, confirming a local origin.

Named “Ata,” analysis showed the child suffered from multiple genetic mutations that caused severe dwarfism. She appears to have died shortly after birth, making her the smallest known baby ever recorded. Remarkably, the skeleton’s age is estimated at around 40 years, suggesting her parents could still be alive today.

The world of ancient bones reads like a library of stories—most are familiar, but a few rewrite the whole narrative. Among the countless remains, ten grisly human discoveries stand out, each revealing mysterious pasts and reshaping what we thought we knew.

10 Offering 176

Tenochtitlan, the heart of the Aztec empire, now lies beneath modern Mexico City. While the city has long yielded spectacular finds, a recent discovery at the Templo Mayor added a somber note. At the base of this towering temple, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a young boy, catalogued as “Offering 176.”

The child, estimated to be between eight and ten years old, was not displayed publicly like many other sacrificial victims. Instead, his body lay beneath thousands of elite artifacts, sealed deep under the temple’s stone slabs. Intriguingly, his coffin was cylindrical—a rarity that deepens the mystery surrounding his sacrifice, likely made in the 15th century to honor the war‑god Huitzilopochtli, as the boy’s attire echoed the deity.

9 The Baucina Skull

In 2014, a tomb near the Italian town of Baucina was opened, revealing the remains of roughly 50 individuals. Among the skeletal collection, a single skull stood out, positioned to stare directly into an artificial cave and at the surrounding burials.

Modern analyses determined the skull belonged to a woman aged between 35 and 50, who likely died from cancer that left fourteen distinct holes in her cranium. Unfortunately, grave robbers had stripped the tomb of its artifacts and jumbled the skeletons, leaving the woman’s body missing—though the skull seemed untouched.

Two main theories attempt to explain this unique burial: perhaps the woman held a high status, or her disease made such an impression that the community granted her a special funeral.

8 The Thames Mystery

London’s layered history means ancient skeletons surface regularly, and the River Thames is no exception. In 2018, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable find: a 500‑year‑old man whose feet were still clad in towering boots.

Finding such footwear from the late 15th to early 16th century on a skeleton is virtually unheard of. The boots, which reached the thighs and featured turned‑down tops, were unusual for the era. The man’s skeletal position—lying on his stomach with an arm over his head—suggests he never received a formal burial.

Strong and muscular, he was likely in his early thirties, yet his life was hard‑won. He suffered from a limp, osteoarthritis, fused vertebrae, a healed broken nose, and blunt‑force trauma to his forehead. The boots hint he may have been a mudlarker, scavenging the Thames low‑tide mud, and perhaps met his end while wading, with the valuable boots later stolen.

7 Young Retainer Sacrifices

In archaeological terms, a “retainer sacrifice” refers to individuals buried as grave goods for a high‑status tomb. In 2018, researchers revisited a 2014 discovery at Basur Hoyuk in Turkey, where about ten people were interred at the entrance of a 5,000‑year‑old Mesopotamian tomb.

Among the group were a boy and a girl, each around twelve years old, surrounded by hundreds of bronze spearheads—an unprecedented quantity. The remaining individuals, aged between 11 and 20, displayed burial practices indicating they were sacrificed retainers.

The mass burial raises several mysteries: were the two adolescents also victims, or did they hold a central role? An adult’s bones were also present, possibly from an earlier burial. The precise reason for these sacrifices at this specific site remains unknown.

6 Man With No Hands

In 2017, the British islet of Chapelle‑Dom‑Hue made headlines with a dolphin skeleton buried in the 1400s. A year later, a cliff collapse exposed a new surprise: a human skeleton whose toes peeked from the soil.

Initially thought to be a monk who died of leprosy—given the missing hands and the islet’s monastic history—the burial was later dated to the 1500s‑1600s based on buttons found with the remains. The skeletal damage, including skull marks, suggested the man may have been a sailor whose body washed ashore.

Fish often nip at drowned bodies, but his footwear likely shielded his feet. The respectful burial raises questions: who placed the body there, and why such care when a simple disposal was possible?

5 Maimed Paleo Artists

Across several European caves, prehistoric artists left handprints on walls 22,000–27,000 years ago. Some of these prints appear maimed—missing entire fingers or joints—sparking debate over their origin.

A 2018 study proposed a bold hypothesis: the artists deliberately amputated their own digits. While 40 caves contain handprints, only about seven display the strange, seemingly mutilated palms. The researchers noted that deliberate finger amputation appears across 121 cultures worldwide.

Historical records suggest various motives for self‑mutilation, ranging from sacrificial rites to marriage rituals, or practical reasons like pinkie removal. Critics argue the cave prints might result from bending fingers rather than actual loss, leaving the mystery unresolved.

4 Stonehenge Killing

In 1923, a human skeleton was uncovered at Stonehenge, but the chaos of World War II—specifically three bombings of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1941—led to its presumed loss. Decades later, an unexpected letter guided researchers to the Natural History Museum, where the forgotten remains resurfaced.

Originally believed to have died naturally, analysis revealed cut marks on the jawbone and fourth cervical vertebra, indicating a decapitation by sword. The 35‑year‑old male likely faced execution—evidence points to a blow from behind and a solitary burial.

While the exact motive remains speculative, possibilities include punishment for a crime or a sacrificial offering at the iconic monument.

3 Proof Of Grisly Legend

Ancient Celtic texts claim that Gauls preserved the severed heads of enemies using cedar oil. In 2018, researchers examined skulls from the Iron Age village of Le Cailar in southern France, finding evidence of decapitation and public display.

All remains—human and animal—contained decomposition‑related substances, but only the human fragments showed diterpenoids, indicating contact with conifer resin. While researchers doubt the resin was cedar oil (the tree didn’t grow locally in the third century BC), the find confirms some embalming practice.

The exact purpose remains a puzzle: perhaps the process was reserved for high‑status foes, suggesting a sophisticated ritual beyond mere intimidation.

2 Evidence Of Hasmonean Slaughter

Alexander Jannaeus, a Hasmonean priest‑king (103‑76 BC), ruled during a civil war between Sadducees and Pharisees. Ancient texts describe his brutal retaliation: crucifying ~800 people, executing many, and murdering their families.

In 2018, archaeologists uncovered the first physical evidence of this carnage at a Jerusalem cistern near the municipal courtyard. Human bones dating to Jannaeus’s era displayed violent trauma—men, women, and children were thrown into the pit, rock‑covered, and suffered stabbing, beheading, and limb removal. Embryonic bones confirmed that pregnant women were among the victims.

This discovery substantiates historical accounts of the Hasmonean’s ruthless suppression, though many details remain shrouded.

1 Battlefield Clearing Ritual

Roman writers depicted Germanic warfare as especially savage, with post‑battle rituals that treated the dead in macabre ways. For years, no archaeological proof existed—until a recent dig at Alken Enge, a Danish field, uncovered a 2,000‑year‑old Iron Age battle site.

Thousands of bones revealed a massive slaughter. After the fighting, bodies were left exposed for up to a year, as animal teeth marks show. Subsequently, the skeletons were dismembered; pelvises were strung on sticks, and skulls were crushed. The remaining bones were tossed into a nearby lake, indicating an organized battlefield‑clearing ritual.

While the exact tribe and aggressors remain unidentified, the find validates ancient accounts of Germanic post‑combat customs.

10 grisly human Discoveries

These ten grisly human remains each tell a chilling tale of sacrifice, violence, and mystery, reminding us that the past still has many secrets waiting to be unearthed.

Welcome to our top 10 curious tour of the most unsettling and fascinating mummified specimens ever uncovered. Every year, archaeologists pull dozens of desiccated bodies from the earth, and each one tells a story that’s part mystery, part medical marvel, and part outright eerie. Grab a seat, keep the lights on, and prepare to be amazed by the strange markings, odd customs, and downright bizarre relics that have survived the ages.

Why These Top 10 Curious Mummies Captivate Us

From ancient warriors whose arrows whistled in the wind to a cocktail that demands a kiss from a frozen human toe, the diversity of these finds showcases humanity’s oddest obsessions with death, preservation, and the after‑life. Let’s dive into each chilling case, ranked from ten to one.

10 The Hun Warrior

Back in 1993, a twelve‑year‑old girl named Alena Kypchakova stumbled upon a collapsed grotto near the remote Kam‑Tytugem settlement in Siberia. Inside lay the remains of a Hun warrior, complete with his battle gear.

Dating to roughly 1,700 years ago, the fighter was swaddled in fur and rested on a wooden platform. Adjacent to him stood a massive bow, almost as tall as an average modern adult. Birch arrows recovered from the site bore shafts marked in stark white or black, likely a quick‑reference system for hunters. These arrows originally featured iron tips and bull‑horn attachments.

Ancient Chinese texts claim the horn carvings emitted a whistle when the arrow sliced through the air, intended to startle foes and distract deer. Modern researchers have yet to replicate this acoustic effect. The archer’s mummy now resides in a modest museum in Kokorya, managed by Alena herself, after larger institutions were rebuffed by locals eager to keep the warrior close to home.

9 Pygmy Woolly Mammoth

The “island effect” describes how large species shrink when isolated on islands, but rumors persisted of naturally diminutive woolly mammoths. Skeptics pointed to alleged finds on Kotelny Island, Siberia, where both adult and infant bones were said to belong to a tiny species.

In 2018, scientists finally secured official remains: a golden‑haired carcass that earned the nickname “golden mammoth.” Unfortunately, the specimen lay in a hard‑to‑reach spot, delaying thorough analysis.

Radiocarbon dating of the surrounding permafrost placed the creature between 22,000 and 50,000 years ago. At roughly 2 meters (6.6 ft) tall, it was dramatically smaller than the typical 5‑meter (16.4 ft) woolly mammoth. Because Kotelny was connected to the mainland during that era, the “island effect” cannot explain its reduced stature, hinting at a possible dwarf mammoth lineage.

8 Greenland Surprise

Heart disease, specifically atherosclerosis, isn’t unheard of in ancient remains, yet when five 16th‑century Inuit bodies were scanned, researchers anticipated healthy circulatory systems. The group comprised four adults and a child.

Atherosclerosis narrows arteries, typically in older individuals, and is linked to high‑cholesterol diets rich in pork, beef, and dairy. The Inuit diet, by contrast, centered on marine mammals and fish, both abundant in omega‑3 fatty acids—natural heart protectors.

Conducted in 2019 at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, CT scans revealed atherosclerotic plaques in three of the adult mummies. Their vessels were so well‑preserved that the disease was unmistakable. The unexpected findings suggest another factor, perhaps chronic exposure to indoor hearth smoke, may have contributed to arterial blockage.

7 Unique Thigh Tattoo

The British Museum recently acquired the mummified remains of a woman discovered in 2014 along the Nile’s northern Sudanese banks. Infrared imaging of her inner thigh uncovered a faint yet distinct tattoo.

Further analysis revealed the design comprised stacked ancient Greek letters spelling “Mixaha,” a reference to the archangel Michael. While the monogram appears on church mosaics and artifacts, this marks the first instance of such a symbol on human skin.

Dating back roughly 1,300 years, the tattoo likely served a protective or devotional purpose. Though not the oldest tattoo ever found, it stands out as a rare example of early Christian body art.

6 Earliest European Autopsy

In 2013, researchers examined a macabre relic consisting of shoulders, a neck, and a head, all frozen in a scream‑like expression. Initially thought to date from the 1400s‑1500s, radiocarbon analysis placed it between AD 1200 and AD 1280, making it Europe’s oldest known preserved human autopsy.

The preservation method was surprisingly sophisticated. An ancient physician blended lime, beeswax, and red cinnabar mercury, injecting the concoction into the veins to both preserve tissue and tint the circulatory system. Additionally, the practitioner skillfully removed the brain and portions of the skull.

This challenges the stereotype of medieval dissection as a crude, throw‑away practice. The meticulous preparation suggests the body may have been intended for educational purposes, offering a rare glimpse into medieval anatomical knowledge.

5 Embalmed Human Hearts

France’s romantic reputation took a morbid turn in the 16th‑17th centuries, when elite families buried themselves alongside the hearts of their spouses. In 2015, archaeologists uncovered a collection of mummified hearts beneath the Convent of the Jacobins in Rennes.

One lead coffin housed a noblewoman, Lady Louise de Quengo, who died in 1656. Inside a lead urn shaped like a Valentine’s heart lay her husband’s preserved organ. Subsequent investigations revealed four additional lead urns, each containing a centuries‑old heart.

Advanced imaging showed the hearts’ internal structures: valves, chambers, and arteries. While one heart remained intact, three displayed clear signs of atherosclerosis, offering a rare window into cardiovascular health of the 17th‑century aristocracy.

4 The Mummified Hand

In the Hungarian village of Nyarlorinc, an ancient cemetery holds the remains of roughly 540 individuals from the 12th‑16th centuries. Among the artifacts, researchers discovered a mummified infant hand.

Analysis revealed astronomically high copper concentrations within the hand. Digging deeper, scientists traced the source to a copper coin clasped in the baby’s grasp, which acted as a preservative.

This finding ties to a known burial custom: placing a coin with a child who died before baptism to pay St. John the Baptist for a post‑mortem ceremony. Remarkably, the Nyarlorinc child was interred in a jar, and the coin dated between 1858‑1862, indicating the burial occurred 150 years after the cemetery had ostensibly been abandoned.

3 Human Toe Cocktail

Bars are famed for inventive drinks, but none match the sour‑toe cocktail, served only at the Sourdough Saloon in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada. Ordering this specialty involves receiving a tumbler of whiskey topped with a mummified human toe.

The ritual demands that the drinker’s lips touch the toe; once done, the patron receives a certificate. Over 100,000 individuals have earned this quirky accolade.

The tradition began in 1973 when an entrepreneur discovered the frost‑bitten toe of a rum smuggler, preserved since the 1920s. After the original toe was accidentally swallowed in 1980, successive frozen toes have taken its place, keeping the legend alive.

2 Double Mystery Solved

Rosalia Lombardo, a two‑year‑old who died of pneumonia in 1920, remains one of the world’s most famous mummies. Her father hired the renowned embalmer Alfredo Salafia, whose technique left Rosalia looking as though she were peacefully napping.

Interred among thousands in Sicily’s Capuchin Catacombs, her flawless preservation sparked curiosity for decades. In 2009, researchers uncovered Salafia’s handwritten formula, revealing a mixture of glycerin, formalin, zinc sulfate, chloride, and a blend of alcohol with salicylic acid, all injected into her body.

The eerie perception that Rosalia’s eyes open and close is actually an optical illusion: she was mummified with her eyes slightly ajar, and shifting light from nearby windows creates the illusion of blinking.

1 Club Dead

Beyond Rosalia, the Capuchin Catacombs house thousands of other bodies, collectively known as the “Club Dead.” These elite individuals were not simply buried; they were arranged in lifelike poses or hung on walls, dressed in their finest attire—uniforms, ball gowns, and religious robes.

Each corpse was sorted by gender, age, and profession. In the “hall of professionals,” physicians and lawyers were displayed on hooks; in the nursery, children rested in cribs. Monks were paid by relatives to regularly change the clothing and keep the displays tidy.

Although many of the remains have fallen into disrepair, the eerie tableau still evokes a palpable desire to appear alive. Scholars continue to puzzle over why Sicilian culture developed such an elaborate tradition of preserving the dead in this fashion.

The past few years have delivered an avalanche of awe‑inspiring fossils, reminding us that the biggest dinosaurs aren’t always the most scientifically valuable. What truly matters are the tiny fragments that whisper about ancient behavior, vanished diets, missing ancestors, and the puzzles that have long haunted researchers. In this roundup of 10 remains extinct, we dive into the most fascinating relics that are reshaping our view of life long gone.

Why 10 Remains Extinct Matter

Each of these ten specimens offers a unique window into evolutionary history, revealing details that larger skeletons simply can’t provide. From gelatinous predators to forgotten humans, these discoveries prove that even the smallest clues can rewrite entire chapters of Earth’s story.

10 Comb Jelly Ancestor

Some researchers adore their jellies—no, not the wobbly dessert kind, but the predatory, gelatinous varieties that glide through the seas. A UK scientist recently visited colleagues in China and was shown a fossil that made his heart race: a creature sporting eighteen whip‑like tentacles around its mouth. This fossil, later christened Daihua sanqiong, displayed each tentacle adorned with sturdy ciliary hairs, a feature exclusive to modern comb jellies.

Comb jellies, alive today, use rows of cilia—tiny comb‑like structures—to propel themselves through water. The newfound fossil was something of an orphan on the tree of life, with no clear lineage. Yet, despite its 518‑million‑year age, the specimen shared enough traits with both comb jellies and other early animals that scientists could tentatively sketch the early evolutionary path of these gelatinous predators. Intriguingly, the discovery also hinted that the “Oliver Twist” of the jelly world might have had close relatives among corals and anemones.

9 Bandicoots Were Nimble

Pig‑footed bandicoots vanished in the 1950s, leaving behind a legacy of odd‑looking marsupials. Imagine a creature cobbled together from a deer’s body, a kangaroo’s hop, and an opossum’s pouch—this is the bandicoot, roughly the size of a basketball, and among the tiniest grazers ever recorded.

With no living relatives to study, researchers turned to Aboriginal oral histories. Interviews from the 1980s revealed a startling fact: these ungainly mammals could sprint with surprising speed. Their foot anatomy added to the mystery—each front limb bore two functional toes, while the hind limbs sported a solitary toe each. Though this configuration seemed unstable, eyewitnesses swore the bandicoots could bolt away like a cartoon Road Runner when startled.

Further intrigue arrived in 2019 when DNA analysis of the remaining 29 museum specimens disclosed that what was once thought to be a single species, Chaeropus ecaudatus, actually comprised two distinct lineages. The newly recognized species earned the name Chaeropus yirratji, honoring an Aboriginal term for the animal.

8 Worm City

In 2018, geologists dissecting rock samples from Canada’s Mackenzie Mountains stumbled upon an unexpected surprise. While grinding and sawing the specimens, they noticed strange colorations that prompted a closer look—an investigation that would upend a long‑standing belief.

Digital scans and enhancement revealed a dense network of tunnels hidden within the stone. These tunnels, invisible to the naked eye, were the work of a thriving community of ancient worms. Though it might sound like ordinary biology, this discovery proved that life existed where scientists had assumed a dead, oxygen‑free zone.

The rocks, dating back roughly 500 million years to a time when the region was a seafloor, were thought to be barren. Yet the worm‑carved passages resembled an intricate cityscape, demonstrating that the supposed lifeless zone actually harbored abundant oxygen and a bustling worm metropolis.

7 Step Closer To Ancestor X

“Ancestor X” has become the focal point of a heated scientific debate about the earliest vertebrate lineage—animals that eventually gave rise to humans. Contrary to popular belief, Ancestor X isn’t a primate at all; it’s a fish‑like creature.

Traditional views placed boneless hagfish and lampreys at the base of the vertebrate tree, suggesting that Ancestor X resembled these eel‑like organisms. Fossil evidence seemed to support this, but genetic data painted a different picture.

DNA analyses indicated that lampreys and hagfish diverged much earlier than previously thought. The tide turned in favor of genetics when a 100‑million‑year‑old hagfish fossil was uncovered in Lebanon in 2011. Because hagfish lack bones, finding one was described by a scientist as “like locating a sneeze in the fossil record.” This rare specimen displayed features implying that Ancestor X was more fish‑like than squishy eel‑like, nudging the evolutionary narrative toward a new direction.

6 Unique Fingerprints

Only about one percent of dinosaur trackways preserve evidence of skin on the soles, but when they do, they reveal that dinosaur feet left behind distinct “fingerprints”—unique patterns much like human fingerprints.

Paleontologists, eager for a single fossil fingerprint, were thrilled when they uncovered not one but five such specimens. While many are familiar with the massive theropods that dominate cinema, fewer know about Minisauripus, the tiniest known theropod.

Discovered in 2019 in modern‑day Korea, these diminutive tracks measured a mere 2.5 cm (about one inch) in length. Remarkably, the entire foot surface was covered in skin impressions, producing a pattern of tiny scales that interwove like fabric. This configuration resembled the skin patterns seen in Chinese bird fossils, a surprise because such detailed skin preservation was expected only in larger theropods.

5 Ancient Diet And Digestion

When scientists aim to decode the meals of extinct creatures, they usually rely on tooth morphology and chemical signatures in bones. However, the gold standard is finding fossilized stomach contents—soft tissues that rarely survive the test of time.

A 1965 discovery in Southern Germany unearthed a pterosaur fossil dating between 161 and 146 million years ago. Initially overlooked, the specimen was revisited in 2015 at a Canadian museum, where its exceptional preservation became evident.

Inside the fossil’s gut, researchers identified a fish skeleton, indicating a piscivorous diet. Even more intriguing was a lump near the base of the spine, likely a coprolite—fossilized dung. Analysis of this ancient poop revealed remnants of spiny marine invertebrates, suggesting the pterosaur also feasted on creatures akin to sponges or starfish‑like organisms.

4 Whale Ancestor With Hooves

Whales, today the giants of the ocean, began their evolutionary journey as land‑dwelling mammals. While the transition from land to sea is well documented, gaps persist—until a pivotal find in 2011.

A 42.6‑million‑year‑old fossil from Peru, named Peregocetus pacificus, revealed an animal with four limbs, each ending in a hoof that was surprisingly webbed, reminiscent of an otter’s foot. This bizarre combination suggested a semi‑aquatic lifestyle, with the creature capable of both terrestrial locomotion and proficient swimming.

The specimen, measuring about four meters (13 ft) in length, illuminated how early whales might have alternated between land and water—perhaps using land for breeding while spending extended periods at sea. Moreover, the fossil hinted that early whales could have crossed the narrower ancient South Atlantic, possibly originating near present‑day India before spreading to the Americas.

3 Cache Of 50‑Plus New Species

In 2019, a research team trekking along China’s Danshui River stumbled upon a treasure trove of ancient life. The expedition unearthed the fossilized remains of 101 distinct animals, more than half of which represented species previously unknown to science.

The discovery was serendipitous—while the team paused for lunch, a colleague noticed telltale signs of ancient mudflows, perfect preservers of fossils. The resulting assemblage, known as the Qingjiang biota, preserved soft tissues with astonishing clarity: jellyfish appeared intact, eyes, gills, digestive tracts, soft‑bodied worms, and sea anemones were all visible, as if freshly pressed.

Dating to the Cambrian Period (approximately 490‑530 million years ago), this period marks a rapid diversification of animal life. The newfound species offer a priceless window into this evolutionary explosion, providing researchers with an unprecedented chance to study early animal morphology and ecology.

2 A New Human

Modern humans stand as the sole survivors of the hominid family tree, with relatives such as Neanderthals, Australopithecus, and Homo erectus long extinct. Discovering a brand‑new human species is a rarity, but the Philippines delivered just that.

In 2007, a solitary foot bone, dated to roughly 67,000 years ago, emerged from the Philippine archipelago—making it the oldest human fragment found there. A subsequent 2019 expedition uncovered twelve additional bones nearby, together painting a picture of a diminutive, previously unknown human species.

Named Homo luzonensis, this species shares traits with H. sapiens, H. erectus, and even Australopithecus. While DNA extraction proved challenging, the morphological mix confirmed a distinct lineage, overturning the long‑held belief that the first hominins to leave Africa were solely H. erectus followed later by H. sapiens. Remarkably, this tiny human existed outside Africa nearly 10,000 years earlier than previously thought, and its blend of features suggests a deep, previously unrecognized branch of our evolutionary tree.

1 The Day The Dinosaurs Died

The K‑Pg boundary, a stark geological marker separating the Cretaceous and Paleogene eras, is famed for its iridium‑rich layer—evidence of the massive asteroid that slammed into present‑day Mexico 66 million years ago. The impact, creating a 145‑km (90‑mi) crater, eradicated three‑quarters of Earth’s species, including the non‑avian dinosaurs.

For decades, scientists lacked fossils that captured the immediate aftermath of this cataclysm. That changed in 2019 when researchers uncovered a collection of ancient fish at Hell Creek, North Dakota, directly at the K‑Pg boundary.

These fish bore glass spheres lodged within their gills—tiny shards of impact‑generated glass that rained down minutes after the asteroid struck, before the creatures were swiftly buried in sediment. The presence of these glass particles provides compelling evidence that these fish perished almost instantly from the direct effects of the impact, offering a vivid snapshot of the day the dinosaurs met their demise.

Viewing these Hell Creek fossils is like peering into a moment frozen in time, when the world was reshaped in the blink of an eye.

10 Archaeological Remains

When you think of Babylon, you might picture towering ziggurats, epic battles, and biblical legends. Yet the real story of the empire lives in the dust‑covered fragments left behind by archaeologists. In this roundup we’ll walk through ten archaeological remains that reveal everyday life, love, science, and even the quirkiest customs of ancient Babylon – the very same 10 archaeological remains that bring the ancient city back to life.

10 A Babylonian Home

In the late 19th century, excavators finally uncovered the sprawling ruins of Babylon itself. Among the most evocative discoveries was a modest dwelling that offers a window into the daily rhythm of an ordinary Babylonian household.

The city’s architecture was a marvel of mud‑brick construction. Every wall, every tower, was built from sun‑baked clay bricks that were often glazed in vivid hues and stamped with images of deities, beasts, and everyday people. The most prestigious streets were even lined with lapis lazuli—a deep‑blue mineral prized as if it were gold.

Residential structures mirrored this technique. Most homes sat on dusty, unpaved lanes away from the bustling main thoroughfares. A typical house consisted of a single room opening onto an open courtyard; wealthier families added extra chambers for storage or guests.

Inside, the interiors burst with color: glazed pottery, delicate lanterns, and tiny terracotta toys for children. Young boys might have played with miniature ships, while grown men passed time gambling with the ankle bones of small animals—a pastime that hints at both leisure and social interaction.

9 Babylonian Medicine

Strolling through a Babylonian market, you’d encounter more than merchants hawking spices and textiles. Sick individuals often sat among the stalls, and caring for the ill was considered a communal duty. Regardless of status, passersby were expected to pause and offer whatever medical advice they could.

The elite, however, enjoyed a shortcut: they could seek counsel at temples where priest‑physicians performed rituals, diagnosed ailments as divine displeasure, and prescribed protective charms. Some even consulted trained doctors capable of making plaster casts and performing rudimentary surgeries.

For the poorer citizens, the market was the only pharmacy. They relied on neighborly wisdom, sharing remedies that had proven effective for similar symptoms. This grassroots medical network was recorded on clay tablets that catalogued treatments deemed “tried and tested.” One such tablet recounts a disease that struck a woman 1,500 years earlier and the exact recipe that cured her, illustrating a lineage of empirical knowledge passed down through generations.

These tablets demonstrate that Babylonian medicine was a blend of empirical observation and ritualistic belief, a system that survived because it was rooted in practical success.

8 Erotic Clay Plaques

Babylon’s reputation for sexual openness was not just hearsay; tiny clay plaques uncovered by archaeologists confirm a culture that celebrated intimacy publicly. Historian Jean Bottero notes that couples often engaged in lovemaking on terraces, courtyards, and even public streets.

These plaques—small, hand‑painted terracotta tiles—functioned like ancient erotica magazines, portraying a wide array of sexual positions and techniques. They were ubiquitous, appearing in private homes, sacred temples, and even within burial goods, suggesting that erotic expression was woven into both daily life and spiritual practice.

For the Israelites, who later chronicled Babylon in biblical texts, such overt sexuality was scandalous. Their cultural norms favored modesty, so the Babylonian openness likely contributed to the biblical portrayal of the city as a place of moral decadence.

7 The Temple Of Ishtar

One of the most eyebrow‑raising customs recorded by the Greek historian Herodotus took place within the Temple of Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. According to his accounts, every woman who entered the sanctuary was required to remain until she exchanged sexual favors for a silver coin—a practice that turned the holy space into a bustling brothel.

Excavations have revealed the temple perched atop Babylon’s acropolis, adjacent to the royal palace. Its massive stone terrace, accessed via a broad ramp, once supported a towering ziggurat that seemed to touch the heavens. The architecture reflects both grandeur and a functional design that accommodated the temple’s controversial activities.

Herodotus quotes a local saying: “When a woman takes her seat she does not depart again to her house until one of the strangers has thrown a silver coin into her lap and has had commerce with her outside the temple.” Some women reportedly stayed for three or four years, indicating a system that blended religious devotion with economic exchange.

6 Fortune‑Telling

When Babylonian leaders faced crucial decisions, they turned to a practice known as hepatoscopy—reading the future in the liver of a sacrificial sheep. Specialists would cut open the organ, examine its shape, and interpret any blemishes or irregularities as omens.

Archaeologists have uncovered clay replicas of livers, each marked with symbols denoting specific outcomes. One particular model bears the inscription “destruction of a small town,” which officials consulted before contemplating the razing of a settlement.

Neighboring cultures reacted differently. The Greeks admired the technique enough to adopt it, while the Israelites condemned it as a dark, foreign sorcery, fearing its influence on their own spiritual practices.

5 Astronomy

High atop Babylon’s towering ziggurats, astronomers kept watch over the night sky, charting the movements of stars, planets, and comets. Their celestial observations were not merely academic; they formed the backbone of religious rites and agricultural planning.

Modern scholarship reveals that Babylonian scholars discovered the Pythagorean theorem a full millennium before Pythagoras himself. They meticulously tracked Venus, recorded the passage of Halley’s Comet, and calculated Jupiter’s cycles using mathematical techniques that would not appear in Europe until the 14th century.

Despite their precision, Babylonian sky‑watchers interpreted the heavens through an astrological lens, believing that constellations were divine signposts. The gods, they thought, arranged the stars to convey messages about future events.

Surprisingly, this blend of astronomy and astrology proved practical. By observing where constellations rose, they could predict seasonal changes and, consequently, forecast bountiful harvests—an early form of weather forecasting that saved crops and lives.

4 The Ritual For Eclipses

Eclipses struck fear into the hearts of ancient Babylonians, who saw the sudden darkening of the sun or moon as heralds of disaster—mass murder, civil unrest, or catastrophic floods. A clay tablet discovered in the ruins details a prescribed response to such celestial omens.

The ritual began with the lighting of a sacred altar, after which every participant removed any headwear and draped their tunics over their heads, creating a sea of concealed faces. While cloaked, they sang mournful dirges, pleading with the gods to safeguard their fields and spare their villages from devastation.

The ceremony concluded with a collective outburst of tears, a cathartic release that the tablet notes was an intentional part of the rite. By orchestrating an emotional breakdown, the community hoped to appease the divine powers and reverse the eclipse’s ominous predictions.

3 The Adoption Of An Abandoned Baby

A clay contract unearthed from Babylon’s archives reveals a surprisingly compassionate episode: a priestess rescued a newborn left to die in a well, snatching the infant “from the mouth of a dog.”

While infant abandonment was a grim reality across many ancient societies—Roman law even mandated the disposal of deformed infants—Babylon’s response appears more humane. The priestess formally adopted the child, declaring him her son before the state.

The Babylonian administration took the act seriously, enacting legal safeguards to ensure the child received proper care. The tablet stipulates that any official who denied the child his status would forfeit extensive property, including houses, fields, orchards, slaves, and personal belongings.

In short, the state not only approved of the priestess’s kindness but also imposed hefty penalties on anyone who threatened the child’s welfare, highlighting a legal framework that valued the protection of vulnerable lives.

2 The Lives Of Conquered People

When Babylon conquered a foreign nation, its people were often relocated to various corners of the empire. This forced migration affected the Israelites, whose exile became a cornerstone of biblical narrative and a source of resentment toward Babylon.

Yet tablets excavated from the period paint a nuanced picture: deported Israelites were granted a degree of personal freedom uncommon in ancient conquests. They could sign contracts, engage in trade, pay taxes, and even secure loans—rights that suggest they were not reduced to chattel slavery.

Of course, Babylon’s military campaigns were brutal. They razed cities, massacred civilians, and tore families apart. Yet the relative autonomy afforded to the exiles meant that, over time, many integrated into Babylonian society, their distinct identity gradually blending into the broader population.

This complex dynamic shows that while Babylon could be ruthless, its administrative policies sometimes allowed conquered peoples to maintain a semblance of normalcy and even prosper under imperial rule.

1 The Graves Of Dead Babylonians

Stretching along Babylon’s fortified walls lie the burial grounds of its citizens. When a Babylonian reached the end of his or her life, the body was laid to rest in a simple pit, often without a coffin or elaborate tomb.

While many were interred in a straightforward manner—lying flat and covered with earth—some graves featured additional care: bodies wrapped in reed mats, encased in mud bricks, or even surrounded by personal belongings such as beads. Herodotus records that certain graves were filled to the brim with honey, a testament to the value placed on offering sweet sustenance for the afterlife.

Strikingly, weapons were rarely buried with the dead, underscoring a cultural emphasis on peace and domesticity rather than martial prowess. The burial customs reflect a society that, despite its empire‑building, cherished everyday life and gentle rites for the departed.

Dead people and skeletons are often the last thing you expect when you set foot at a vacation hotspot—at least most of the time. While a few places draw visitors specifically for their macabre relics, the majority do not. Still, there are several travel destinations where the dead lie beneath the scenery, waiting to be noticed.

10 popular tourist sites that conceal human remains

10 Mount Everest

Mount Everest is littered with lots of dead bodies. In fact, the north side is filled with so many bodies that it has been unofficially renamed Rainbow Ridge, after the colors of the clothes and gear of the numerous tourists and Sherpa guides who’ve perished there. The total number of bodies on Everest is unknown, but the figure was put at over 200 as of 2015.

One popular corpse is that of Tsewang Paljor. His body has remained on Everest since he was killed in a blizzard in 1996. Paljor is called Green Boots because he wore green boots. He has become so well‑known that the enclave in which he froze to death is called Green Boots’ Cave. The enclave is a popular resting point for climbers descending from Everest.

Bodies are often left on Everest because of the cost and dangers involved in recovering them. Between six and eight Sherpa guides are required to retrieve a body from Everest. The bodies are always heavy, sometimes up to two times the victim’s weight when alive, because they are frozen. Sherpas often need to dig around the body and carry it with the ice. Retrievals cost thousands of dollars.

9 Yellow River

China’s Yellow River is always filled with the remains of people who committed suicide, drowned while swimming, or were dumped in the river after they were murdered. The government is uninterested in retrieving the bodies, causing creative entrepreneurs like Wei Xinpeng to retrieve the cadavers for money.

Xinpeng has noted a footbridge where bodies that end up in the river cannot pass. He paddles to the footbridge with his boat and pulls out any corpse he finds. He keeps the bodies in a cove and then takes out newspaper ads describing them.

Families pay a small fee to confirm if the body belongs to a relative. When it does, they pay another $500 to take the remains. As of 2010, Xinpeng said he’d found 500 bodies within seven years. Nine years later, we wonder how many more he has found.

8 Catacombs Of Paris

In the 18th century, the city council of Paris realized they were running out of cemetery space. So they agreed to turn the quarries underneath Paris into a catacomb and fill it with the remains of over six million people buried in cemeteries scattered across the city.

Whoever transported the skulls and bones into the catacombs initially just threw them in. However, workers began to artistically arrange the skulls and bones.

Many visitors never get to see the millions of bones and skulls that lie along the 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) of tunnels which are part of a tour. The tunnels can be reached by a staircase that leads further down into the catacombs. At the end of the tour is another staircase that leads to the upper sections of the catacombs. Tourists are said to be often covered in bone dust at the end of the journey.

7 Museum Of London

Roughly 20,000 skeletons are kept in an underground vault in the Museum of London. The vault is built with concrete walls and hidden from tourists. It is called the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology and is believed to be “the largest single collection of stratified human remains anywhere in the world in one city.”

The skeletons belonged to people who died from when the Romans ruled over Britain up until the 19th century. They are stored in cardboard boxes that are labeled “human skeleton” or “human infant skeleton,” in the case of infants. The museum keeps the bodies to study the history of London.

For instance, historians know that the people of the Middle Ages had better teeth than the people during the Age of Discovery after analyzing their skeletons. The latter had bad teeth because they ate lots of sugar.

6 Roopkund Lake

Roopkund lake in Uttarakhand, India, is known for its skeletons. The lake is often covered in ice. But when the ice melts—as it often does—tourists are treated to a chilling view of over 200 human skeletons scattered along its edge.

The skeletons were first discovered during World War II in 1942. The skeletons have dents on their skulls and shoulders, indicating that they had been struck by something from above. The British initially suspected they were the remains of Japanese soldiers who attempted to sneak into India.

They later realized the skeletons were too old to be the Japanese. Historians revisited the lake in 2004 and confirmed that the bones belonged to two groups of people killed by hailstones around AD 850. One group was a family or tribe, while the other were either their porters or guides. The party was crossing the area when they ran into a hailstorm. They had no place to hide and died after they were continually hit by cricket‑ball‑sized hailstones.

5 Pompeii

Mount Vesuvius erupted around noon on August 24, AD 79. The eruption threw hot ash into the air and down onto the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The ash fell on people and homes, blocking doors and causing roofs to collapse. It also filled the roads, further preventing people from escaping.

While thousands braved the ash and escaped, thousands more remained in their homes, where they cowered in fear and covered their heads with pillows. Whoever survived the falling ash and collapsing roofs was dead the next morning when a pyroclastic flow came pouring down the sides of the mountain.

Pompeii was forgotten until it was discovered in 1738. Excavators got to work and soon realized that the skeletons of the people killed during the AD 79 eruption were surrounded by empty spaces in the shape of what used to be their bodies. So they began pouring plaster of Paris into the spaces around the skeletons.

Today, we have hundreds of casts of the remains of people who died during the infamous eruption. There are also the plastered remains of a pig and a dog. The casts clearly show the faces and features of the people and animals—just as they were at the moment of death.

Around 1,150 bodies have been excavated from Pompeii as of 2015. However, historians believe over 2,000 people died in Pompeii. Considering that only three‑quarters of Pompeii has been excavated, there are probably still more skeletons underground.

4 Sac Uayum

A cenote is a sinkhole filled with water. It is created when weak limestone ground collapses to expose the cavern underneath. Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has lots of cenotes that are top tourist attractions. However, the Sac Uayum cenote stands out because it contains the remains of dead people and animals.

Sac Uayum was feared by the ancient Maya and is still feared by the locals, who have lots of folklore advising anyone against entering the cenote. In 2013, a team of archaeologists led by Bradley Russell dared the supposed dangers and decided to go into the cenote to investigate.

They discovered it is filled with skulls and bones of humans and cattle. They found 15 skulls but believe there are more. Some of the skulls are flattened, indicating they were from the Mayan civilization. While they suspect that the cows fell into the hole, they could not confirm how the humans ended up in the cenote.

The archaeologists know the cenote was never a cemetery and that the humans were never used as sacrifices. They think the people were possibly buried there temporarily because the Mayans believed in reincarnation. Alternatively, they could have been plague victims dumped there to prevent them from infecting the living.

3 The Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall of China, totaling some 21,000 kilometers (13,000 mi) altogether, is probably the most popular structure built in ancient China. It was built by several emperors, starting with Qin Shi Huang circa 221 BC. However, most of what remains of the wall today was built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).

Convicts and soldiers formed the bulk of the workforce at the time Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the wall. It is estimated that 400,000 workers died during construction at the time. Most of the dead are believed to be buried inside the wall.

2 Sedlec Ossuary

The Sedlec Ossuary (aka The Bone Church) in the Czech Republic is filled with the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people. The bones are not hidden but left in public view, where they have been turned into artworks. There are pyramids, candle‑holders, and a chandelier made with human skulls and bones.

The history of the ossuary began in the 13th century, when a monk returned from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with some soil. He threw the soil all around Sedlec cemetery. Soon, everyone in today’s Czech Republic and neighboring kingdoms wanted to be buried at Sedlec. More than 30,000 people were buried there before the cemetery ran out of space.

The city agreed to move the bodies into a crypt so that newer bodies could be buried in the cemetery. That crypt is the Sedlec Ossuary. A woodcarver named Frantisek Rint turned the skeletons into artworks in 1870, when he used the bones to create designs. It was he who created the famous chandelier. He also bleached all the bones so they’d be the same color.

1 Tower Of London

King Edward IV of England died on April 9, 1483. His successor was his son, Edward, who was crowned as King Edward V. But Edward V was only 13, so his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was assigned as protector. A protector was a person who ruled until the king was of age.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, soon got greedy and decided he wanted to be king. He imprisoned Edward V and his ten‑year‑old brother, Richard, Duke of York, in the Tower of London. Then he claimed Edward V could not become king because he was an illegitimate son of Edward IV.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was crowned king in July 1483 as Richard III. Meanwhile, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, mysteriously disappeared. Many believe they were killed by Richard III.

Several bodies have been found in the Tower of London over the years. Sometime between 1603 and 1614 (or even in 1647 as some sources claim), the skeletons of two children were found on a table in a walled up room.

The skeletons were initially thought to belong to the brothers until the suspicions were superseded by claims that they belonged to children aged between six and eight. Another body was found in 1619. It was thought to belong to one of the brothers until it was discovered to be the corpse of an ape.

Two more skeletons were found under a staircase in 1674. Yet more skeletons were found between 1830 and 1840, when the moat surrounding the tower was drained. Another body was found in 1977. However, carbon‑dating revealed it was from the Iron Age. The skeletons of the royal brothers remain missing.

Since its release in 1981, the movie Silence of the Lambs has become a horror icon. The American Film Institute considers it one of the best films of all time, and it is only one of three movies to win the “big five” Academy Awards for Best Actor, Actress, Director, Movie, and Screenplay.

In a movie filled with terrifying moments, there is one that stands out. While investigating a storage facility, FBI Agent Clarice Starling finds a large jar that contains a human head. The gruesome sight horrified the agent, not to mention the audience.

While discovering a head in a jar might be the stuff of movies, finding human remains in storage units is not unrealistic. Dozens of such cases have happened around the world to people who never imagined seeing a tiny corpse stuffed into a suitcase or a military hero’s ashes on a shelf. From murders to thefts, accidents to suicides, gruesome crime scenes to sadly forgotten histories, storage units have many stories to tell. Here are ten of them.

Related: 10 Family Secrets That Will Truly Horrify You

10 Forgotten Children

The idea of finding something valuable in an abandoned storage unit has made TV shows like Storage Wars and Auction Hunters popular. In those shows, as in real life, if a storage unit goes unpaid or has been abandoned, the owners of the facility can auction off its contents. The bidders don’t know what they might find—it might be valuable art or jewelry; it might be nothing but empty boxes. And sometimes, as in a recent case in New Zealand, it might be something horrific.

On August 11, 2022, after trying their luck by bidding on abandoned storage items in an online auction, a family in Auckland brought home their unknown winnings. They hoped to find something of value. What they found instead, crammed into suitcases, were the remains of two young children, between roughly five and ten years of age.

Authorities were called to the scene, and investigators say the remains have likely been in the suitcases for several years. Although their names have not been released, the children have been identified. After a South Korean woman was linked to the victims, the Korean National Police Agency became involved in the ongoing investigation.^[1]

9 Cali in the Cage

In another horrific case involving a child, the remains of five-year-old Cali Anderson were found in a plastic drum in a Sacramento storage unit in May 2018. The police say Cali had died approximately two weeks before her body was discovered. In an arrest affidavit, Anderson’s stepmother said the little girl was experiencing health problems, but since she wasn’t her own child, she didn’t get her any medical attention.

When Cali died, her body was placed in a duffel bag, hidden in a closet, and finally moved to the storage unit. When the police investigated the child’s home, they found handcuffs in an animal crate, along with clothing belonging to the girl, hinting that little Cali’s short life had been a very tragic one.^[2]

8 No Show of Respect

While storage units have been used many times by killers trying to hide evidence, sometimes the remains are of people who died of completely natural causes. The crimes perpetrated against them and their families instead occurred after death by the very people trusted to handle their remains with dignity and care.

In one such case, the winner of a storage auction in Rhode Island was shocked to find the bodies of two adults and one infant in his unit. The remains of the adults were so decomposed their gender could not be determined, while the infant, found in a small coffin, was thought to be a female. The unit had been rented by funeral home operator Alfred Pennine of Providence. Dozens more sets of remains were discovered in the funeral home he operated. Once his crimes began to come to light, Pennine committed suicide.^[3]

7 A Long-Overdue Honor

In some cases, it is not criminal activity that results in human remains being found in storage but merely time and tragedy. In early 2022, storage auction winner Bob Blank stumbled across the story of a forgotten military veteran. While looking through items he had won from the auction, he found a sealed box with cremated remains, along with other documents, including a letter from former President Ronald Reagan. A death certificate and Army discharge documents said the remains belonged to a World War II veteran. Two medals indicated he had been a heroic one.

Decorated soldier George Ralph Brady died in 1984 at the age of 59, and his ashes were stored in a cardboard box for 38 years. Determining that Brady had no living relatives, the American Legion performed a burial service with an honor guard and a flag line. The once-forgotten veteran’s remains now lie at the Riverside National Cemetery in California.^[4]

6 Work Goes up in Flames

Although most people use storage units to secure their personal belongings, some also use them to work on their own property. Unfortunately for a man in Russellville, Alabama, doing repairs on an automobile might have been responsible for his death.

On January 14, 2022, emergency workers responded to a fire at a storage facility. Initial reports about the number of units involved varied, but they all claimed one thing: that a dead body was found inside one of them. Subsequent reports said the unnamed man was known to have rented several units in the facility and that he often worked on vehicles in them. Authorities speculate the victim might have been using an alternative heat source that could have sparked the blaze. No foul play was suspected.^[5]

5 Murderous Greed

Money has always been a powerful motivator for murder, and hiding a victim’s remains while continuing to rob them is not as rare as one would hope. In one such case in Las Vegas, the bodies of an elderly couple were hidden in trash bins for ten years while their killer stole their Social Security income. The remains were found in a unit at All Storage at the Lakes in 2015, but the last time Joaquin and Eleanor Sierra were seen alive was in 2003.

Their killer, Robert Dixon Dunn, had apparently met them at a nursing home where his own mother was living. After killing them, he succeeded in stealing from them for all those years by moving around the country and using a fake name. After someone reported him for suspected fraud, he was finally caught. His ex-wife said Dunn claimed he was concealing the bodies of his aunt and uncle, who had committed suicide. In truth, the bodies were found to contain drugs and injuries caused by a sharp object.^[1]

4 A Bug Reveals All

That lure of money does not just attract evil strangers to potential victims. Violence within families is not uncommon, sometimes between spouses or between siblings. And sometimes between parents and children. In 2001, police in Las Vegas accused Brookey Lee West of killing her own mother and hiding the remains in a trash can in a storage unit. The remains of Christine Smith, 68, were discovered after reports of a foul odor caused the police to seek a search warrant.

The unit, which also contained many of Smith’s belongings, had been rented by her daughter, though she had used a different last name. During the trial, it seemed possible the murderer might evade justice because the remains were so decomposed that the coroner could not determine a cause of death. West said her mother died of natural causes, and the coroner could not absolutely refute that. But in a surprising twist, an entomologist was able to prove the case for murder. Dr. Neal Haskell testified that the absence of blow flies on the corpse proved she had been put in the can either while she was still alive or immediately after death. West was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

In an interesting footnote, Brookey Lee West returned to the headlines when she tried to escape from prison. Although wearing a disguise, West was spotted and recognized by staff right before she reached the prison exit.^[7]

3 A Daughter’s Deceptive Plan

Even when murder is not involved, the lure of money can cause some people to do unimaginable things. After her father apparently died from natural causes in June 1990, Judith Maria Broughton concocted a plan to steal his Social Security benefits, beginning in 1997. Leasing a storage unit at Econo Self Storage in Lexington, Kentucky, Judith stored the body there and kept collecting her father’s retirement funds.

On January 8, 2014, authorities discovered the mummified remains of Luther Broughton and charged Judith with the theft of nearly a quarter-million dollars. After pleading guilty to the theft, Judith was sentenced to ten years in prison.^[8]

2 Horrific Hoarding

It’s not always murder, and it’s not always money. Sometimes remains discovered in storage units were kept there due to family secrets, psychological disorders, and grief. After her death by natural causes in 1995, Ann Bunch’s body was released to her family for burial. Family members built a casket, domed so the old woman’s hump would fit inside. It was painted blue and loaded into a family van to be transported to Alabama for burial. But the body never got there.

On her deathbed, Ann’s daughter, Barbie Hancock, confessed to her own daughter, Rebecca Fancher, that the remains were in unit B8 of U-Stor. Although Hancock claimed the burial had been delayed because of bad weather and truck problems, family members say otherwise. Fancher’s ex-husband claims his former mother-in-law couldn’t deal with her mother’s death and that her hoarding compulsion made her keep the body nearby—possibly even in her own home before it was moved to U-Stor. Hancock and Fancher’s hoarding eventually led to their house being declared uninhabitable.^[9]

1 A Wife Dismembered

One of the most disturbing instances of remains found in a storage unit would have to be the case of Jessica Rey. On October 20, 2017, Rey gave birth in a Kansas City, Missouri, hotel room. Her husband, Justin, claims she died after the child’s birth, saying at one time that she had committed suicide and at another that Jessica died of natural causes. In any case, Justin spent two days in the room with the corpse, the newborn infant, and the couple’s toddler. Then, in the presence of his children, he dismembered Jessica’s body, put the parts in a cooler, and took it to a U-Haul storage facility. Alarmed by his suspicious behavior, facility workers called the police.

Authorities found Rey in the storage unit—where he might have stayed for a few nights—with his two small children and his wife’s dismembered remains. Faced with charges of endangerment of a child and sexual exploitation of a minor for photos found on his phone during the investigation, Rey was convicted and sentenced to nearly nine years in prison. He remains under investigation in a separate murder case in California.^[10]

It seems obvious that a former president should be given an appropriate and honorable final resting place. For most who have served their country, that has been true. But there have also been a surprising number of issues with former leaders’ deaths. From George Washington to the present day, presidents have been memorialized in some strange ways. Worse still, some of their remains haven’t been allowed to rest as they should.

Here are ten tales of the strange fates of former presidents after death.

Related: Top 10 Faux Pas Committed By US Presidents

10 George Washington

When George Washington died in 1799, his will was clear: He wanted to be buried close to his Virginia home. But the mausoleum at his plantation, Mount Vernon, needed considerable renovation to hold the first President’s remains. Prior to his death, Washington himself laid out the issue. He wrote about repairs that had to be done to the vault: “I desire that a new [tomb] of Brick, and upon a larger Scale, may be built at the foot of what is commonly called the Vineyard Inclosure… In which my remains, with those of my deceased relatives… may be deposited.”

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Congress ignored his request and conspired to erect a crypt in the U.S. Capitol building. But by 1830, three decades after Washington’s death, that memorial hadn’t been built. Washington’s remains were still in Mount Vernon—but no renovation had been done on the vault there, either.

That’s when things got strange. That year, Washington’s nephew and last surviving heir, John Augustine Washington II, fired a gardener who had been employed at Mount Vernon. The landscaper was upset about the dismissal and sought revenge. He crept into the crypt with the intention of stealing the late president’s skull. Thankfully, Washington’s body had been encased in lead to prevent post-death tampering. Even so, the crypt was in such bad shape that the bones of dozens of people were scattered and mixed together inside. Instead of taking a piece of Washington, the gardener swiped the skull of one of his distant relatives. A year later, the surviving Washington heir erected a new crypt to honor the president, and—pardon the pun—the rest is history.^[1]

9 James K. Polk

James K. Polk died only a few months after his term ended in 1849. The nation’s 11th President died of cholera, which at the time meant a quick burial in a mass grave to slow the disease’s aggressive spread. That burial was unbecoming for a former president, though. After a year in a common grave in a city cemetery in Nashville, lawmakers in Tennessee ordered the remains moved. The intended final resting spot was to be Polk Place, where the president died. And for a while, that was that. But in 1893, the Polk family sold the expansive property. When that happened, Tennessee officials moved Polk’s remains to the State Capitol in Nashville—and again, for a while, that was that.

In 2017, Polk’s final resting place came back into question. At issue this time was the late president’s last will and testament. In the document, he requested to be buried at Polk Place. That property was demolished not long after his family sold it back in 1893, though. So state lawmakers began the process of moving the remains to a property in the city of Columbia, an hour outside Nashville.

Polk had also owned that home during his life, and politicians reasoned the move would essentially fulfill the request in his will. In 2018, the Tennessee legislature passed a resolution to move Polk yet again. However, six months later, it was put on hold when the Tennessee Historical Commission refused to grant permission to disturb the remains. Today, Polk rests at the State Capitol Building—for now.^[2]

8 Zachary Taylor

Not long after Polk’s death, his successor died. Zachary Taylor had the unfortunate distinction of dying in office when he perished a year into his term in 1850. He was 65 years old upon death, which was an advanced age at the time. However, just days before passing, he was in good spirits at a Fourth of July ceremony. The sudden death left supporters wondering if he was poisoned. Taylor had been strongly against allowing slavery in the west at the time. Thus, his supporters wondered whether pro-slavery insurgents poisoned the milk and cherries he ate on the Fourth of July. But no definitive proof of poisoning was ever revealed.

Taylor was buried in his home state of Kentucky. For a while, he rested peacefully. But over the next century, the possibility of poisoning continued to be debated. In 1991, the former President was exhumed for an autopsy. Kentucky’s chief medical examiner performed the procedure. He conclusively found Taylor had not been poisoned. In his report, the death doc wrote Taylor died of “a myriad of natural diseases which could have produced the symptoms of gastroenteritis.” Satisfied at the conclusion, 140 years later, lawmakers had Taylor reburied. Today, he rests in the National Cemetery that bears his name in Louisville.^[3]

7 John Tyler

John Tyler was America’s tenth President, serving before Polk. The Southerner died in 1862, during the middle of the Civil War. He had been elected to the insurgent Confederacy’s legislature in his final days. Thus, rebels held the Virginia native’s body on their side of the horrifically bloody war. This riled up men on both fronts of the conflict and altered how Tyler’s final resting place was designated. The write-up of Tyler’s passing in The New York Times was vicious, asserting he went “down to death amid the ruins of his native State.” The obituary continued: “[Tyler] himself was one of the architects of its ruin; and beneath that melancholy wreck his name will be buried, instead of being inscribed on the Capitol’s monumental marble, as a year ago he so much desired.”

That obituary writer would be proven correct. Tyler had requested a simple funeral at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virgina. That did not happen. Seeing an opportunity to promote rebel pride, Confederate President Jefferson Davis threw a “grand event” for Tyler. Davis even draped Tyler’s coffin in a Confederate flag. In response, Union lawmakers refused to acknowledge the former president’s resting place. Today, Tyler is still interred in Richmond. The old bitterness has carried on, too. According to cemetery officials, he is still the only former president whose resting place is not recognized in Washington.^[4]

6 Abraham Lincoln

After Abraham Lincoln’s 1865 assassination, his body was taken by train around the country. Millions of Americans mourned their murdered leader. The body was embalmed for the trip—a relatively new procedure at the time. It hadn’t been perfected yet, though. The 19-day rail journey required morticians to travel with Lincoln’s corpse and re-embalm it at every stop. However, the experts were unable to prevent the corpse’s ultimate decay. When the train stopped in New York, a reporter wrote: “It will not be possible, despite the effection of the embalming, to continue much longer the exhibition, as the constant shaking of the body aided by the exposure to the air, and the increasing of dust, has already undone much of the… workmanship.” Thankfully, after three weeks, Lincoln was finally laid to rest in an Illinois tomb.

A decade later, in 1876, a group of criminals devised a plan to steal Lincoln’s remains and hold them for ransom. There were no guards at the late president’s tomb, and the marble sarcophagus serving as his resting place had only been lightly sealed. Unbeknownst to the group, they revealed their scheme to a man who was a government informant. He told the Secret Service, and on the day the crew went to the tomb, officers were waiting. Following that near-theft, Lincoln’s remains were secretly buried in the vault’s basement. In 1901, he was disinterred once more and reburied inside a steel cage under ten feet of concrete.^[5]

5 Warren G. Harding

Warren G. Harding suddenly died at a San Francisco hotel in 1923. At the time, he was in the midst of a nationwide speaking tour. He’d also recently suffered food poisoning. But nobody expected him to pass without warning. His wife, Florence, was adamant about the aftermath: no autopsy and immediate embalming. Harding’s doctors were furious. They wanted to know what had suddenly killed the sitting President. One frustrated medical professional even wrote: “We shall never know exactly the immediate cause of President Harding’s death since every effort that was made to secure an autopsy met with complete and final refusal.” The grieving widow was unmoved, though, and her late husband was buried.

For a while, the public blamed Harding’s doctors for his death. But a few years later, the truth started to come out. In 1928, a woman named Nan Britton wrote a tell-all book about an alleged affair she had with Harding. And in 1930, a former administration staffer wrote a book alleging Florence poisoned her husband after learning of the infidelity. Then, almost a century later, Britton’s descendants wanted answers about their lineage. Ancestry documentation linked them to Harding, and they took the late president’s offspring to court over it. Before Harding’s body could be exhumed for DNA proof, though, his progeny relented. They admitted Harding did indeed have an affair with Britton that produced a child.^[6]

4 Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was one of America’s greatest presidents. He saw the country through a bit more than three terms spanning much of the Great Depression and World War II. When he died in 1945, he had been very sick for a very long time. Still, his death was not expected. Roosevelt had been at one of his vacation homes with an alleged mistress when he perished. He told her he felt “a terrific pain in the back of my head” and passed out. Three hours later, he was dead. But while officials knew the importance of embalming quickly after death, their response was slow. An undertaker wasn’t contacted until four hours after the president’s death. All the while, aides waited on Eleanor Roosevelt to arrive as the next of kin.

Nine hours later, the embalming process finally began. The undertaker, F. Haden Snoderly, recorded a detailed 15-page memo about the significant issues he faced at that point. “Rigor mortis had set in,” he wrote, and Roosevelt’s abdomen had been “noticeably distended” by the time embalming began. Worse still, FDR’s “arteries were sclerotic,” which meant it was nearly impossible for Snoderly to get embalming fluid into the great man’s veins. The process was so difficult that accusations later appeared in books that Roosevelt had been poisoned and his body had turned black upon death. Those claims were false, but rumors persisted. As for FDR’s afterlife, the president wanted to keep things simple. He wrote out a very detailed set of instructions demanding a bare-bones coffin, a low-key funeral, and no lying in state.^[7]

3 John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy’s body rests in the Arlington National Cemetery. His brain, however, is missing. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. During the autopsy, his brain was placed in “a stainless-steel container with a screw-top lid.” Secret Service agents stored it in a secured file cabinet for safekeeping. From there, it was later brought to a “secure room” within the National Archives. But then something horrible happened. Three years after Kennedy’s death, officials discovered the late President’s brain had vanished. But nobody knew when or how it had been removed from the National Archives.

Author James Swanson reported on the macabre caper in the book End Of Days, writing: “the brain, the tissue slides, and other autopsy materials were missing—and they have never been seen since.” There is no shortage of conspiracy theories focused on Kennedy’s death, but his missing brain has only added to the lore. Swanson played right into it with his own theory too. The author claimed JFK’s brother Robert F. Kennedy was the one who swiped the organ. “My conclusion is that Robert Kennedy did take his brother’s brain—not to conceal evidence of a conspiracy but perhaps to conceal evidence of the true extent of President Kennedy’s illnesses,” Swanson wrote, “or perhaps to conceal evidence of the number of medications that President Kennedy was taking.”^[8]

2 Tassos Papadopoulos

Tassos Papadopoulos, the former President of Cyprus, succumbed to lung cancer in 2008. Papadopoulos had been a political hero in the island nation. After his death, his body was interred in a cemetery in the city of Nicosia. But on the day before the first anniversary of his passing, the remains were stolen. On the morning of December 11, 2009, one of Papadopoulos’s former bodyguards went to the gravesite to light a candle of remembrance. It had rained hard the night before. When the mourning man arrived, he found an empty hole and a pile of dirt where the grave had been. The shocked man immediately called the police.

Officials were baffled by the heist. For weeks, they failed to determine any suspects. Then, three months later, an anonymous tip led police to a different cemetery in Nicosia. There, they found Papadopoulos’s body reburied in another grave. The tip gave investigators a lead, too. It turned out the late president’s body had been dug up by a man seeking leverage to ask for his brother’s release from prison. The scheme came apart after another accomplice called Papadopolous’s family and asked for money instead. The grave robbers were caught and quickly punished. Each man received less than two years in jail for the crime. Thankfully, Papadopoulos was reburied peacefully.^[9]

1 José Eduardo dos Santos

When José Eduardo dos Santos died in early July 2022, it kicked off a series of tense exchanges. Dos Santos had ruled over Angola for decades after taking power in 1979. During that time, his regime oversaw a brutal civil war. He died in Spain, thousands of miles away from his political opponents. But the geography and timing were both tough: Angola was on the eve of an already-tense election campaign when dos Santos succumbed in Barcelona.

His daughter openly claimed foul play had felled the 79-year-old man. She demanded an autopsy in Spain to determine his cause of death. The autopsy was performed, but the evidence of misdeed was not there. Certain of an unsuspicious death, a Spanish judge ruled weeks later that dos Santos was not the victim of foul play. The judge also ordered dos Santos’s body be released to his widow, Ana Paula, and not his children. The grieving wife flew it back to his homeland days before the August elections.

The current Angolan government protested that choice but eventually allowed it. Longtime supporters met the late president’s casket at the airport in Luanda and mourned as it traveled through the city. Finally, in August, dos Santos was laid to rest in the capital “after a long waiting period.”^[10]

What do you do with human remains? Many people feel uncomfortable with just tossing granny in the compost heap when she dies. Luckily, it seems humans have always treated the bodies of the dead with respect. Most cultures have some sort of ritual to mark the end of life. Some of those are very different from the burials most people are familiar with. Sometimes they involve giving the deceased a makeover.

Here are ten ways that human remains have been embellished.

10 For the Love of God

There is a common motif in European art that some have found a bit macabre. Memento Mori are artworks designed to remind viewers that death is coming for us all. Painters have long included skulls in their works to underline the transience of human life. Damien Hirst decided to go a little further in his piece For the Love of God.

After buying an 18th-century skull, he had the teeth removed from the jaw and cleaned by a dentist. A perfect cast of the skull was then made, and platinum was used to replace the bones. Into the platinum skull were placed 8,601 flawless diamonds, including a large pink stone on the forehead. The original teeth were then inserted back into the jaws.

The grinning skull was put up for sale for £50 million.^[1]

9 Tezcatlipoca Turquoise Skull

One of Hirst’s inspirations for his decorated skull was the Tezcatlipoca Turquoise Skull held in the British Museum. This Aztec skull dates from the 15th century and is covered with small tiles made from turquoise, lignite, and seashells. The staring eyes are made from polished lumps of pyrite. The skull has been cut away at the back, and the inside is lined with deer skin. The jaw is loosely attached to allow it to move up and down.

It is thought that the skull is a representation of the god Tezcatlipoca. He was a god associated with divination, obsidian, the night sky, and conflict. The skull has straps attached that were originally painted red, so it is thought that it was designed to be worn—possibly by a priest for use during a ritual.

Other decorated Aztec skulls have been discovered. Researchers who studied them concluded that only the most high-ranking human sacrifices had their skulls converted into these decorated masks.^[2]

8 Gobekli Skulls

Gobekli Tepe in Turkey is one of the most intriguing ancient sites ever discovered. Dating to around 8000 to 9000 BC, it contains some of the earliest large carved stones in the world. These are decorated with images of lions, bulls, foxes, and other animals, as well as abstract patterns. The largest stones at the site would have taken tens of people a year to carve and even more people to move into its location.

As well as the remains of animals, which may have been sacrificed, a number of human bodies have been found at Gobekli Tepe. They have led some researchers to describe a “skull cult” that once existed there. This is because some of the skulls have deliberately carved marks on them.

Once the skin and flesh had been flayed from the skulls, it appears that deep gouges and holes were made into the bones for some purpose. That the marks may have been part of a ritual is suggested by their deliberate nature and that the pigment ochre had been dabbed onto the bones too. These may be the earliest examples of decorated human remains ever found.^[3]

7 Monk in a Statue

A statue of a Buddhist monk from China made its way to a market in the Netherlands. There it was snapped up by someone who appreciated its aesthetic qualities. When the purchaser took it to be restored, he and the restorer were undoubtedly startled to discover a human skeleton inside.

In 2014, the statue was taken to a hospital to undergo a CT scan to reveal more about the person who had been turned into their own sculpture. The scans revealed that the 1,000-year-old body was in a sitting position that exactly mirrored the shape of the statue. The body is assumed to be that of the Buddhist Liuquan, who died around the year 1100 AD.

Probes were inserted into the gold-painted statue, and samples were taken from the body. The researchers found scraps of paper that had Chinese writing on them. The internal organs of the body had been removed and replaced with these papers before the body was turned into a statue.^[4]

6 Kapala Skulls

Kapala is a term in Sanskrit which can refer to a bowl—or a skull that has been turned into a vessel. Following Tibetan ritual, bodies were given “sky burials,” which involved leaving the dead open to nature and allowing birds and animals to consume the flesh. Once all that was left were bones, then the skull could be retrieved and turned into something beautiful.

These Kapala skulls were then ritually anointed with oils and prepared for use in other rituals. Sometimes this involved carving images and patterns into the skull itself or decorating the skull with silver and stones. The Kapala could be placed on altars or used as drinking and eating bowls. It was thought that the wisdom and knowledge of the dead could be taken in by the one who consumed from the skull.

To ward off the anger of destructive deities, cakes shaped like human body parts would be placed in the Kapala and offered up to the vengeful spirits.^[5]

5 Bad Durrenberg Shaman

When people die today, they are often dressed in their best suit or favorite dress. In the past, however, the dead might be buried with the tools of their profession, like ancient archers interred with flint arrowheads. In Bad Durrenberg in Germany around 9000 years ago, a woman was dressed for burial in an outfit that suggests she was a shaman.

The Bad Durrenberg Shaman was a woman aged around 25 or 30, found buried sitting upright and packed in thick red clay. Nearby was the body of a young baby. What marks her as special are the objects she had been dressed in—the regalia. These included an extraordinary headdress made from animal bones, teeth, and two horns from a roebuck deer.

Studies of the body suggest that the woman suffered from a malformation of her neck that would have restricted blood flow. By holding her head in certain positions, she would have fainted. This might have made her an effective go-between for her people and the world of the spirits.^[6]

4 Dressing the Dead

On Sulawesi Island in Indonesia, a festival takes place called the Manene. Everyone is expected to attend: young, old, and even the dead. At the Manene, families gather to clean the tombs of their ancestors and take their bodies out into the sun. Once they have been removed, the corpses are dressed in fresh clothes.

This allows the living to show the departed that they are still respected and treasured. Some are given their favorite things to underline the reverence they are held in. Some bodies might get a pair of sunglasses to shield them from the glare. Others might be given a cigarette. It is thought that by treating the dead with respect, the dead will help to bless the community.

The Manene is only performed every few years. Many of the bodies are in a remarkable state of preservation. They must enjoy the good afterlife.^[7]

3 The Oldest City

Çatalhöyük has been described as a proto-city and may be among the earliest-built human communities. The ruins were found in Turkey and are markedly different from what you might expect a city to look like. The mud-brick buildings were all built one against another—there were no roads or walkways between homes. To enter your house, you walked along the roof and descended a ladder. Çatalhöyük was inhabited from around 7100 to 5600 BC.

While most attention has been drawn to how people lived in this early city, other researchers have found the dead of Çatalhöyük to be equally interesting. Many of the homes had dead bodies buried under their floors. The purpose of burying people inside houses is unknown, but it is found in several cultures. What marks the bodies of Çatalhöyük as different, quite literally, is that they were ritually painted after their deaths.

Some of the bodies have striking marks of red cinnabar painted on them. One body shows a stripe of pigment applied to the skull. Only a minority of bodies found in the city were painted in this way, which opens questions as to what purpose the decoration served.^[8]

2 Saints

In Catholicism, there has long been a tradition of treating the body parts of saints as holy. These relics were often thought to grant miracles to worshippers. Less known is that even to this day, all Catholic altars used for mass celebrations have small relics in them. Not all relics are hidden; some are ostentatiously put on display.

When most people think of reliquaries holding the mortal remains of saints, they think of a little golden object—maybe with a saint’s finger or a bit of bone inside. Sometimes the whole body is turned into a sparkling relic, however. Some, like Saint Deodatus in Rheinau, Switzerland, are shown sitting upright and clothed in shining armor. His skull is covered in a wax mask. Others prefer to only show the skull of the saint.

Known as catacomb saints, these bodies were mostly shipped out from Rome for churches elsewhere in Europe. The churches who took the bodies often spent lavish sums to coat the bones in layers of gold or silver and stud them with precious gems.^[9]

1 The Jericho Skull

About 9,500 years ago in Jericho, modern Palestine, a man died. We know this because his skull was discovered by excavators in 1953. Unlike most nameless skulls from the past, however, we know what this man looked like. After he died, his head was removed from his body, and a hole was cut into the back of the skull, into which soil was stuffed before plugging it with clay. Then the skull was coated in plaster and modeled to resemble the man’s face in life. Shells were then inserted to resemble eyes. It is probably the oldest portrait held in the British Museum.

The skull was scanned to ascertain whether the face that was put on the skull was supposed to be a portrait or just a symbolic representation. From these scans, a scientific reconstruction of the face was possible. They also revealed that the man’s head had been bound as an infant to permanently change the shape of the head.

Other plastered skulls like the Jericho Skull have been discovered. One in the Ashmolean Museum uses the ridged sections of cowrie shells to mimic eyes. If you don’t want to see a skull squinting at you, it is probably best to avoid searching this one out. ^[10]