The Ōshū Fujiwara-An interdisciplinary study on the history, culture and medical assessment of the oldest known mummified human remains in Japan (late Heian, 12th century AD)

PLoS One. 2021 Oct 18;16(10):e0253693. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253693. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

This study documents a rare case of mummified human remains from Japan, dating to the late Heian period, 12th Century AD. The remains have only been scientifically investigated once in 1950 so far. The results of this investigation were translated, analyzed, and interpreted using methods of the 21st century. The remains have been traditionally identified as the four ruling generations of the Ōshū Fujiwara clan, who built a cultural and economic center in Hiraizumi. Accordingly, this paper will first examine the historical and cultural significance of Hiraizumi and its ruling class before re-evaluating the findings of the 1950 investigation. This study is the first in the Western scientific literature to provide a comprehensive historical, cultural, and medical evaluation of these mummies.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Body Remains
  • History, 21st Century
  • History, Medieval
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Japan
  • Mummies / history*

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Mäxi Foundation and Dr. Richard Dähler. Frank Rühli was the Grant recipient as the director of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine of the University of Zurich. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. None of the authors received a salary from any of the funders.