Naslov
Physical anthropology and human osteology- a tool to understand the development of anatomical knowledge in arts

Autori
Petaros, Anja ; Škrobonja, Ante ; Stemberga, Valter

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, ostalo

Izvornik
6th ISHM Meeting- Book of abstracts / - Barcelona : International Society for the History of Medicine, 2011, 90-90

Skup
6th International Society for the History of Medicine Meeting

Mjesto i datum
Barcelona, Španjolska, 07.09.2011. - 10.09.2011

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
physical anthropology; history of medicine; history of arts; Dance of Death; Danse Macabre

Sažetak
Physical (biological) anthropology is a bio-cultural discipline that studies the human species, its ancestors and closest relatives, the primates. An important prerequisite for studying human bones, their evolution, pathological and traumatic modifications is the ability to distinguish between human and non human bones. Thus, physical anthropologists must be very familiar with human osteology as well as with animal anatomy. The knowledge gained by physical anthropologists has been used in different contexts: comparative anatomy, ecology, evolution and today also in forensic, leading to the development of forensic anthropology that deals with identification of human remains. This study tests the usefulness of anthropological and osteological knowledge in reading historical arts masterpieces that depict human skeletal remains. On of the most popular works dedicated to skeletal anatomy is certainly the Dance of Death (Danse Macabre). The authors have applied the principles of forensic anthropology and human osteology in the study of two 15th century Danse Macabre frescoes, located in the Istrian peninsula. Although the artists of both works have filled the gaps in their knowledge of human anatomy with imagination and perhaps some insight into animal bones, the analysis showed a visible progress in the knowledge of human anatomy in a 16-year long period. In conclusion, the article argues that the history of medicine and art could make good use of physical and forensic anthropology in understanding how anatomical knowledge developed among folk artists and local people in the per-Renaissance and post- Renaissance.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Povijest umjetnosti, Etnologija i antropologija

POVEZANOST RADA