Albert Zink
Biographic Data
| ID | 82907 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Albert Zink |
| GIVEN NAMES | Albert |
| FAMILY NAME | Zink |
| SIGNATURE | ZINK A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Eurac Research |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1461-747X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 59 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 97 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 59 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Digital archiving of pre-Columbian human remains from the National Museum of Archaeology (Munarq) in La Paz, Bolivia
This article presents the findings of the first comprehensive project that applied virtual archaeology techniques to document, reconstruct in three dimensions, and ethically manage pre-Columbian human remains housed at the National Museum of Archaeology (MUNARQ) in La Paz, Bolivia. The project digitized 47 individuals from the MUNARQ anthropological collection, including 16 complete mummified individuals and 31 human skulls with intentional crani…
The Winthir Collection
Documented skeletal collections that can be linked to individual life‐history information remain critical resources for bioarchaeological research, yet nonmodern identified series are still rare in Central Europe. We present the Winthir Collection, a late‐19th‐century skeletal assemblage from Munich, Germany, comprising 245 identified individuals recovered from an abandoned cemetery extension. Individual attribution was achieved through the integ…
From mummies to pathogens
The application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to ancient human remains has revolutionized the study of past populations by enabling the recovery of ancient human and microbial DNA. Paleogenetic analyses of mummies and archaeological skeletons provide unique insights into human history while transforming our understanding of the origins, evolution, and spread of infectious diseases. By identifying ancient pathogens and reconstructing their g…
Before “Back to Sleep”
Hallux Valgus and Associated Foot Pathology in Ancient Egyptian Mummies
The aim of this study was to gain information on the prevalence and manifestation of hallux valgus and associated foot pathology in ancient Egyptian mummies. Additionally, we investigated possible indicators of postmortem deformation of the feet during mummification. For this study, 34 mummies that had undergone whole body computed tomography (CT) were selected. For qualitative assessment, the body position of the mummies as well as of the feet a…
Paleoradiology opens new insights into frozen mummified children from Ampato and Sara Sara volcanoes, Peru
Paleoparasitological evidence of helminth infections in individuals from two Late Iron Age necropolises in Northern Italy (3rd-1st c. BCE)
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the presence of digestive macroparasites (helminths) in human remains from the Late Iron Age (3rd-1st c. BCE) in northern Italy (Verona province). MATERIALS: Pelvic soil samples and control samples from the skull or foot areas of 55 individuals from the necropolises of Seminario Vescovile (n = 45) and Povegliano Veronese (n = 10). METHODS: All samples were examined using brightfield optical microscopy. In addition, soil sample…
The conservation soft box (CSB)
The Conservation Soft Box (CSB) is an innovative system designated for cultural heritage. • The CSB's high degree of airtightness allows the creation of customised environments. • The material choice for its composition showed the low level of VOCs emissions. • The CSB solution allows the contents to be analysed with X-rays. • The easy acquiring of the materials, making the CSB solution globally accessible. Ensuring the long-term preservation of …
"Celts" up the Alps. Patterns of territorial mobility and funerary variability in Switzerland during the Late Iron Age
The European Late Iron Age (ca. 5th-1st centuries BCE) is characterized by significant economic, social, and cultural transformations, including the development and intensification of cultural and economic networks. These features make the last centuries BCE relevant for the study of human territorial mobility and its demographic and social correlates. In this study, we investigate the frequency and nature of human mobility during the Late Iron A…
The mummy of Ritter Kahlbutz – an unsolved mystery
In Kampehl, a village northwest of Berlin, a mummified body is preserved and exhibited in a church annexe. It is said to represent the remains of Christian Friedrich von Kahlbutz (1651-1702), a local nobleman. According to local legend, he swore before a court that his body would not decay if he were the culprit in an alleged case of murder. We offer the first comprehensive investigation of the mummy using anthropological and historical methods. …
Innovative approach to the verification of the alleged pregnancy and cancer in the Warsaw mummy
Evidence for dynastic succession among early Celtic elites in Central Europe
The early Iron Age (800 to 450 BCE) in France, Germany and Switzerland, known as the ‘West-Hallstattkreis’, stands out as featuring the earliest evidence for supra-regional organization north of the Alps. Often referred to as ‘early Celtic’, suggesting tentative connections to later cultural phenomena, its societal and population structure remain enigmatic. Here we present genomic and isotope data from 31 individuals from this context in southern…
First direct dating of the Late Neanderthal remains from Subalyuk Cave in Northern Hungary
The Subalyuk hominin remains were uncovered in 1932 in a cave of the same name in the Bükk Mountains, near the village of Cserépfalu in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Northern Hungary. The remains represent two individuals, an adult and a young child who have been described in a few publications since their discovery, providing substantial anthropological data and general assessments of their Neanderthal affiliation. They were associated with Late …
Postmortem changes in ancient Egyptian child mummies
Archaeological questions and genetic answers
In 2010, a detailed anthropological study regarding two adult individuals and one foetus-newborn buried in a Copper Age (ca. 3000–2700 cal. BC) multiple grave site found in Ora/Auer in the eastern Italian Alps (Alto Adige/ Südtirol) was published. This exceptional archaeological finding provides a rare insight into an inhumation prehistoric ritual discovered within a natural alpine rock shelter. Due to the presence of an infant in the grave, the …
Anemias in ancient Egyptian child mummies
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anemias in ancient Egyptian child mummies. Whole‐body computed tomography (CT) examinations of 21 ancient Egyptian child mummies from European museums were evaluated for estimation of sex and age at death. CT examinations were systematically assessed for skeletal effects of anemias using a clinical radiological approach as well as quantitative measurements of the thickness of the cranial …
Alfredo Salafia’s handwritten memoir and the embalming of Rosalia Lombardo
century, treated a number of corpses with his own preservation method. Among them was the young Rosalia Lombardo, just shy of two years old at the time of her death, whose remarkable preservation has brought her significant attention. It is well documented that Salafia had concocted a formula for a highly advanced embalming fluid which is believed to have been used to preserve Lombardo. This is referenced in a book and in two unpublished document…
On some mummy findings from the Semmelweis Museum of Medical History, Hungarian National Museum, Budapest
The permanent exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum, Semmelweis Museum of Medical History of Budapest, Hungary, displays some human remains believed to originate from ancient Egypt. Within the framework of the Nephthys Project, three objects consisting of two heads and one foot were studied via paleoimaging and archaeometric techniques in order to provide new anthropological and paleopathological data. It is argued here that even partial or…
Radiological evidence of purulent infections in ancient Egyptian child mummies
Prone burials and evidence of interpersonal violence
In early medieval times, the people of the Baiuvarii inhabited large parts of modern Bavaria (Germany). Among other evidence, about 10,000 graves dating from this time provide evidence of an exceptional level of settlement activity. These graves were arranged predominately in multiple parallel rows, so‐called Reihengräber, whereby the bodies were placed in stretched, supine positions. Burials that deviate from this custom are rarely found. For th…
Recovery lines in ancient Egyptian child mummies
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and anatomical distribution of recovery lines (growth arrest lines) in ancient Egyptian child mummies. Whole‐body computed tomography (CT) examinations of 21 ancient Egyptian child mummies from European museums were evaluated for estimation of age at death and sex of the children. CT examinations were systematically assessed for recovery lines by inspection for metaphyseal lines, diaphyseal …
Mitogenomic diversity and stable isotopes provide insights into the maternal genetic history, mobility patterns, and diet of early medieval individuals from the Eastern Italian Alps
The Eastern Italian Alps (South Tyrol) is a connection area between continental Italy and the northern Alps. Various local factors, such as the heterogeneous environment, complex historical events, and different mobility patterns, may have influenced the genetic makeup of early medieval alpine groups. However, no ancient genetic data from these groups are currently available. This study provides a first picture of the ancient mitochondrial DNA (m…
Correlation of atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis in ancient Egypt
Ancient DNA analysis of rare genetic bone disorders
A possible case of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis? Differential diagnosis in a rare case from the Late Antiquity Bavaria (Germany)
Early medieval Italian Alps
In Early Middle Ages (sixth-eleventh centuries AD), South Tyrol (Italian Alps) played a key role for geographical and military reasons. Historical sources document that allochthonous groups (germani) entered the territory, and the material culture shows mutual cultural exchanges between autochthonous andgermani. Besides the nature of the migration, the demographic and socio-cultural impacts on the local population are still unknown. Stable isotop…
New radiological approach for analysis and identification of foreign objects in ancient and historic mummies
New radiological insights into the life and death of the Tyrolean Iceman
Rib lesions in skeletons from early neolithic sites in Central Germany
As an infectious disease, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Paleopathological and paleomicrobiological studies indicate a long standing association of the causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its human host. Since the occurrence and the epidemic spread of this pathogen seem to be closely linked to social and biological factors, it is of particular interest to understand better the role of TB during periods…
Complete mapping of the tattoos of the 5300-year-old Tyrolean Iceman
Paleopathology in the Piraino mummies as illustrated by X-rays
This paper presents the first radiological investigation of a collection of Sicilian mummies held in a crypt beneath the Mother Church of Piraino, Italy. The chamber contains 26 preserved bodies of religious dignitaries, either conserved vertically in special wall niches or horizontally on wooden shelves. The majority of bodies are clothed, and transportation outside of the crypt was not feasible. Therefore assessment of the remains via paleoradi…
Molecular history of tuberculosis from ancient mummies and skeletons
The origin and evolution of the infectious disease tuberculosis (TB) and its pathogens is still not fully understood. An important effort for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of TB evolution lies within the investigation of skeletal and mummified material dating back several thousand of years. In this work, molecular data from mummified and skeletal material from different time periods of the Old World are compared, and the cur…
Molecular identification of human tuberculosis in recent and historic bone tissue samples
We describe the molecular identification of the M. tuberculosis complex DNA in bone tissue samples from recent and historic populations. In a first set, archival paraffin material from vertebral bodies of 12 recent cases with clinically/microbiologically proven tuberculosis was compared to 12 further cases without tuberculosis. While eight TB cases revealed a specific mycobacterial amplification product, none of the controls was positive. Interes…
Molecular identification and characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in ancient Egyptian mummies
A considerable number of molecular studies have provided evidence for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) DNA in ancient skeletal and mummified material. Moreover first studies on the differentiation of sub-types of the MTB (M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum, M. microti, M. canettii) have successfully been performed on ancient tissue samples. In our present study we extend previous analyses and investigate bone and soft…
Molecular analyses of the “Pharaos
In a recent paper, Marota et al. (2002) described a study on plant chloroplast DNA in modern and ancient papyri specimens in order to evaluate the half-life of ancient DNA (aDNA) in papyri. In parallel, they investigated the racemization of aspartatic acid in those samples, as the extent of racemization is linked to DNA decay (Poinar et al., 1996). The results were compared to the findings in animal and human remains from ancient Egypt in the lit…
Anthropological and palaeopathological analysis of the human remains from three "Tombs of the Nobles" of the necropolis of Thebes-West, Upper Egypt
During several recent excavation campaigns at the necropolis of Sheikh-Abd-el-Gurna, Thebes-West, Upper Egypt, we investigated the human remains of three "Tombs of the Nobles" totalling at least 273 individuals. The investigation covered the human material (skeletons and mummy residues) from the tombs TT-84, TT-85 and TT-95. These tombs had been built in the New Kingdom (approx. 1500-1000 B.C.) and used until the Late period (up to 330 BC). All s…
Evidence for dynastic succession among early Celtic elites in Central Europe
The early Iron Age (800 to 450 BCE) in France, Germany and Switzerland, known as the ‘West-Hallstattkreis’, stands out as featuring the earliest evidence for supra-regional organization north of the Alps. Often referred to as ‘early Celtic’, suggesting tentative connections to later cultural phenomena, its societal and population structure remain enigmatic. Here we present genomic and isotope data from 31 individuals from this context in southern…
First direct dating of the Late Neanderthal remains from Subalyuk Cave in Northern Hungary
The Subalyuk hominin remains were uncovered in 1932 in a cave of the same name in the Bükk Mountains, near the village of Cserépfalu in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Northern Hungary. The remains represent two individuals, an adult and a young child who have been described in a few publications since their discovery, providing substantial anthropological data and general assessments of their Neanderthal affiliation. They were associated with Late …
Theoretical aspects of physical-chemical parameters for the correct conservation of mummies on display in museums and preserved in storage rooms
Dietary analysis of Piraino 1, Sicily, Italy
Alfredo Salafia’s handwritten memoir and the embalming of Rosalia Lombardo
century, treated a number of corpses with his own preservation method. Among them was the young Rosalia Lombardo, just shy of two years old at the time of her death, whose remarkable preservation has brought her significant attention. It is well documented that Salafia had concocted a formula for a highly advanced embalming fluid which is believed to have been used to preserve Lombardo. This is referenced in a book and in two unpublished document…
Recovery lines in ancient Egyptian child mummies
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and anatomical distribution of recovery lines (growth arrest lines) in ancient Egyptian child mummies. Whole‐body computed tomography (CT) examinations of 21 ancient Egyptian child mummies from European museums were evaluated for estimation of age at death and sex of the children. CT examinations were systematically assessed for recovery lines by inspection for metaphyseal lines, diaphyseal …
Mitogenomic diversity and stable isotopes provide insights into the maternal genetic history, mobility patterns, and diet of early medieval individuals from the Eastern Italian Alps
The Eastern Italian Alps (South Tyrol) is a connection area between continental Italy and the northern Alps. Various local factors, such as the heterogeneous environment, complex historical events, and different mobility patterns, may have influenced the genetic makeup of early medieval alpine groups. However, no ancient genetic data from these groups are currently available. This study provides a first picture of the ancient mitochondrial DNA (m…
Trauma patterns and injury prevalence in early medieval Säben-Sabiona, Italy
In the Early Middle Ages (fifth to 11th centuries AD), central Europe was marked by geo-political instabilities and important socio-cultural changes that led to the admixture of different cultures named barbari by the Romans, whose demographic impact is still not fully understood. These events also involved the populations settled in modern day South Tyrol, a region in the north-eastern Italian Alps. In this context, the early medieval site of Sä…
Minimally invasive bone biopsies of fully wrapped mummies guided by computed tomography and fibre-optic endoscopy
Development of passive controlled atmosphere display cases for the conservation of cultural assets
Revision of tuberculous lesions in the Bácsalmás-Óalmás series - preliminary morphological and biomolecular studies
Previous investigations carried out in some parts of the 16th-17th century AD series of Bácsalmás-Oalmás (southern Hungary) have already provided interesting paleopathological cases of tuberculosis (e.g. Molnár & Pálfi 1994). These studies were essentially based on macromorphological analysis, biomolecular methods were used only in a few cases (e.g. Haas et al. 2000). From a macromorphological point of view, former investigations have only consid…
Long‐term survival of ancient DNA in Egypt
Molecular evidence for different stages of tuberculosis in ancient bone samples from Hungary
This paleomicrobiologic study was conducted on osseous tissue specimens from ancient Hungarian skeletal samples from the 7-8th and the 17th centuries AD with typical macromorphologic evidence of osseous tuberculosis (n = 3), morphologic alterations probably due to tuberculosis (n = 6), or with nontypical osseous changes of vertebral bodies suggestive of inflammatory reaction (n = 5). From these bone samples, DNA was extracted and amplified by pol…
Anthropological and palaeopathological analysis of the human remains from three "Tombs of the Nobles" of the necropolis of Thebes-West, Upper Egypt
During several recent excavation campaigns at the necropolis of Sheikh-Abd-el-Gurna, Thebes-West, Upper Egypt, we investigated the human remains of three "Tombs of the Nobles" totalling at least 273 individuals. The investigation covered the human material (skeletons and mummy residues) from the tombs TT-84, TT-85 and TT-95. These tombs had been built in the New Kingdom (approx. 1500-1000 B.C.) and used until the Late period (up to 330 BC). All s…
Atomic Force Microscopy for High Resolution Imaging of Collagen Fibrils—A New Technique to Investigate Collagen Structure in Historic Bone Tissues
Molecular analyses of the “Pharaos
In a recent paper, Marota et al. (2002) described a study on plant chloroplast DNA in modern and ancient papyri specimens in order to evaluate the half-life of ancient DNA (aDNA) in papyri. In parallel, they investigated the racemization of aspartatic acid in those samples, as the extent of racemization is linked to DNA decay (Poinar et al., 1996). The results were compared to the findings in animal and human remains from ancient Egypt in the lit…
Molecular identification and characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in ancient Egyptian mummies
A considerable number of molecular studies have provided evidence for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) DNA in ancient skeletal and mummified material. Moreover first studies on the differentiation of sub-types of the MTB (M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum, M. microti, M. canettii) have successfully been performed on ancient tissue samples. In our present study we extend previous analyses and investigate bone and soft…
Long‐term survival of ancient DNA in Egypt
Molecular identification of human tuberculosis in recent and historic bone tissue samples
We describe the molecular identification of the M. tuberculosis complex DNA in bone tissue samples from recent and historic populations. In a first set, archival paraffin material from vertebral bodies of 12 recent cases with clinically/microbiologically proven tuberculosis was compared to 12 further cases without tuberculosis. While eight TB cases revealed a specific mycobacterial amplification product, none of the controls was positive. Interes…
Molecular history of tuberculosis from ancient mummies and skeletons
The origin and evolution of the infectious disease tuberculosis (TB) and its pathogens is still not fully understood. An important effort for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of TB evolution lies within the investigation of skeletal and mummified material dating back several thousand of years. In this work, molecular data from mummified and skeletal material from different time periods of the Old World are compared, and the cur…
Radiological evidence of Goldenhar syndrome in a paleopathological case from a South German ossuary
Technical note
The study of ancient DNA plays an important role in archaeological and palaeontological research as well as in pathology and forensics. Here, we present a new tool for ancient DNA analysis, which overcomes contamination problems, DNA degradation, and the negative effects of PCR inhibitors while reducing the amount of starting target material in the picogram range. Ancient bone samples from four Egyptian mummies were examined by combining laser mi…
New radiological insights into the life and death of the Tyrolean Iceman
Dietary analysis of Piraino 1, Sicily, Italy
New radiological approach for analysis and identification of foreign objects in ancient and historic mummies
Rib lesions in skeletons from early neolithic sites in Central Germany
As an infectious disease, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Paleopathological and paleomicrobiological studies indicate a long standing association of the causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its human host. Since the occurrence and the epidemic spread of this pathogen seem to be closely linked to social and biological factors, it is of particular interest to understand better the role of TB during periods…
Parasitism of the Zweeloo Woman
Theoretical aspects of physical-chemical parameters for the correct conservation of mummies on display in museums and preserved in storage rooms
Revision of tuberculous lesions in the Bácsalmás-Óalmás series - preliminary morphological and biomolecular studies
Previous investigations carried out in some parts of the 16th-17th century AD series of Bácsalmás-Oalmás (southern Hungary) have already provided interesting paleopathological cases of tuberculosis (e.g. Molnár & Pálfi 1994). These studies were essentially based on macromorphological analysis, biomolecular methods were used only in a few cases (e.g. Haas et al. 2000). From a macromorphological point of view, former investigations have only consid…
Mummies and skeletons from the Coptic monastery complex Deir el-Bachit in Thebes-West, Egypt
Deir el-Bachit is the largest known Coptic monastery complex in Thebes-West. It dates to the Late Antiquity period between the 6th and the beginning of the 10th century AD. So far, at least 26 individuals from the site were analysed anthropologically. 22 of them were excavated directly at the necropolis, the other 4 are special burials that were found at other locations nearby. Most individuals from the necropolis are male adults. There are two c…
Morphologic-anthropological investigations in tomb K93.12 at Dra' Abu el-Naga (Western Thebes, Egypt
In this study we present the analysis of the human remains from tomb K93.12 in the Ancient Egyptian necropolis of Dra' Abu el-Naga, located opposite the modern city of Luxor in Upper Egypt on the western bank of the Nile. Archaeological findings indicate that the rock tomb was originally built in the early 18th dynasty. Remains of two tomb-temples of the 20th dynasty and the looted burial of the High Priest of Amun Amenhotep have been identified.…
Biological Anthropology
Complete mapping of the tattoos of the 5300-year-old Tyrolean Iceman
Paleopathology in the Piraino mummies as illustrated by X-rays
This paper presents the first radiological investigation of a collection of Sicilian mummies held in a crypt beneath the Mother Church of Piraino, Italy. The chamber contains 26 preserved bodies of religious dignitaries, either conserved vertically in special wall niches or horizontally on wooden shelves. The majority of bodies are clothed, and transportation outside of the crypt was not feasible. Therefore assessment of the remains via paleoradi…
Absence of evidence or evidence of absence? A discussion on paleoepidemiology of neoplasms with contributions from two Portuguese human skeletal reference collections (19th–20th century)
Evidence of aortic dissection and Marfan syndrome in a mummy from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily
CT checklist and scoring system for the assessment of soft tissue preservation in human mummies
Paleopathology and ancient diseases (37 works) · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (35 works) · Medicine (31 works) · Archaeology (26 works) · Biology (22 works) · Geography (21 works) · History (20 works) · Pathology (20 works) · Paleopathology (16 works) · Ancient history (14 works)