Criminal to the bone
The hundreds of skulls lining the shelves of the Lombroso Museum in Turin were collected by a man who believed they showed the marks of evil. Nineteenth century Italian physician Cesare Lombroso thought criminality was an inherited trait visible in a person’s features, and in an attempt to prove his theory he collected criminals’ remains for analysis. But now some of the descendants of the offenders – whose body parts were taken without permission – want the bones back.
Visitors look at skulls at the Lombroso Museum, where Cesare Lombroso's own body is also on display.
A wax-covered head with a tag reading "thief" is shown at the museum.
A visitor looks at objects lining the museum wall.
Tools used by a thief are displayed in the collection.
A skull seems to stare out at museum visitors.
A skull's label says it belonged to the bandit "Gasaparone"
Knives are lined up at the museum.
Skeletons are displayed in a row.
A labelled skull is put on show.
Wax-covered heads and skulls fill glass cabinets along the wall.
