Criminal to the bone

Criminal to the bone

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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.

. TURIN, Italy. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

“Wife Killer” says the label beneath a wax-covered head at the Lombroso Museum. “Murderer” says the label under the head to its left.

In Lombroso’s view, the face and the crime were inherently linked: he thought delinquency was physically identifiable through telltale physical features.

Lombroso’s ideas were discredited, but his research still remains on display in the Turin museum.

Museum director Silvano Montaldo believes it should stay that way. "This is an important testimony for scientific history because these are human remains that were used to develop a scientific theory that reverberated around the world," he said.

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Slideshow

Visitors look at skulls at the Lombroso Museum, where Cesare Lombroso's own body is also on display.
. TURIN, Italy. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

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.
. TURIN, Italy. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

A wax-covered head with a tag reading "thief" is shown at the museum.

A visitor looks at objects lining the museum wall.
. TURIN, Italy. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

A visitor looks at objects lining the museum wall.

Tools used by a thief are displayed in the collection.
. TURIN, Italy. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

Tools used by a thief are displayed in the collection.

A skull seems to stare out at museum visitors.
. TURIN, Italy. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

A skull seems to stare out at museum visitors.

A skull's label says it belonged to the bandit "Gasaparone"
. TURIN, Italy. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

A skull's label says it belonged to the bandit "Gasaparone"

Knives are lined up at the museum.
. TURIN, Italy. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

Knives are lined up at the museum.

Skeletons are displayed in a row.
. TURIN, Italy. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

Skeletons are displayed in a row.

A labelled skull is put on show.
. TURIN, Italy. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

A labelled skull is put on show.

Wax-covered heads and skulls fill glass cabinets along the wall.
. TURIN, Italy. Reuters/Stefano Rellandini

Wax-covered heads and skulls fill glass cabinets along the wall.