Bygone theatres of events: A history of human anatomy and dissection

Abstract

Over the last four millennia, the discipline of anatomy and its relationships with medicine and society have evolved dramatically. Human dissection, the perennial tool for anatomical discovery and education, has both guided this evolution and matured alongside it. Soon after the first cadaveric dissections recorded in ancient Greece, China, India, and Persia, clear endorsements of its practice fell largely silent in the anatomical record for 1,500 years before reappearing in Europe at the dawn of the Renaissance. Between the 13th and 18th centuries CE, the performance of anatomical dissection became a popular form of education and public entertainment, and the demand for human cadavers steadily increased among European anatomical schools while supply remained limited by legal statute. This gave rise to an informal group of amateur and professional body snatchers called the Resurrectionists and, later, inspired the Anatomy Act of 1832 CE. In the 20th and 21st centuries CE, voluntary body bequeathal programs have enabled the practice of human dissection to continue in academic centers as a cornerstone of anatomical education, now with a newfound focus on the development of affective skills. This article provides an abridged account of anatomy's development, highlighting key moments in its growth, the valuable contributions of many different societies to the discipline, and the important roles of several luminary anatomists of antiquity. Within the broader context of this history, it offers an overview of anatomical dissection's evocative past, spanning from its inception to its present-day practice.

Keywords: anatomical education; anatomy; history; human dissection; medicine.