[Dactyloscopy of mummified cadavers]

Abstract

The identification of mummified bodies places high demands on the skills of a forensic fingerprinting specialist. From a variety of methods, he must be able to choose the most appropriate one to reproduce the skin ridges from fingers, which are often shrunk and deformed. This article introduces and discusses a method for indirect fingerprinting. In this method, a negative cast of the mummified fingertip is first produced with a silicon mass. This 3-dimensional negative is then filled with several layers of a white glue/talc mixture, until a skin-thick positive is attained. Using this artificial skin it is possible to reproduce, in a relatively short time, a fingerprint which is free of disturbing skin wrinkles and deformities.