Buzz
Many celebrities rise to fame and amass wealth due to their uniquely prized or highly desirable physical attributes. Stories circulate about individuals insuring their limbs or other body parts for exorbitant amounts, as their careers hinge on possessing stunning legs or an enviable figure. While some body parts gain fame during their owner's lifetime, others achieve notoriety only after being separated from their famous bodies. Here are ten of the most renowned preserved body parts, along with the tales of how they outlived their original owners.
10. Cromwell’s Head
When justice fails to hold a living person accountable for a crime, history shows that corpses have occasionally been put on trial. Following the restoration of King Charles II, Oliver Cromwell’s body was exhumed and held responsible for the execution of Charles I, his predecessor and father. Cromwell’s remains were publicly hanged, and his head was severed and displayed at Westminster Hall. To ensure longevity, displayed heads were often tarred, a practice that appears to have been applied to Cromwell’s head as well.
A powerful storm eventually knocked the head off its pike, and it was taken by a guard. Over time, the skull, still with preserved flesh, changed hands multiple times, including being housed in a curiosity museum and owned privately. In 1960, the head was finally laid to rest on the grounds of Cromwell’s former college in Cambridge. The burial location remains undisclosed to prevent further disturbance.
9. Bentham’s Head
In a recent list, I mentioned Jeremy Bentham, the utilitarian philosopher, whose remains were used to create a memorial statue, as per his wishes. For the last ten years of his life, Bentham carried the glass eyes he intended to replace his own in the statue. However, the preservation process distorted his head, making it unsuitable for display, so a wax head was used instead. Bentham’s actual head became the subject of student pranks at University College London, leading to its relocation to a museum, where it can now only be viewed with special permission.
8. Einstein’s Brain
Einstein’s brain stands as one of the most renowned organs of the 20th century, symbolizing unparalleled genius and continuing to captivate neuroscientists. Shortly after his death, his brain was extracted for research to uncover the origins of his extraordinary intellect. Researchers identified several unique features distinguishing his brain from others. However, after the initial examination, the brain mysteriously disappeared, leaving its whereabouts uncertain. While some sections were distributed to scientists, the majority remained with the physician who performed the extraction. The journey of this brain, which revolutionized 20th-century physics, has been chronicled in numerous books and films.
7. Einstein’s Eyes
Just as saints’ bodies were often plundered for relics, Einstein, the modern-day secular saint, was no exception. Alongside his brain, the doctor who conducted the autopsy also removed Einstein’s eyeballs. While his brain was a subject of scientific inquiry, the purpose of preserving his eyes remains unclear. The eyes were handed over to another of Einstein’s physicians and are reportedly stored in a New York safe deposit box. The current owner claims to keep them as a way of maintaining a connection to Einstein.
6. Galileo’s Finger
Galileo endured immense hardship for his steadfast belief in the heliocentric model, which posits that the Earth orbits the sun. His defiance led to house arrest imposed by the Church, a punishment for advocating what is now common knowledge. Initially laid to rest in a humble grave, his remains were later transferred to an elaborate mausoleum as his contributions gained recognition. During this relocation, admirers collected relics, including the middle finger from his right hand. This digit is now displayed at the Galileo-named Museum of the History of Science in Florence, serving as a lasting gesture of defiance towards the Church, which only acknowledged its error concerning heliocentrism in 1992.
5. Napoleon’s Penis
The Napoleon complex, often linking short stature with a desire for dominance, might stem from a misinterpretation of history, as Napoleon was actually of average height for his era. However, a Freudian analysis might still shed light on his ambitions to dominate Europe. Following his demise, an autopsy was conducted to determine the cause of death. While his heart and stomach were officially extracted, the doctor's attendant noted in private that additional, unspecified body parts were also taken.
For years, there have been whispers that one of these relics was the Emperor’s genitalia. This item has been auctioned multiple times and publicly exhibited. The artifact now referred to as Napoleon’s Napoleon is believed to be an authentic part of the legendary conqueror’s body, though its exact nature remains debated. Descriptions of the preserved piece, roughly an inch in length, range from a tendon to a leather fragment, a grape, or even a dried-up seahorse.
4. Buddha’s Tooth
Gautama Buddha, the spiritual leader who established Buddhism in 6th century BC India, left behind relics that followers deeply revere. Upon his death, Buddha was cremated on a sandalwood pyre, and his body was almost entirely consumed, save for one canine tooth. This tooth became a sacred relic. Throughout history, during conflicts between Indian states, the tooth was a highly sought-after prize. After being gifted and relocated multiple times, it eventually found its way to Kandy, Sri Lanka, where it remains enshrined in a grand golden reliquary.
3. Rasputin’s Penis
Rasputin’s penis led a remarkably eventful existence, both during and after its owner’s lifetime. Known for his scandalous reputation, Rasputin allegedly used his anatomy as a tool to convey his spiritual teachings to women, earning widespread disdain from both commoners and aristocrats. His eventual murder by a group of nobles reportedly included castration. Today, the preserved organ of Russia’s infamous seducer is displayed at the Erotica Museum in St. Petersburg, acquired from the descendants of a maid who claimed to have salvaged it from the murder scene.
2. Lincoln’s Skull Fragments
The National Museum of Health and Medicine in Maryland houses several artifacts related to Abraham Lincoln. Following his assassination, the president received the finest medical care of the era, though it proved futile. Extracting the bullet from his skull proved difficult, resulting in the removal of a blood clot and several bone fragments. These fragments were not interred with Lincoln’s body but were preserved and are now exhibited alongside the fatal bullet.
1. Henri IV’s Head
In times of revolution, even the deceased are not spared from turmoil. The French Revolution saw the desecration of royal tombs and the scattering of their remains. Henri IV, known as ‘The Good’ and the founder of the Bourbon dynasty, faced the humiliation of being exhumed nearly two centuries after his death. His head was severed and circulated among collectors of morbid artifacts. It wasn’t until 2010 that the head’s identity was confirmed, when a team of scientists analyzed it, comparing it to historical portraits and the king’s death mask. The head has since been reinterred by the monarch’s descendants.
