adipocere
Also known as corpse wax, grave wax, mortuary wax
thumb | right | alt=Light brown corpse on a black background | Reconstruction of Ötzi's mummy: the corpse was immersed in water before its mummification, which "dissolved" its epidermis and initiated the process of adipocere formation. Adipocere (), also known as corpse wax, grave wax or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. In its formation, putrefaction is replaced by a permanent firm cast of fatty tissues, internal organs, and the face.
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Article
5 sectionsContents
- History
- Appearance
- Formation
- See also
- Footnotes
thumb | right | alt=Light brown corpse on a black background | Reconstruction of Ötzi's mummy: the corpse was immersed in water before its mummification, which "dissolved" its epidermis and initiated the process of adipocere formation. Adipocere (), also known as corpse wax, grave wax or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. In its formation, putrefaction is replaced by a permanent firm cast of fatty tissues, internal organs, and the face.
==History== Adipocere was first described by Sir Thomas Browne in his discourse Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial (1658):