Anthropodermic bibliopegy
Encyclopedia
Anthropodermic bibliopegy is the practice of binding books
in human
skin
. Though extremely uncommon in modern times, the technique dates back to at least the 17th century. The practice is inextricably connected with the practice of tanning human skin, often done in certain circumstances after a corpse has been dissected.
texts bound with the skin of dissected cadaver
s, volumes created as a bequest
and bound with the skin of the testator
(known as 'autoanthropodermic bibliopegy'), and copies of judicial proceedings bound in the skin of the murderer convicted in those proceedings, such as in the case of John Horwood
in 1821 and the Red Barn Murder in 1828.
The libraries of many Ivy League
universities include one or more samples of anthropodermic bibliopegy. The rare book collection at the Harvard Law School
Library holds a book, Practicarum quaestionum circa leges regias Hispaniae, a treatise on Spanish law. A faint inscription on the last page of the book states:
(The Wavuma are believed to be an African tribe from the region currently known as Zimbabwe
.)
The John Hay Library
's special books collection at Brown University
contains three human-skin books, including a rare copy of De Humani Corporis Fabrica
by Vesalius.
Some early copies of Dale Carnegie
's Lincoln the Unknown
were covered with jackets containing a patch of skin from an African American man, onto which the title had been embossed.
The National Library of Australia
holds a book of 18th century poetry with the inscription "Bound in human skin" on the first page.
There is also a tradition of certain volumes of erotica
being bound in human skin. Examples reported include a copy of the Marquis de Sade
's Justine et Juliette bound in tanned skin from female breasts. Other examples are known, with the feature of the intact human nipple on one or more of the boards of the book.
Saddam Hussein
commissioned the creation of the Blood Qur'an, which, while not bound in human skin, is a complete copy of the Islamic holy book penned in Hussein's own blood; perhaps ignorantly opposing Islamic law, which regards blood as najas (unclean).
, such as Ilse Koch
, had commissioned the creation of items from the skin of victims of the Holocaust, including books and lampshades. However, reports of this particular supposed Nazi atrocity are widely considered today to be apocryphal, according to authorities such as the Nizkor Project
. The serial killer Ed Gein
did, however, make a lampshade from human skin.
In March, 2006 a human skin lampshade was sold for $35 to a collector in post-hurricane Katrina
New Orleans. This object was verified at a DNA
lab and the frame of the shade was verified as of Eastern European origin dating to 1920-1940. The full story of this object was documented in "The Lampshade" by Mark Jacobson
, published by Simon and Schuster in September, 2010.
The Nazis are known to have taken and preserved individual pieces of skin, chiefly those sections displaying tattoo
s; several examples of such can be found within the collections of the National Museum of Health and Medicine
and the United States National Archives
, although neither institution places these items on display.
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
in human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
skin
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
. Though extremely uncommon in modern times, the technique dates back to at least the 17th century. The practice is inextricably connected with the practice of tanning human skin, often done in certain circumstances after a corpse has been dissected.
History
Surviving historical examples of this technique include anatomyAnatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
texts bound with the skin of dissected cadaver
Cadaver
A cadaver is a dead human body.Cadaver may also refer to:* Cadaver tomb, tomb featuring an effigy in the form of a decomposing body* Cadaver , a video game* cadaver A command-line WebDAV client for Unix....
s, volumes created as a bequest
Bequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
and bound with the skin of the testator
Testator
A testator is a person who has written and executed a last will and testament that is in effect at the time of his/her death. It is any "person who makes a will."-Related terms:...
(known as 'autoanthropodermic bibliopegy'), and copies of judicial proceedings bound in the skin of the murderer convicted in those proceedings, such as in the case of John Horwood
John Horwood
John Horwood was convicted of murder in Bristol, England, in 1821. He was the first person to be hanged at Bristol New Gaol. His skeleton was retained, and most recently was kept hanging in a cupboard at Bristol University with the noose still around its neck...
in 1821 and the Red Barn Murder in 1828.
The libraries of many Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
universities include one or more samples of anthropodermic bibliopegy. The rare book collection at the Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
Library holds a book, Practicarum quaestionum circa leges regias Hispaniae, a treatise on Spanish law. A faint inscription on the last page of the book states:
(The Wavuma are believed to be an African tribe from the region currently known as Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.)
The John Hay Library
John Hay Library
The John Hay Library is the second oldest library on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Located on Prospect Street, opposite the Van Wickle Gates, it replaced the outgrown former library, now Robinson Hall, as the main library on the campus...
's special books collection at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
contains three human-skin books, including a rare copy of De Humani Corporis Fabrica
De humani corporis fabrica
De humani corporis fabrica libri septem is a textbook of human anatomy written by Andreas Vesalius in 1543....
by Vesalius.
Some early copies of Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie
Dale Breckenridge Carnegie was an American writer, lecturer, and the developer of famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills...
's Lincoln the Unknown
Lincoln the Unknown
Lincoln the Unknown is a biography on Abraham Lincoln, written in 1932 by Dale Carnegie. It is currently published by Dale Carnegie and Associates, and given out as a prize in the Dale Carnegie Course.-Summary:...
were covered with jackets containing a patch of skin from an African American man, onto which the title had been embossed.
The National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
holds a book of 18th century poetry with the inscription "Bound in human skin" on the first page.
There is also a tradition of certain volumes of erotica
Erotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
being bound in human skin. Examples reported include a copy of the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
's Justine et Juliette bound in tanned skin from female breasts. Other examples are known, with the feature of the intact human nipple on one or more of the boards of the book.
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
commissioned the creation of the Blood Qur'an, which, while not bound in human skin, is a complete copy of the Islamic holy book penned in Hussein's own blood; perhaps ignorantly opposing Islamic law, which regards blood as najas (unclean).
Holocaust
It was commonly believed for a time that prominent NazisNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, such as Ilse Koch
Ilse Koch
Ilse Koch, née Köhler , was the wife of Karl-Otto Koch, commandant of the Nazi concentration camps Buchenwald from 1937 to 1941, and Majdanek from 1941 to 1943...
, had commissioned the creation of items from the skin of victims of the Holocaust, including books and lampshades. However, reports of this particular supposed Nazi atrocity are widely considered today to be apocryphal, according to authorities such as the Nizkor Project
Nizkor Project
The Nizkor Project is an ongoing Internet-based project run by B'nai Brith Canada which is dedicated to countering Holocaust denial. It was founded by Ken McVay as a central Web-based archive for the large numbers of documents made publicly available by the users of the newsgroup alt.revisionism...
. The serial killer Ed Gein
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore "Ed" Gein - July 26, 1984) was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes...
did, however, make a lampshade from human skin.
In March, 2006 a human skin lampshade was sold for $35 to a collector in post-hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
New Orleans. This object was verified at a DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
lab and the frame of the shade was verified as of Eastern European origin dating to 1920-1940. The full story of this object was documented in "The Lampshade" by Mark Jacobson
Mark Jacobson
Mark Jacobson is an American author and writer.-Early life:Jacobson graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and achieved recognition in New York City whilst writing for the Village Voice in the 1970s, most particularly for a lurid account of life in the Chinatown Ghost Shadows...
, published by Simon and Schuster in September, 2010.
The Nazis are known to have taken and preserved individual pieces of skin, chiefly those sections displaying tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s; several examples of such can be found within the collections of the National Museum of Health and Medicine
National Museum of Health and Medicine
The National Museum of Health and Medicine is a museum in Silver Spring, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., USA. An element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the NMHM is a member of the National Health Sciences Consortium....
and the United States National Archives
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
, although neither institution places these items on display.
Popular culture
The binding of books in human skin is also a common element within horror films and works of fiction:- Peter Greenaway's 1996 film The Pillow Book contains a sequence in which the body of a writer is exhumed and his skin painstakingly tanned, written upon, and bound into a book.
- In the Evil Dead series of films and comic books originally created by Sam RaimiSam RaimiSamuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...
, a fictional SumerSumerSumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian book called the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis is bound in human skin and inked with human blood. - The video game Eternal Darkness: Sanity's RequiemEternal Darkness: Sanity's RequiemEternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is a psychological horror action-adventure video game released for the Nintendo GameCube. Developed by Canadian developer Silicon Knights and originally planned for the Nintendo 64, it was first released and published by Nintendo on June 24, 2002 in North America...
centers around a book called the Tome of Eternal Darkness which is bound in human flesh. - Chuck Palahniuk's Lullaby (novel)Lullaby (novel)Lullaby is a horror-satire novel by American author Chuck Palahniuk, published in 2002. It won the 2003 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, and was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel in 2002.-Background:...
features a book bound in human skin called The GrimoireGrimoireA grimoire is a textbook of magic. Such books typically include instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination and also how to summon or invoke supernatural entities such as angels, spirits, and demons...
Further Reading
- R.W. Hackwood, "Human Skin Tanned", Notes and Queries, 3rd series, X (Oct 27, 1866), 341.
- F. A. Carrington, "Human Skin Tanned, etc.", Notes and Queries, 2nd series, II (Oct 11, 1856), 299.
- Alfred Wallis, "Book Bound in Human Skin", Notes and Queries, 7th series, VIII (March 30, 1889), 246.
- H. Tapley-Soper, 'Books Bound in Human Skin", Notes and Queries, CLI (July 24, 1926), 68-9 and CLXXXVII (Dec 30, 1944), 306. Tapley-Soper was librarian of the Exeter City Library.
- John Pavin Philips, "Human Skin Tanned, etc", Notes and Queries, 2nd series, II (Sept 27, 1856), 251-2.
- Paul McPharlin, "Curious Book Bindings", Notes and Queries, CLIII (1927), 6.
- C. Roy Hudleston, "Books Bound in Human Skin", Notes and Queries, CLXXXVII (Nov 18, 1944), 241.
- A.H. W Fynmore, "Books Boun in Human Skin", Notes and Queries, CLXXXVII (Dec 2, 1944), 259.
- [anon] "Curl Up on a Good Book", The Dolphin, Fall, 1940, Pt 1 (no 4), p. 92.
- Henry Stephens, "Human Skin Tanned, etc", Notes and Queries, 2nd series, II (Sept 27, 1856), 252.
- Walter Hart Blumenthal, "Books Bound in Human Skin", The American Book Collector, II (1932), 123-4.
- "G", "Human Skin Tanned", Notes and Queries, 3rd series, VIII (Dec 2, 1865), 463.
- "T.G.S.", "Human Skin Tanned, etc", Notes and Queries, 2nd series, II (Sept 27, 1856), 252.
- "F.S." of Churchdown, "Human Skin Tanned, etc", Notes and Queries, 2nd series, II (Sept 27, 1856), 250-1.
External links
- 'Spooky' face on skin-bound book BBC News, 27 November 2007
- Books Bound in Human Skin; Lampshade Myth?
- Book covered with human skin resurfaces at Bailey Library, The Online Rocket, Slippery Rock University, 22 January 2010
- Holbein's Dance of Death bound in human skin as catalogued by Leonard Smithers