Much of what we know about the human anatomy comes from dissecting human cadavers.
The practice goes back to classical antiquity.
The Greeks and the Romans carried out human dissection, and so did ancient medicine men in India.
Executions were common in those days.
Hundreds were hanged or guillotined for trivial crimes.
In some church yards watch towers were built and a man appointed to stand guard over night.
The body would then be buried in its permanent resting place.
One such mort house is located in the old kirkyard at Udny Green, Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland.
Inside there is a turntable on which coffins would be placed.
When another body was deposited, the platform would be turned slightly to accommodate the new coffin.
The mort house is now a category B listed building.
Resurrectionists (1847), by Hablot Knight Browne.
A mortsafe in St Mary’s Churchard, Holystone.
Photo credit:johndal/Flickr
A mortsafe in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Photo credit:Kim Traynor/Wikimedia
Inside the Udny Mort House.
Photo credit:Alan Longmuir/Flickr
Udny Mort House, outer oak door.
Photo credit:Sagaciousphil/Wikimedia
Sources:Wikipedia/Wikipedia/blog.kilts-n-stuff.com
