Forensic Science Timeline: The Medieval Era (500 AD to 1500 AD)

In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian elevated the status of physicians in court proceedings. He declared that physicians were not ordinary witnesses but experts whose judgments were critical in legal cases, laying the foundation for the modern concept of expert witnesses in forensic science.

Read More Justinian’s Law Code: The Role of Physicians as Expert Witnesses

In the 8th century, Chinese civilizations used fingerprints to authenticate documents and clay sculptures. Although there was no formal classification system, this marked the earliest documented use of fingerprints as an identification tool.

Read More about the Early Chinese Use of Fingerprints

Arsenic oxide, also known as the “inheritance powder,” began being commercially produced due to mining activities. Over the centuries, it became a preferred poison for many criminals, setting the stage for future forensic toxicology.

Read More – Inheritance Powder: How Arsenic Became the Silent Killer of the 800s

King Richard I (“Richard the Lionheart”) officially created the coroner position in England. This role was established to investigate violent deaths and ensure justice, forming the early foundations of forensic medicine. Learn More about Richard the Lionheart’s Legacy: The Birth of England’s First Coroners

Under Pope Innocent III, physicians were formally appointed to perform autopsies in court cases to determine the nature of wounds. Italy, particularly the University of Bologna, became a pioneer in recognizing legal medicine as a specialty.

Chinese physician Song Ci published Hsi Duan Yu (“The Washing Away of Wrongs”), the earliest known work on forensic pathology. It detailed methods for distinguishing between suicide, accidental death, and murder, including examining wounds and insects on corpses.

Hugh of Lucca, an influential Italian surgeon, became one of the first medicolegal experts in Bologna. His anticipation of antiseptic treatments marked a significant step in forensic wound analysis.

De Officio Coronatoris, published in England under the reign of Edward I, outlined the official duties of coroners. This statute established their principal functions, including conducting inquests for suspicious deaths.

Bartolomeo da Varignana performed one of the first documented medicolegal autopsies to investigate the suspected murder of a nobleman named Azzolino in Bologna. This milestone highlighted the role of autopsies in legal investigations.

In China, the lawyer Song Ci recounted how flies were used to identify a blood-stained sickle, leading to a murderer’s confession. This marked the earliest recorded use of forensic entomology.

Pope Clement VI ordered autopsies on plague victims in an attempt to understand the cause of the Black Death. This was one of the first large-scale applications of forensic pathology during a public health crisis.