Proposal to reopen Raphael's tomb for new scientific investigation

A group of Italian scholars has proposed reopening the tomb of Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio) to conduct new scientific analyses on his remains, nearly two centuries after the last examination. Vittorio Fineschi, professor at Sapienza University, outlined a historical-medical perspective, while Gino Fornaciari of the University of Pisa mentioned tools from bioarchaeology and paleopathology. Ulderico Santamaria, director of the Scientific Research Laboratory of the Vatican Museums, discussed the possibility of using microinvasive techniques to study the artist's body. The proposal emerges from a recent volume and studies by these researchers, aiming to shed light on the causes of Raphael's death and details of his life. The last investigation of the tomb took place in the 19th century. Pio Baldi explains the initiative in a video interview. The article was published on Artribune.