A Historical Artifact at Harvard: The Tale of the Human Skin Book

In the annals of history, there are artifacts that stand out for their uniqueness and the stories they tell. One such artifact resides at Harvard University – a book bound in human skin. This book, known as “Des destinées de l’ame” (Destinies of The Soul), has been a part of Harvard’s Houghton Library since the 1930s and offers a fascinating glimpse into a rare historical practice.

A Binding with a Story

The book’s binding tells a story of its own. A note left inside the book by its donor reveals that the book was intentionally bound in human skin. The note, translated from French, reads: “This book is bound in human skin parchment on which no ornament has been stamped to preserve its elegance. A book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering: I had kept this piece of human skin taken from the back of a woman.” This practice of using human skin in bookbinding, while macabre, is a part of our historical record.

Anthropodermic Bibliopegy: A Historical Practice

The practice of binding books in human skin, known as anthropodermic bibliopegy, has roots dating back to at least the 15th century. The skin used for “Des destinées de l’ame” is believed to have been taken from the back of a female mental patient whose body was unclaimed after she died from a stroke. To delve deeper into unusual historical practices, peruse our collection of articles at

Scientific Confirmation

Through rigorous testing, Harvard researchers confirmed the human origin of the book’s binding. They analyzed peptides within a sample of the book’s binding to identify proteins, which allowed them to rule out all sources but certain primates. Further analysis confirmed a human origin for the binding.

A Unique Historical Artifact

Today, “Des destinées de l’ame” stands as the only known book in all of Harvard’s libraries to be bound in human skin. Two other books were previously believed to be bound in human skin, but both have now been confirmed to actually be bound in sheepskin.

The Harvard Human Skin Book: Facts and Background

1. Known as Anthropodermic Bibliopegy: The practice of binding books in human skin is called “anthropodermic bibliopegy.” While rare, this practice was sometimes used in the 17th to 19th centuries for specific reasons, such as memorializing individuals or in medical collections.
2. Location and Display: The human skin-bound book in question is held at Harvard University’s Houghton Library. Due to its rarity and controversial nature, it’s considered one of the more unusual artifacts in the library’s collection.
3. Title of the Book: The book’s title is Des destinees de l’ame, which translates to Destinies of the Soul. It’s a philosophical text written by French author Arsène Houssaye, and it delves into the nature of the human soul and the concept of an afterlife.
4. The Book’s Content: Des destinees de l’ame is a philosophical work discussing mortality, the soul, and metaphysical ideas about life and death. This content aligns with the eerie nature of its binding and adds another layer of curiosity and contemplation for those who read it.
5. The Binding’s Origins: The book was reportedly bound in the skin of an unnamed female mental patient who had passed away. The binding was created by a doctor, Dr. Ludovic Bouland, who claimed to have bound the book in her skin to memorialize her, supposedly as a tribute to her soul’s “final destiny.”
6. Verification and Testing: In 2014, Harvard scientists conducted tests on the book using a method called peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) to confirm whether the binding was indeed human skin. The results showed a 99.9% match to human skin, confirming its authenticity.
7. Why Bind in Human Skin?: In rare cases, human skin binding was used as a form of remembrance. For example, it was sometimes used to bind books about certain individuals or medical volumes meant for private collections. In this case, Dr. Bouland apparently saw it as a “memorial” of sorts, though the concept is ethically unsettling by today’s standards.
8. The Doctor’s Note: Dr. Bouland reportedly left a handwritten note with the book, explaining that he used human skin for the binding. In his note, he remarked that “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering.” This personal statement has intrigued and unsettled researchers for years.
9. Not the Only Human Skin Book in Existence: While Harvard’s book is one of the most famous, other known examples of anthropodermic books exist in libraries and museums around the world. However, they are rare, and some suspected human skin books have been tested and found to be bound in animal leather instead.
10. Morbid Curiosity and Ethical Questions: Harvard’s human skin book raises ethical questions and generates curiosity about the motives and cultural norms of the past. Today, this practice is widely considered unethical, but the existence of such artifacts helps illuminate medical and cultural practices of the past.
11. A Symbol of the 19th-Century Medical Culture: During the 19th century, there was a fascination with anatomy and the human body, as well as scientific approaches to life and death. Some medical professionals and academics felt that binding certain works in human skin reinforced the text’s connection to humanity.
12. Controversial Exhibit: Due to its nature, the human skin book is not often on public display. However, it is carefully preserved and studied as part of Harvard’s collection. Scholars view it as an important but ethically complex artifact that sheds light on both medical history and the psychological boundaries of past eras.
13. Rare Binding Practice: Though disturbing, anthropodermic bibliopegy was a real, albeit rare, practice. Harvard’s human skin book stands as one of the few remaining authenticated examples.
14. The Book’s Cultural Impact: The human skin book has sparked fascination, fear, and curiosity. It is often discussed in books, articles, and even podcasts that explore strange historical artifacts, reflecting a continued cultural intrigue with death and the macabre.
15. Preservation and Care: Due to its unique material, Harvard takes extra care to preserve the human skin book, ensuring that it remains in stable condition. The library’s preservation team treats it with the same attention and care as any other valuable historical manuscript.
16. Mystery and Intrigue: Despite verification and historical notes, much about the human skin book remains mysterious. Why Dr. Bouland truly felt compelled to use human skin remains a question that modern scholars continue to debate.
17. Educational Purpose: Today, the book serves as an educational artifact, giving students, researchers, and historians a unique window into past practices and the sometimes controversial blending of science, philosophy, and morality.