Resurrectionist

A **resurrectionist** is a person, typically in the 18th and 19th centuries, who illegally exhumed corpses from graves, often for the purpose of selling them to medical schools or anatomists for dissection and anatomical study. This practice flourished because the demand for bodies for medical research exceeded the legal supply, particularly for teaching purposes. These individuals operated in secrecy and often under the cover of darkness, facing severe legal and social consequences if caught. The term highlights both the act of bringing something back from the dead in a physical sense (the body) and the sacrilegious nature of the practice by violating graves.

Resurrectionist meaning with examples

• The cadavers that Dr. Albright used for his studies, were, unknown to his students, supplied by a shadowy network of **resurrectionists**. The professor knew full well that the origins of his teaching aids would never be revealed, for fear of his own reputation. These so-called 'body-snatchers' profited from a desperate demand.
• During the cholera outbreak, increased demand for anatomical knowledge led to a surge in the activities of **resurrectionists**. They took advantage of the chaos. Families buried their loved ones with grave-side guards, attempting to keep them safe from the grave robbers. Yet the medical community was desperate, so the activity thrived for a time.
• In the historical novel, the protagonist uncovers a conspiracy involving powerful figures in the medical establishment who actively employed **resurrectionists** to procure bodies, thereby pushing science forward. The plot thickens when the protagonist encounters a shadowy figure who admits their work in the act.
• Local villagers feared the activities of the **resurrectionists**, believing their actions were cursed. Grave robbing was considered a grave offense. The church was also alarmed, leading to attempts to secure the graveyards, and the local authorities were constantly attempting to catch the grave robbers.