During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, grave robbing became a serious concern. The rapid growth of medical science created a strong demand for human bodies used in anatomical study, but legal supply was extremely limited. Because only the bodies of executed criminals could be used in many places, an illegal trade developed. Grave robbers—often called “resurrectionists”—began exhuming recently buried bodies and selling them to medical institutions, especially in cities near medical schools.
This created widespread fear among ordinary families, who realized that even burial did not guarantee peace for the dead. In response, communities developed protective measures, and one of the most effective was the mortsafe. These heavy iron structures were placed over graves immediately after burial to physically block access to the coffin. Some were simple grids, while others resembled locked metal cages. They were typically used only for a few weeks, until decomposition reduced the risk of grave robbing, after which they were removed and reused.
Over time, legal reforms began to address the shortage of cadavers by allowing more regulated access to bodies for medical study, which reduced the need for illegal activity. As these laws changed and medical ethics evolved, grave robbing declined, and mortsafes gradually became obsolete. Today, they remain as historical remnants in old churchyards, serving as reminders of a time when scientific progress, legal limits, and public fear collided in a very physical way.
