Anthropodermic Bibliopegy is the name given to the use of human leather to bind books. The name stems from the combination of the Greek root words, human (Anthropos), skin (derma), book (biblion), and fasten (pegia). The practice of creating anthropodermic books was popular throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Most commonly, anthropodermic books are medical tomes, with the human leather taken from medical cadavers. Others were produced after criminal trials, with the criminal’s skin used to enclose the record of their own death sentences, creating a form of punishment that would surpass death. Other anthropodermic books contain poems or are religious texts. This book was written and printed in 1599 but most probably was rebound later when creation of anthropodermic books became more predominant. The book is a small tome of a religious nature containing the work of Bishop Thomas Bilson, who in a puritanical voice states that the primary argument articulated in this book is that “the metaphorical Calvinist interpretation of Hell as an exclusion from God was accurate then Christ's descent into hell after his crucifixion must refer to an actual existent hell as Christ was neither subject to sin nor able to be separated from the Divine.” The unusual cover of the book has led to many questions, the main being whether the book is covered with human skin. It was confirmed as such in 2014 with DNA testing undertaken by honours student Talanna Buckley at Federation University finding an 100% match to human DNA on the outside cover of the book. This is one of only two confirmed anthropodermic books in Australia, the other is housed at the National Library of Australia. Other forms of testing the leather of books have been found to be more accurate than DNA testing. For example, before DNA testing or PMF (Peptide Mass Fingerprinting) are undertaken many books have been identified as made from human skin through the close examination of the skins patterning. Hair follicles are the focus of the examination as certain patterns and sizes lend themselves to being human. However, many of these books have been proven to not be bound in human skin, the same can be said of books with inscriptions claiming them as anthropodermic. Peptide Mass Fingerprinting (PMF) testing has been found to be the most reliable way of confirming a leather bindings origin. This process involves the sampling of collagen-based materials, cutting the protein to gain specific amino acid combinations which form individual peptide sequences. Each mammal has an individual amino acid sequence in its collagen therefore its peptide mass combination is unique. This form of test can provide a more accurate outcome as collagen will be preserved for longer after the tanning process and will not be damaged in the same way DNA can be by the tanning process. DNA testing can also provide false positives as trace DNA from someone touching the book could be amplified and provide the reading instead of that of the leather itself. However, this book was tested with many controls as well as specific decontamination procedures in order to ensure that it was not trace DNA being tested. This book is historically and spiritually significant because it is a rare example of an early printed English Christian religious tract produced in Old English and Latin.. Its association with Thomas Bilson, who oversaw the final printing and publication of the King James Bible, is important. The covering of this book has been tested for human dna. Findings prove the book is covered with human skin, increasing the rarity of the object.420 page book with unusual leather cover. The book is written in Old English with passages in latin. There is a pressed petal between p.68 and 69. The covering of this book is made of human skin. The practice of binding books in human skin, also known as anthropodermic bibliopegy.Inside cover - James Hendy No 17 (Fu)gends Road Palmers Village Westminster. The gift of his mother Mrs Thomas Hendy. Some notes made through text eg p.112, and a passage written on the last page.religion, bible, edward lowe, edward lotos, thomas bilson, anthropodermic bibliopegy, james hendy, full redemption, religious, leather, wilson, winchester, jesus, puritanical, puritans, bungey, bilson, human skin, skin, human skin cover, human skin binding

In 2013 Talanna Buckley undertook work on a book in the Federation University Historical Collection to determine whether it was covered with human skin as part of an Honours course in Bio-Medicical Science at Federation University Australia. Five coloured photographs showing Talanna Buckley in the Bio-Medicine Laboratory at Federation University Australia. Talanna working on identification of a human skin covered book held by the Federation University Historical Collection. human skin covered book, talanna buckley, bio-medicine, laboratory, y building, lab coat, biomedical science, alumni

The Geoffrey Blainey Research Centre is a supervised reading room in the E.J. Barker Library on the Federation University Mt Helen Campus. It holds the Art and HIstorical Collections, as well as special librarry collections.Colour photographs of visitors to the Federation University Geoffrey Blainey Research Centre. * Dr Dorothy Wickham, 08 August 2012 * Gene Geoffrey and the Human Skin Covered Book * Major Neil Leckie RFD (Ret'd) with his newly released book 'Creswick's War: Through the Letters of Driver S. Gordon Spittle MM "The War Correspondent", 04 September 2019 * Barry Kentish and Peter Voterakis of the Ballarat Fly Fishing Club * Kevin Jewell and Robert Littlewood, trustees of the Keith Wingrove Memorial Trustgeoffrey blainey resaerch centre, visitors, dorothy wickham, gene geoffrey, neil leckie, barry kentish, peter voterakis, kevin jewell, robert littlewood

Peter Fryar became a staff member at the Mt Helen. He served on the staff at Ballarat Teachers' College, The State College of Victoria at Ballarat, Then Ballarat College of Advanced Education. Appointed to dean of the Faculty of Human Studies at Ballarat College of Advanced Education in 1980, and Department Director of Ballarat College of Advanced Education in 1987, He retired in 1989.Handwritten notes on foolscap paper bound in cardboard with a green crocodile skin print cover and taped spine.ballarat teachers college, peter fryar, physical education, ballarat college of advanced education, state college of victoria, state college of victoria ballarat, carnival, english, english literature