Nov. 5, 2004 — Remains of the family of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) were exhumed last week as part of a project to correctly identify a skull that might belong to the Austrian composer.

Mystery still surrounds the remains of Mozart because he was buried at St. Marx cemetery, just outside of Vienna, in a grave that was reused 10 years after the famous Austrian was laid to rest, according to a press release issued by the International Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg, where the skull now is kept.

If scientists do identify the skull as having belonged to Mozart, genetic tests in future might reveal more information about what physical traits and health the composer had during his lifetime.

So far, nine skulls and numerous, as-of-yet unidentified bones have been exhumed from the Mozart family vault at St. Sebastian cemetery in Salzburg. According to Christian Reiter, a professor at the Vienna Institute of Forensic Medicine and the archaeologist who is in charge of the project, the bones probably include the remains of Mozart's wife, Constanze, his father, Leopold, and his niece, Jeanette.

Since historical accounts reveal that Jeanette died at the age of 16, Reiter and his team are confident that one set of remains, which clearly belong to a young female because of their size and anatomy, are those of Jeannette. She was the daughter of Mozart's sister, Maria Anna Mozart, who went by the nickname Nannerl.

Nannerl was a talented composer in her own right. She was touted as the musical equivalent of her brother when the two performed together as children. Her brother's achievements later overshadowed those of Nannerl, but she continued with her music and became a Salzburg piano teacher.

Reiter and his team now are working to extract DNA from all of the remains, but are focusing on those likely from Jeannette. Mitochondrial DNA, which is passed maternally, leaves a genetic marker that scientists can use to trace family histories. If the mitochondrial DNA from the young female matches DNA extracted from the Mozarteum skull, then the foundation's skull can be attributed to the famous composer.

Mirjam Nellmann, director of media relations at the International Morzarteum Foundation, told Discovery News that "the project is not our initiative," and desired to comment no further on the project, which is funded by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation.

The foundation, however, is cooperating with the scientists. In addition to providing access to the skull, they have given the scientists samples of hair that might have been Mozart's.

Although the composer died before his 36th birthday, he left a musical legacy of over 600 works, including operas, symphonies, chamber pieces and church music. He was a child prodigy who composed many works before the age of 14.

His popularity waned toward the end of his life, when he was forced to make his living by selling his compositions and teaching music. He died in poverty, and had a modest burial.

Rachel Cowgill, senior lecturer at the University of Leeds School of Music and an expert on Mozart, explained why his plot was dug up ten years after his death.

"The site was reused because in Vienna in the 1790's, burial plots were leased for ten years," she told Discovery News. "There was nothing unusual about the way Mozart was buried for a Viennese of his class and time."

Gravedigger Joseph Rothmayer claimed to have salvaged the skull from the site in 1801. The skull changed hands numerous times during the 19th century before the Mozarteum foundation obtained it in 1901. Since then, numerous scientists have examined the skull, but results have been mixed. Some experts say the skull matches written descriptions, while others say it was female.

The mystery should be solved after the DNA results are announced in 2006, when celebrations are planned for the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth.