Walter Thiel’s brilliant photographs are unique. They revolutionize macroscopic anatomy because – due to a new preservation technique developed by the author himself – all tissues retain their living colour, consistency and position. For the first time anatomical sites show the real colour and form of human organs as well as their true positions. Thiel’s new technique, his exceptional abilities as a photographer and the filigree dissections add up to vivid, almost artistic illustrations of great depth and clarity.Apart from the topographical anatomy of abdomen and lower extremities, Part I illustrates the most important punctures of joints and some surgical approaches. Thus, this atlas is not only of interest to anatomists and pathologists, but particularly to surgeons and orthopaedic surgeons.