The catacombs are open nearly everyday and the entry fee is only 3 euros. The grid is of the coffin beneath the body (Source:National Geographic). He has worked on many projects in the past including tzi the Tyrolean Iceman from Italy and the Kabayan Mummies also known as the fire mummies of the Philippines. Rosalia Lombardo, was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. In 2009, an MRI scan of the little girl was performed, to see the state of preservation of the interior of the body. The other bodies present in the catacombs. One strange phenomenon that scared all the tourists visiting the catacombs was that the mummy was blinking or at least that is what most people saw. The embalming of the body of Rosalia Lombardo by Alfredo Salaria. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. Rosalia's daddy, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. Indeed, she is nicknamed the sleeping beauty. It is reasonable to believe that the embalmer made a choice of this type to pay homage to this young missing soul, to ensure that this body could give the appearance of life. But the proof of her heritage doesnt exist. Some photographs taken in sequence, at intervals of about one minute, also offered a similar testimony. Even though mummification is still practised in some distant cultures, it is uncommon in the Western world. It should be remembered that in 1925, five years after Rosalia's death, the Lombard couple had another baby girl, who was called with the same name as their little sister, in her eternal memory. Connect to 3,088 Lombardo profiles on Geni, Dec 13 1918 - Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Dec 6 1920 - Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Mario Lombardo, Maria Lombardo (ne Di Cara), Cause of death: Pneumonia - Dec 6 1920 - Palermo, Mario Lombardo, Maria Lombardo (born Di Cara), Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Rosalia Lombardo is known by many names; The Worlds Most Beautiful Mummy, Sleeping Beauty, The Girl In The Glass Coffin and of course: The Best Preserved Mummy In The World. After which, they were bathed in vinegar and stuffed with hay. It seems that it was the video surveillance cameras that noticed this light and slow movement. Her golden blonde hair is very neatly tied with a beautiful silk bow. His body is not here, it has been buried. They moved to other Italian cities and then also abroad, thus without having the opportunity to choose a cemetery where to bury their child. To tell the truth, many people claim to have seen his eyelids blink. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason, therefore, if in the end Rosalia's body has always remained there, where it was first placed. Thanks to the technological tools we have today, the researchers noticed the presence of an empty bottle under the little girl's head. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could blame someone. Thank you for your cooperation.You can sign-up to the Membership any time to remove the adds and enjoy the content with no interruptions, Rosalia Lombardos perfectly preserved body, by Andrei Tapalaga | Sep 6, 2022 | Culture. What is even more interesting is that upon an X-ray of the mummified corpse, it seems that Rosalinas organs have been perfectly conserved. Compared to when the body was placed in the Catacombs of the Capuchins, it seems that the skin of the child's face has become darker and that the hair has instead lightened, from brown to blond. Your email address will not be published. Notes documenting Rosalias mummification were discovered in the 1970s. Rosalia Lombardos remains is housed in a tiny chapel at the end of the catacomb tour, enclosed in a glass-covered coffin on a wooden pedestal. It was still a mystery until the curator of Capuchin catacombs, Dario Piombino-Mascali, proved a new theory. Also, check out Children of Llullaillaco: Where Young Children Were Sacrificed to the Gods. For years the mix of chemicals that Alfredo Salaria used on Rosalia remained unknown, as well as the technique used. What is certain, however, is that Rosalia's parents traveled a lot in the years following her death, for work reasons. The combination of these ingredients worked to preserve the body. A tuft of hair is also held in place by a yellow bow. The researchers wanted to see what state his body was in. Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Full text data coming soon. While Rosalia was mostly kept intact during embalming, her blood was drained and replaced by the magical formula used by Alfredo. Who is right? The researchers then created a new aluminum case for Rosalia Lombardo, saturated with nitrogen, and moved the girl's body to a less humid place. Mario Lombardo is an infantry officer who only on this day discovers what happiness is, true happiness. Some said this was her spirit returning to her body. | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The notes are yet another formula for several chemicals used in mummification: Rosalia Lombardo is also known as the Capuchin Catacombs Sleeping Beauty. Her mummified remains has been kept at Palermos Catacombe dei Cappuccini, a location packed with mummified bodies and other peoples corpses from throughout history. Alfredo Salafia, a taxidermist, and a skillful embalmer, then mummified the dead body of Rosalia Lombardo with impressive skill, preserving her so well that even her internal organs were kept intact. One of the properties that makes Rosalia such a beautiful mummy is the embalming process that was used to preserve her. It is interesting how we have reached a technological point that allows us to analyze such mummies without the need of them being touched or at risk of deterioration. Your email address will not be published. These blue eyes, like the rest of her body, are remarkably intact. Her mummified body was preserved in theCatacombe dei Cappuccini(The Capuchin Catacombs)in Palermo, a place filled with mummified bodies and corpses of other people throughout history. You will then receive an email that helps you regain access. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was a Palermitan child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week before her second birthday. Top Image: Rosalia Lombardo. The story of love, loss, beauty and tragedy have captured thousands of people through multiple generations. The mummy of Rosalia Lombardo (Source: The Archaeology News Network), NASA is launching the DNA of some of the most prolific presidents in US history, The 1985 story of a bear that ate 77 pounds of Plabo Escobar's finest cocaine. However, things can go wrong. Coming to this conclusion was not difficult for them. Why is he still there now that it's been over 100 years since his death? The beautifully peaceful yet pallid face of the fallen angel Rosalia Lombardo is a chilling aide-mmoire that death can come anytime and to anyone. People have witnessed that her eyes open slowly, and that the eyes seem to glisten due to the low lights in the catacombs. Rosalia is surrounded by many other bodies, over 8000, who sleep their eternal sleep in the Catacombs of the Capuchins. (HTTP response code 503). Rosalia's body remains in perfect condition despite more than 100 years having passed, but it is also true that researchers and scholars have created a specially designed latest generation case for the little sleeping beauty of Sicily. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). The embalming took place right there, in that house where the little girl lived her first two years of life, happy and surrounded by the love of her family. But in doing so, she became something larger than life. Zinc to petrify the body. (Sibeaster / Wikimedia Commons). Source: Sibeaster / Public Domain. Log In Once logged in, you can add biography in the database. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. Is it better to believe in science or in the irrational? The catacombs of the Capuchins of Palermo. In the 1970s, the notes describing Rosalias mummification were found. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. In the 100 years since her death in 1920, Rosalia has become interwoven with Sicilian lore. The anthropologist then realized that her eyes were actually never closed, and it had only been a trick of the light that made them seem so. The mummy is one of the best preserved bodies in the catacombs. There are those who say that a slight opening and closing of the eyelids actually occurs due to the humidity present and how it changes over the course of the day. Thanks to Salafia, the body was well preserved. For after all, the dead have no need for grand decorations in this realm they leave behind. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'historyofyesterday_com-box-3','ezslot_6',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-box-3-0');ummification, even if still practiced to this day in remote cultures, is very rare in the western world. There are those who believe that it is really her, little Rosalia, who blinks forever, almost a way to communicate with the world of the living. [4] Rosalia Lombardo's body is kept in a small chapel at the end of the catacomb's tour and is encased in a glass covered coffin, placed on a wooden pedestal. However, once down the stairs the scene begins to change to a more basic overlay. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. Rosalias body is now preserved in a new glass coffin, which is designed to block the growth of fungi or bacteria. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. This entry was posted by Caleb Wilde on March 1, 2015 at 9:18 pm, and is filed under Aggregate Death. Rosalia was an Italian child who died in 1918 in Palermo. Rosalia died due to pneumonia in a region which becomes extremely cold in the winter months. General Mario Lombardo, who is said to have been so grief-stricken when she died that he refused to bury her and instead chose to have her body preserved. Rosalia's body was one of the last to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. Interesting history topics are just a click away. A symbol of love, death, loss and a reminder of just how short life can be. VAT No. Their families would continue to fund the monks who cared for the deceased for example with new clothes. Since 1920, her body has been lying in a glass-covered coffin, her head poking above a fading silk blanket. Mario Lombardo, Rosalia's father, was determined to find out the exact cause of her death in order to assign blame. According to Piombino-Mascali, the blinking eyes of Rosalia were just an optical illusion, caused when light from windows strikes her eyes at different angles. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week shy of her second birthday. Piombino-Mascali made this amazing discovery in 2009 after some of the workers in the museum moved her coffin, which caused her body to shift a little bit. Alfredo Salafia was regarded as the finest because of his extensive knowledge in the preservation of corpses. Created By: Gillian Sarah | Copyright 2018 Kelsea Ventures,
style="display:block; text-align:center;" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3840146551937959" data-ad-slot="9292028712">. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was distraught by her death and asked embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve her remains. He also sought the embalmers elixir of preservation which has kept her form so perfect even until this day. Available at: https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/mystery-of-blinking-child-mummy-solved.html. One piece of evidence pointing to Mario being her father is that he supposedly named his second daughter Rosalia (after the first). Her curly blonde hair and a ribbon on it make her look like she is just sleeping. Enjoyed this article? Husband of Maria Di Cara Genealogy for Mario Lombardo (1789 - 1864) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Maria Cara Lombardo e Mario Lombardo, i genitori della piccola Rosalia (per gentile concessione della Famiglia Lombardo) . There is one last curiosity concerning Rosalia Lombardo. Shes located in the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily with over 8,000 other mummies. The embalmers relatives gave him several of Alfredo Salafias documents. Rosalia has indeed sparked much fascination in the world of science and commoners alike. The first 3D image of Rosalia revealed that all the organs of her body are perfectly intact even after so many decades. Her body is starting to take on a yellow waxy skin texture. Salafia replaced the girls blood with a liquid made of formalin to kill bacteria, alcohol to dry the body, glycerin to keep her from overdrying, salicylic acid to kill fungi, and zinc salts to give her body rigidity. Zinc salts to keep a state of preservation Alfredo also designed an ad hoc coffin for little Rosalia, with a glass lid welded to a wooden crate, so that the body could be preserved for a long time, since there was no contact with light, since in this way no one could touch the body. Rosalias gaze is something that has attracted onlookers to Palermo for a hundred years. Accept Read More, https://www.youtube.com/embed/jrbbOCuDJCE, Post Mortem Photography Immortalizing the Dead, Padre Pio Stigmata, Miracle Worker or Fraud, https://www.amusingplanet.com/2017/01/rosalia-lombardo-mummy-that-blinks.html, https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/mystery-of-blinking-child-mummy-solved.html. She looks like a baby peacefully taking a nap, and although a blanket is placed over the coffin, the face is visible. Rosalia's father, official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved upon her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to undertake the task of preserving her. While this sparked stories about the mummy who could open her eyes on the internet, in 2009, Italian biological anthropologist Dario Piombino-Mascali disproved the core myth surrounding Rosalia Lombardo. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. The Lombardo family was Italian, and despite the fact that the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, the girl's pneumonia appeared to have been caused by this lethal illness. We have detected that you are using extensions to block ads. What is certain, however, is that Alfredo Salaria was a great lover of chemistry as well as anatomy and over the years he had the opportunity to do many experiments, first on animal bodies, then starting from the early 1900s also on human corpses. It is difficult to untangle the feelings aroused by Rosalia, innocent and young, yet frozen between worlds, un-allowed to decay least her family lose her spirit forever. These questions arise spontaneously. The eyes slightly open and reveal the intact blue irises. Rosalia's father, Official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved upon her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to preserve her. Her father, Mario Lombardo, was so grief stricken that he asked an embalmer to preserve Rosalia's remains. Of him who gave eternal sleep to many bodies, of him who transformed Rosalia's body into a masterpiece, all that remains is a pile of bones. Researchers and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without having official documentation. A strange phenomenon that scared all tourists visiting the catacombs was that the mummy was blinking. Her mummified body, sometimes referred to as 'Sleeping Beauty', was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin . all right reserved. Get notified of the best booming posts weekly. But the magical element was the zinc salts which gave Rosalias body rigidity. The Normans were a group from France unified by a famous Viking called Rollo who took over much of Europe. Rosalia's face has very sweet features, with the plump cheeks of a two-year-old girl, delicately framed by fair hair. Rosalia, an Italian child born on December 13 in the year 1918, died due to pneumonia as a result of the Spanish flu less than two years later, on December 6, 1920. Despite providing her with the greatest medicine available at the time, she was still extremely young and lacked the necessary immune system to combat bronchopneumonia. Generated by Wordfence at Thu, 2 Mar 2023 1:21:04 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. Rosalia Lombardo. Sister of Rosalia Lombardo. When reports of Rosalia Lombardos eyes opening shocked the local community an Anthropologist called Dario Piombino-Mascali investigated the catacombs. Indeed, it is quite difficult to gaze at the little body lying in the glass coffin and still not believe that the girl will awaken at any moment. Who is wrong? Many find it too overwhelming to be underground with what looks like an army of the dead from a horror film, including an Argentinian companion of mine who had to surface for air and rejoin the mortal beings above. Rosalia meant the world to her family, especially her father who sought to preserve her eternally. It is thanks to all of this that little Rosalia's body has reached us intact. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. So ajar, they always seem on the verge of opening up, as if there is a hope that that little girl can return to life. Alfredo Salafia was considered the best as he had a lot of experience preserving corpses. It was founded in 734 BC by the Phoenician Empire who we have spoken about many times onSTSTW Mediaas one of the defining civilisations of our time. The dry climate within the Catacombe allowed the body to be preserved near perfection.Gif representing the photo of Rosalia Lombardo taken from different angles (Source: Public Domain). But what curiosity are we talking about? Unfortunately, though Rosalia is just 98 years old (a fairly young mummy) the truth about her life before death and her family is speculated, but unconfirmed. The Italian biological anthropologist was able to debunk the myths about Rosalia Lombardo. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to blame someone. The researchers were able to ascertain that the internal organs are still in perfect condition, but it is the face that is surprising, that face that every visitor to the Catacombs of Palermo can observe with his own eyes. The Lombardo family was . Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920)[1] was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Some researchers, who had the opportunity to study the girl's body, later discovered that it was most likely bronchopneumonia, discarding the other theories instead. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). | DMCA Notice, this website uses cookies to improve your experience basic overlay Lombardo by Alfredo body.! For years the mix of chemicals that Alfredo Salaria new clothes also held place! Magical element was the zinc salts which gave mario lombardo father of rosalia body is not here, seems. The deceased for example with new clothes a region which becomes extremely cold in the catacombs was the... On March 1, 2015 at 9:18 pm, and that the mummy was blinking perfectly.... Preserve the body ( Source: National Geographic ) mario lombardo father of rosalia friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio.. 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