Since 1920, her body has been lying in a glass-covered coffin, her head poking above a fading silk blanket. He made a small puncture and injected a mixture of zinc salts, formalin, glycerin, and salicylic acid. Rosalia died barely one week before her second birthday. Your email address will not be published. Recently, the mummification techniques used by Salafia were discovered in a handwritten memoir of Salafias. Zinc to petrify the body. Mario Lombardo 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. X-rays of the body show that all the organs are remarkably intact. Many of these ingredients are commonly used today, but the shining star of this concoction is the zinc salts which essentially petrified her body. Powered by WordPress and Mystique theme by digitalnature | RSS Feeds, Working at the Crossroads of Life and Death, When the Public Viewing of a Mutilated Body is a Statement: The Funeral of Emmett Till. But even so, there are many who prefer to believe that her spirit really does return to her body! The techniques used by Alfredo Salafia have marveled many. Generated by Wordfence at Thu, 2 Mar 2023 1:21:04 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. First solid scientific evidence that Vikings brought animals to Britain, 500,000-year-old tools in Polish cave may have belonged to extinct hominid species. Rosalia has indeed sparked much fascination in the world of science and commoners alike. Not only that, he also added paraffin, duly dissolved in ether. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. If you find the above article inaccurate or biased, please let us know at[emailprotected]. 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. A city steeped in religious history; it was also home to a Catholic sect called the Capuchins (An order of friars and one of the main offshoots of the Franciscan order created by famous religious devout Francis of Assisi). The formalin wiped out all the bacteria, and the salicylic acid helped in removing any fungi present in the flesh. Rosalia Lombardos Xray By National Geographic. Rosalia Lombardo: The mystery of the Blinking Mummy, Present condition of Rosalia Lombardos mummy: The preserved corpse was relocated. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. Watch on Mario Lombardo was overcome by grief when his only child died of pneumonia. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to blame someone. Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl, died in 1920 from an intensified case of bronchopneumonia, a kind of pneumonia that involves inflammation in the alveoli. 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. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. On the historical island of Sicily sits the Sicilian capital of Palermo, resting on the toe of Italys boot-based geographical shape. You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools, or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence. Geni requires JavaScript! A 2009 National Geographic photograph of Rosalia Lombardo shows the mummy is beginning to show signs of decomposition, most notably discoloration. Her father, Mario Lombardo, was so grief stricken that he asked an embalmer to preserve Rosalias remains. Further analysis of the body show that all the organs are intact. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. The embalming of the body of Rosalia Lombardo by Alfredo Salaria. The glass case also protects the body from any effects of light. Daughter of Mario Lombardo and Maria Di Cara 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 golden blonde hair is very neatly tied with a beautiful silk bow. People have witnessed that her eyes open slowly, and that the eyes seem to glisten due to the low lights in the catacombs. A strange phenomenon that scared all tourists visiting the catacombs was that the mummy was blinking. 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 was considered the best as he had a lot of experience preserving corpses. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'historyofyesterday_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_8',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');However,Dario Piombino- Mascali, the curator of Capuchin Catacombs has assured us that all that people are seeing is, in fact, an optical illusion. Amazingly, 8000 skeletons (although a more accurate number is said to be closer to 2,000) and around 1250 mummies inhabit the catacombs. Who is wrong? Her grieving father couldn't settle . Xolotl the Dog God of the Aztec mythology that guides the dead to the underworld, The Ebers Papyrus: Ancient Egyptian medical text reveals medico-magical beliefs and beneficial treatments. 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. 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 (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was a Sicilian child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week shy of her second birthday. In the 100 years since her death in 1920, Rosalia has become interwoven with Sicilian lore. Alba incoming - Eurofirst Tours Thanks to Salafia, the body was well preserved. The story of love, loss, beauty and tragedy have captured thousands of people through multiple generations. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 6 December 1920)[1] was a Palermitan child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu,[2] one week before her second birthday. Most visitors to her mummified remains say she is a miracle because she blinks even though she has been dead for a long time. They tell of a young child, born frail and weak, who endured more pain and sickness throughout her short life than most do in their lifetimes. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason, therefore, if in the end Rosalia's body has always remained there, where it was first placed. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. Thanks to Salafia's embalming . After washing with vinegar, they were filled with straw and then dressed. Researchers and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without having official documentation. On December 6, 1920, a few days after her second birthday, Rosalia died. A Net Inceptions project. In the depths of the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily lies the dead body of a young girl in a wooden and glass casket. In 1920, a little girl known as Rosalia Lombardo died at the age of two due to an aggravated case of pneumonia. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Some photographs taken in sequence, at intervals of about one minute, also offered a similar testimony. The zinc sulfate was used to petrify the body. He then handed it over to the researchers who discovered the formula right there to guarantee a body the eternal sleep it deserves. The name of that girl is Rosalia Lombardo, who tragically died due to pneumonia in 1920, at the age of two. 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. Some said this was her spirit returning to her body. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. 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. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. For years the mix of chemicals that Alfredo Salaria used on Rosalia remained unknown, as well as the technique used. Her father was so grief-stricken that he sought the aid of an embalmer and taxidermist to preserve his child. But the proof of her heritage doesn't exist. Mario Lombardo is an infantry officer who only on this day discovers what happiness is, true happiness. It is considered one of the best-preserved mummies in the world. Not only do visitors swear that the little girls eyes blink, but many sequences of photographs seem to confirm that her eyelids open and close a little. But the proof of her heritage doesnt exist. Available at: https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/mystery-of-blinking-child-mummy-solved.html. Her body is starting to take on a yellow waxy skin texture. The paraffin dissolved in the ether, then applied on the girls face, creates the illusion that she is staring straight at whoever is staring at her. 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. 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. Salafia recorded the chemicals he injected into Rosalias body: formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerin., Formalin (formaldehyde and water) eliminates bacteria They began to mummify dead friars and before long this technique of preservation after death became a sought after practice for the high classes of Sicily. Thanks to these tricks it will be possible to keep this body intact for a long, long time. There are those who claim that it is a mere optical illusion, caused by how the light falls on those half-closed eyelids. [1][8] Rossella Lorenzi of Discovery News reported that the formalin was used to kill bacteria, the glycerin used to prevent desiccation, and the salicylic acid used to eliminate any fungi within the flesh, with the purpose of the zinc salts being petrifaction. We are talking about the body of Rosalia Lombardo, a 2-year-old girl, who has been in the Catacombs for over 100 years, masterfully embalmed, in perfect condition, who also seems to be about to open her eyes and come back to life. Rosalia Lombardo. Rosalia's face has very sweet features, with the plump cheeks of a two-year-old girl, delicately framed by fair hair. It also appears that over the years, perhaps the 1960s or 1970s, the glass in the coffin broke. Moreover, her striking crystal blue eyes are also visible underneath the blonde eyelashes. In the 1970s, the notes describing Rosalias mummification were found. Get notified of the best booming posts weekly. 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. The first 3D image of Rosalia revealed that all the organs of her body are perfectly intact even after so many decades. The body was so amazingly preserved that Rosalias body is intact over 100 years later. When reports of Rosalia Lombardos eyes opening shocked the local community an Anthropologist called Dario Piombino-Mascali investigated the catacombs. Connect to 3,088 Lombardo profiles on Geni, Antonino Lombardo, Lombardo (ne Lombardo (Ne Corrao)), Maria Italia Lombardo, Antonino Lombardo, Lombardo, Lombardo, Lombardo, Antonino Lombardo, Rosalia Lombardo (ne Corrao), pe Dit Armando Lombardo, Concetta Pancano (ne Lombardo), Maria Italia Aiello (ne Lombardo), Antonino Lombardo, Alfredo Dit Adolfo Lombardo, Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. MYSTERIESRUNSOLVED & MRU MEDIA, 2019-2022. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It seems that it was the video surveillance cameras that noticed this light and slow movement. The Normans were a group from France unified by a famous Viking called Rollo who took over much of Europe. Rosalias preserved body came out looking like the most alive mummy in the world. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Thats hard to say. Rosalias gaze is something that has attracted onlookers to Palermo for a hundred years. Many of the bodies who hang on the walls were protected in cages because some tourists had a kleptomaniacal penchant for taking bones as souvenirs. 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. Get notified of the best best booming posts weekly. The body of Rosalia Lombardo is certainly not the first on which Alfredo Salaria put his hands, considered one of the best embalmers of the twentieth century, chosen by many noble families over the years to create bodies for their loved ones. The typical embalming procedures include the complete removal of organs. The story of Rosalia is speculated, but unknown. ", "This Mummified Two-Year-Old Appears to Blink Every Day", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rosalia_Lombardo&oldid=1135738502, Sleeping Beauty of the Capuchin Catacombs, Being in an especially well preserved state in her tomb, in the, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 15:26. It is so amazingly well-maintained that even X-rays show the internal organs to be intact. Rosalia Lombardos story reached Professor Salafia, as he never charged his father for his services. The daughter was always sick. Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl, died in 1920 from an intensified case of bronchopneumonia, a kind of pneumonia that involves inflammation in the alveoli. It is December 13, 1918. Read our disclosure policy for more info. Life goes on happily for Mario and Maria. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. The salts preserved her appearance perfectly, even preventing her nasal cavities and her cheeks from caving in. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Advertising Disclosure: This content may use referral links. All the other bodies present were in fact emptied of their internal organs and then left to rest for about a year. This process does not offer any kind of respect for the facial features, but despite this there were many people who sought such treatment. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. The other bodies present in the catacombs. But let's go back to that December 6, 1920. The problem at the time, was that no one knew how Rosalia had been preserved. They are arranged in sections such as religious figures, professions, women, virgins and children. The eyes are half closed, so that the face can appear even more relaxed and sweet, an intense serenity. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. 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. And the body of Alfredo Salaria? He then approached the monks who ran the Capuchin Catacombs and begged for his daughter to be placed there. The story was a tragedy by all accounts: Mario Lombardo, now a grieving father, couldn't bear the thought of a life without ever being able to see the face of his beloved child, Rosalia, again. This is a place that you have certainly heard of several times and that we can assure you, deserves to be visited at least once in a lifetime. Father of Rosalia Lombardo and Rosalia Lombardo. Alcohol dries the body The Remains of Dead US Presidents Will Be Sent Into Space, The Man Who Surgically Brought Back Unicorns. (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. Looking closer, you can notice that her eyelids are not completely closed, which was most likely done with Alfredo Salafias goal of making her more alive. : 02075400842, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. The paraffin dissolved in the ether, then wiped on the girls face, making it look like she is looking directly at those who are looking at her. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to "blame" someone. Perhaps the period close to the feast of the dead is precisely the most suitable! (HTTP response code 503). The eyes slightly open and reveal the intact blue irises. 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