Zinc to petrify the body. 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. Her father Mario Lombardo was understandably so beset with heartache that he sought out a renowned local embalmer by the name of Alfredo Salafia. He approached a popular embalmer, Alfredo Salafia and asked to have her preserved for eternity. He then handed it over to the researchers who discovered the formula right there to guarantee a body the eternal sleep it deserves. Researchers and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without having official documentation. The Normans were a group from France unified by a famous Viking called Rollo who took over much of Europe. Why is there an Elephant Buried Beneath the Vatican. Directories Newly added. In regards to the prized and most adored attraction Roaslia -a glass case has been added with Nitrogen gas to further stop the process of decay after signs of decomposition began to show in 2009. The preserved body of Rosalia Lombardo, as photographed by National Geographic in 2009, has started to show indications of decomposition most notably discoloration. Log In Once logged in, you can add biography in the database. 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. Rosalia Lombardo, was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. 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. 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. all right reserved COOKIES & PRIVACY POLICY, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. In short, Rosalia is a 98 year old mummy. In 1920, a little girl known as Rosalia Lombardo died at the age of two due to an aggravated case of pneumonia. Rosalia's dad, Official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved after her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to preserve her. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 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. But the proof of her heritage doesn't exist. In fact, some say that Rosalia amplifies human nature in regards to the fascination of the unknown, specifically death and also with the immorality of an immortal body. 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. Her curly blonde hair and a ribbon on it make her look like she is just sleeping. Thanks to Salafia's embalming techniques, the body was well-preserved. He then approached the monks who ran the Capuchin Catacombs and begged for his daughter to be placed there. According to him, everything people are seeing is actually an optical illusion. A tuft of hair is also held in place by a yellow bow. After which, they were bathed in vinegar and stuffed with hay. Piombino-Mascali, in trying to find out the formula, tracked down the living relatives of the embalmer. When he uncovered this trove of the embalmers papers, he stumbled upon the document where the embalmer recorded all the chemicals that were injected in the body of Rosalia. Recently, the mummification techniques used by Salafia were discovered in a handwritten memoir of Salafias. Even if the little girl's body has not found a worthy burial, the choice to embalm her so as to be able to give her eternal rest and to give her name to her little sister are the clear sign of how much Rosalia was loved. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. La Pascualita: An Extremely Well-Preserved Corpse, or an Eerily Life-like Mannequin? 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">. The catacombs are open nearly everyday and the entry fee is only 3 euros. The body of Rosalia is famous among the 8,000 bodies present in these catacombs under the Capuchin convent. Bronchopneumonia, diphtheria, typhus, over the years these have been the most widespread theories on the death of little Rosalia. He was always waiting for . 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. Sister of Rosalia Lombardo. 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. Rosalia was born on December 13, 1918 and died on December 6, 1920 of pneumonia. 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. This mix of substances was injected directly through an incision in the femoral artery. That same year, Capuchin catacombs curator Dario Piombino-Mascali discovered a handwritten manuscript written by Salafia, wherein he lists the ingredients used to mummify Rosalia. Create Biography . If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. 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. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. Alfredo Salaria used glycerin, formalin, zinc salts, alcohol and salicylic acid on the body of little Rosalia. [8], The mummy has achieved further notoriety for a phenomenon in which her eyes appear to open and close several times a day, revealing her intact blue irises. The techniques used by Alfredo Salafia have marveled many. (Sibeaster / Wikimedia Commons). Even though mummification is still practised in some distant cultures, it is uncommon in the Western world. (HTTP response code 503). Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to blame someone. Rosalias preserved body came out looking like the most alive mummy in the world. The Remains of Dead US Presidents Will Be Sent Into Space, The Man Who Surgically Brought Back Unicorns. Mario Lombardo, Rosalia's father, was determined to find out the exact cause of her death in order to assign blame. Much of their rules involved living in as much austerity that was practical. 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. The empty body is then filled with natron salts, which desiccate it. Notes documenting Rosalias mummification were discovered in the 1970s. Further analysis of the body show that all the organs are intact. The researchers wanted to see what state his body was in. A 2009 National Geographic photograph of Rosalia Lombardo shows the mummy is beginning to show signs of decomposition, most notably discoloration. For after all, the dead have no need for grand decorations in this realm they leave behind. It is thanks to all of this that little Rosalia's body has reached us intact. The story of love, loss, beauty and tragedy have captured thousands of people through multiple generations. People were curious to know what was causing the dead body to blink. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Managed by: David Nicholas Yustin: Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". Further studies however, including time-lapse photos by National Geographic, show that Rosalia does in fact blink several times an hour! One resident was not famous in her short life but became infamous in death. Curiosities about the body of Rosalia, who seems to be blinking. Thanks to Salafia, the body was well preserved. Life is full of constant reminders that we will one day die. They are arranged in sections such as religious figures, professions, women, virgins and children. 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. The mummy is one of the best preserved bodies in the catacombs. 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. Mario Lombardo Collection: FamilySearch Family Tree Birth: 1890 - Italy Death: 1980 Wife: Maria Lombardo (born Di Cara) Children: Rosalia Lombardo, Rosalia Lombardo View the Record view all Immediate Family Maria Di Cara wife Rosalia Lombardo daughter Rosalia Lombardo daughter About Mario Lombardo [7], "Multidetector CT investigation of the mummy of Rosalia Lombardo (19181920)", "In the Catacombs of the Capuchin Monastery in Palermo", "Why Does This Mummy Appear To Open And Close Her Eyes? The combination of these ingredients worked to preserve the body. Another writer speaks of the temptation and sights that Palermo offers to some famous people of history past, Aunique cultural heritagethat in many centuries has attracted and fascinated onlookers from all over the world, including many intellectuals, poets and writers such asAlexandre Dumas, Mario Praz, Guy de Maupassant, Fanny Lewald and Carlo Levi.. What is certain, however, is that Rosalia's parents traveled a lot in the years following her death, for work reasons. Maybe he finished middle school, nothing more. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A visit to the Catacombs of Capuchin is the ultimate reminder or Memento Mori (in Latin) that we too will join the endless ranks of the dead alas perhaps in not such a spectacular setting. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. Read more on Wikipedia. The name of that girl is Rosalia Lombardo, who tragically died due to pneumonia in 1920, at the age of two. 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. A century has passed, but her corpse still looks like the little girl is just dozing under the glass case of the casket. This, combined with the light which is filtrated in different ways during the day through the windows of the catacombs makes the girls eyes look like they are open.A team of researchers performing X-ray on Rosalias body (Source:National Geographic)This X-ray clearly shows Rosalias arms and feet (Source:National Geographic)The X-ray of Rosalia showed her brain and liver intact. To address these issues the mummy was moved to a drier spot in the catacombs, and her original coffin was placed in a hermetically sealed glass enclosure with nitrogen gas to prevent decay. Why is he still there now that it's been over 100 years since his death? Husband of Assunta Mananizza Father of Eugenia Lombardo and Rosalinda Lombardo. : 02075400842, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. This mystery of blinking eyes, and the well-preserved body is what makes Rosalias mummy so fascinating. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark? The daughter was always sick. 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. 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. 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. Her young age allowed Salafia to follow a simple mummification process that kept her angel face untouched and undeteriorated for over 100 years. Alcohol dries the body A symbol of love, death, loss and a reminder of just how short life can be. 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. Rosalia Lombardo born on December 13, 1918, was a Sicilian kid that died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 from the Spanish flu. 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. It is a location rich in history between Europe and Africa on the banks of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Some believed that some supernatural force was at work, and that the mummy actually blinked. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). Zinc salts to keep a state of preservation Via Panepinto 8 I-92022 Cammarata (Ag) Italy Scientists have determined that changes in humidity in the catacombs cause changes of pressure in her body and thus her eyes to open. Mario was so devastated by her death that he asked Alfredo Salafia (a well-known Italian pharmacist) to mummify her and keep her as alive as possible (by looking). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Some said this was her spirit returning to her body. The mummy is still one of the tombs finest preserved corpses. [7] The embalming formula is described as "one part glycerin, one part formalin saturated with zinc sulfate and zinc chloride, and one part of an alcohol solution saturated with salicylic acid", and was entered into the body through a single-point injection, most likely into the femoral artery via a gravity injector. Source: Sibeaster / Public Domain. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. These cookies do not store any personal information. On the historical island of Sicily sits the Sicilian capital of Palermo, resting on the toe of Italys boot-based geographical shape.

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