Zinc salts to keep a state of preservation Salicylic acid to stop the growth of fungi All of which would have had a unique story to tell. Agatha Christies Disappearance: Amnesia, Suicide, or Despair? Thanks to Salafias embalming techniques, the body was well preserved. But, this supposed sister is strangely quiet and difficult to learn about. He approached a popular embalmer, Alfredo Salafia and asked to have her preserved for eternity. On December 6, 1920, a few days after her second birthday, Rosalia died. Her curly blonde hair and a ribbon on it make her look like she is just sleeping. The Lombardo family was from Italy and even if the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, it seems that the girl's pneumonia was caused by this deadly virus. Accordingly, the formulas composition is one part glycerin, one part formalin saturated with both zinc sulfate and chloride, and one part of an alcohol solution saturated with salicylic acid.. Via Panepinto 8 I-92022 Cammarata (Ag) Italy 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. Alba incoming - Eurofirst Tours 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. 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). It is a location rich in history between Europe and Africa on the banks of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. . I wrote about the Capuchin Catacombs already, but essentially, the Catacombs were a place where the dead were displayed in order to be visited by the living. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. ", "Why Does This Child Mummy Appear to Open And Close Her Eyes? The story of Rosalia is speculated, but unknown. 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. But even so, there are many who prefer to believe that her spirit really does return to her body! Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. 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. Thanks to Salafia's embalming . There he found Salafias surviving records. Recently, the mummification techniques used by Salafia were discovered in a handwritten memoir of Salafias. The changing direction of the light through the day makes Rosalias eyes seem to open and close many times. COPYRIGHT UNSOLVED MYSTERIES & PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES, 2017-2018. Rosalia Lombardos mummified body appeared to be the most alive mummy in the world. He then handed it over to the researchers who discovered the formula right there to guarantee a body the eternal sleep it deserves. 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. Available at: https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/mystery-of-blinking-child-mummy-solved.html. The impact of a new culture of Nordic tradition on Sicily in the 11th-12th century led to a new architectural style: Palermos Arab-Norman architecture introduced innovative elements from the north of Europe, such astowers at the sides of faades, within Byzantine layouts, such as the greek-cross plan inscribed in a square, and structural or decorative details of Islamic origin, such as pointed arches. 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. 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. (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. Directories Newly added. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. 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. After washing with vinegar, they were filled with straw and then dressed. Required fields are marked *. But in doing so, she became something larger than life. The older we get, the more constant they appear. Curiosities about the body of Rosalia, who seems to be blinking. 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. But let's go back to that December 6, 1920. The little girl died and her father was extremely upset. Your email address will not be published. The Italian biological anthropologist was able to debunk the myths about Rosalia Lombardo. Rosalia's father Mario Lombardo was devastated by her death and approached Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her. The catacombs of the Capuchins of Palermo. 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. 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 Its thought that changes in temperature inside the crypt cause her eyelids to contract to produce the blinking effect. Source: Sibeaster / Public Domain. The researchers wanted to see what state his body was in. 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. [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. Her golden blonde hair is very neatly tied with a beautiful silk bow. Piombino-Mascali, in trying to find out the formula, tracked down the living relatives of the embalmer. A corridor of mummies inside the catacombs. After the embalming, Rosalia was then transported to the Catacombs of the Capuchins, which was made possible by the mayor of the city, Giuseppe Lanza di Scalea, who in fact gave his permission. Mario, her father, approached Alfredo Salafia, embalmer and taxidermist, to preserve her. The formula consisted of formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerin. [3] Sometimes called "Sleeping Beauty", hers was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. (HTTP response code 503). Palermo is a city with amazing architecture which much of its designs remaining from the Norman and Arab invasions. Rosalia Lombardos angel face pushed him to improve the preservation technique in order to preserve its natural beauty. Even though mummification is still practised in some distant cultures, it is uncommon in the Western world. But what curiosity are we talking about? 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. When reports of Rosalia Lombardos eyes opening shocked the local community an Anthropologist called Dario Piombino-Mascali investigated the catacombs. Impossible to answer these questions. Her father, Mario Lambardo who was a General, was so struck with grief when Rosalia Lombardo died that he couldnt part with her and wanted her placed in the Capuchin Catacombs. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. But why the bottle under Rosalia's head is completely empty remains an inexplicable mystery. The catacombs are open nearly everyday and the entry fee is only 3 euros. Alfredo Salafia was regarded as the finest because of his extensive knowledge in the preservation of corpses. 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. People Projects . Rosalia Lombardo in her glass coffin. The mummification was so complex that in 2009 National Geographic took X-ray and MRI scans of Rosalia to determine if she was truly mummified, or if she was a wax replica. 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. Her body is kept in a small chapel placed on a wooden pedestal. She lays near THOUSANDS of preserved humans in the 4 corridors beneath the Capuchin Church - Palermo, Sicily for all to see. The formalin wiped out all the bacteria, and the salicylic acid helped in removing any fungi present in the flesh. Your email address will not be published. Much of their rules involved living in as much austerity that was practical. 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. Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Source: Multidetector CT investigation of the mummy of Rosalia Lombardo (19181920): https://www.academia.edu/4992159/Multidetector_CT_investigation_of_ Geni requires JavaScript! This may just be one of the best-preserved mummies in the world, however, it is only 100 years old so it should not be the greatest wow factor. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was distraught by her death and asked embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve her remains. Seem to open and Close her eyes a wooden pedestal Survive only in Drawings, for. Her father, approached Alfredo Salafia, embalmer and taxidermist, to preserve her the changing direction the! Settings to use this part of Geni, to preserve its natural beauty Palermo in Sicily curiosities the! Security features of the Tyrrhenian Sea is completely empty remains an inexplicable mystery the body of Rosalia Lombardo 19181920... 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