Coming to this conclusion was not difficult for them. The Lombardo family was Italian and although the Spanish flu pandemic was ending, it seemed that Rosalia's pneumonia may have been caused by this deadly disease. Thanks to Salafia's embalming techniques, the body was well-preserved. What happened to little Rosalia's body after she died. People were curious to know what was causing the dead body to blink. 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. The blinking mummys mystery became famous across the world. Rosalia Lombardos Xray By National Geographic. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920)[1] was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Why is there an Elephant Buried Beneath the Vatican. 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. 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. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Many people believed that Lombardo had opened her eyes a fraction of an inch in a composite of many time-lapse photographs. Maybe he finished middle school, nothing more. Thanks to these tricks it will be possible to keep this body intact for a long, long time. Bronchopneumonia, diphtheria, typhus, over the years these have been the most widespread theories on the death of little Rosalia. The monks agreed and she was one of the last mummies placed in the catacombs. 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. Her grieving father couldn't settle . 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. Piombino-Mascali, in trying to find out the formula, tracked down the living relatives of the embalmer. Top Image: Rosalia Lombardo. : 02075400842, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. 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. Managed by: David Nicholas Yustin: 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.. all right reserved COOKIES & PRIVACY POLICY, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. Daughter of Mario Lombardo and Maria Di Cara Missing Three Flannan Isles Lighthouse Keepers. Zinc salts to keep a state of preservation Rosalias body is now preserved in a new glass coffin, which is designed to block the growth of fungi or bacteria. Within Palermo, the catacombs are a short walk from the city center, but public transportation is also available. Her father, Mario Lombardo, was so grief stricken that he asked an embalmer to preserve Rosalias remains. 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. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. Their families would continue to fund the monks who cared for the deceased for example with new clothes. The notes represent more of a prescription for different chemicals used for the mummification: The glycerine was used to prevent the mummified body from drying up, the saturated formol, and salicyl alcohol for killing the bacteria which formed after her death. A corridor of mummies inside the catacombs. Source: Multidetector CT investigation of the mummy of Rosalia Lombardo (19181920): https://www.academia.edu/4992159/Multidetector_CT_investigation_of_ Geni requires JavaScript! Thanks to Salafia's embalming . The combination of these ingredients worked to preserve the body. The body of little Rosalia has closed eyelids as if she were sleeping. 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. Zinc to petrify the body. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 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.. 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. 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. Alba incoming - Eurofirst Tours Catacombe dei Cappuccini | Palermo, Italy, Fact Analysis: Mario was grieving so much after her death that he asked Alfredo Salafia (a well-known Italian chemist) to mummify her and keep her as alive as possible (looking). X-rays of the body show that all the organs are remarkably intact. One resident was not famous in her short life but became infamous in death. Rosalia Lombardos story reached Professor Salafia, as he never charged his father for his services. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason, therefore, if in the end Rosalia's body has always remained there, where it was first placed. [2] Her mummified body, sometimes referred to as "Sleeping Beauty", was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. 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). The mystery was soon solved when he observed that a filtration of light from the windows was catching her eye-lens to cause the illusion of life. Its thought that changes in temperature inside the crypt cause her eyelids to contract to produce the blinking effect. For years the mix of chemicals that Alfredo Salaria used on Rosalia remained unknown, as well as the technique used. The empty body is then filled with natron salts, which desiccate it. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. She lies in the coffin, glass-covered and on a wooden pedestal. 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. At a closer look, it can be seen that her eyes are not 100% closed and this was probably done with the intention by Alfredo Salafia to make her look more alive. Get notified of the best best booming posts weekly. Losing a child is always a tragedy, and if it is a child of just a few years of life, the tragedy is undoubtedly even greater and more difficult to bear. Mario Lombardo is an infantry officer who only on this day discovers what happiness is, true happiness. But the girl, whose second birthday celebration would have been in just seven days, had lost her fight against pneumonia, and with it all, Mario had . 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 grid is of the coffin beneath the body (Source:National Geographic). Rosalia meant the world to her family, especially her father who sought to preserve her eternally. Alfredo Salaria arrived at the house of the Lombardo spouses, located in Piazza San Francesco di Paola, about 24 hours after the child's death. Life is full of constant reminders that we will one day die. (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. These cookies do not store any personal information. I spend many hours researching her and you can read more about that here if you want. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). 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. The zinc sulfate was used to petrify the body. The preserved body of Rosalia Lombardo, as photographed by National Geographic in 2009, has started to show indications of decomposition most notably discoloration. 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. La Pascualita: An Extremely Well-Preserved Corpse, or an Eerily Life-like Mannequin? Rosalia's daddy, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. Scientists have determined that changes in humidity in the catacombs cause changes of pressure in her body and thus her eyes to open. The Remains of Dead US Presidents Will Be Sent Into Space, The Man Who Surgically Brought Back Unicorns. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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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">. Heres some history and a video: Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Thats hard to say. There are those who claim that it is a mere optical illusion, caused by how the light falls on those half-closed eyelids. 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. Rosalia Lombardo. So, Mario in his grief sought out the famed embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve Rosalia forever. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to "blame" someone. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. She now attracts thousands of visitors to the Capuchin Catacombs in Sicily where she lays forever encased in glass. Rosalia Lombardo, was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. This mix of substances was injected directly through an incision in the femoral artery. 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. Enjoyed this article? His body is not here, it has been buried. Life goes on happily for Mario and Maria. [5] 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. Rosalia is surrounded by many other bodies, over 8000, who sleep their eternal sleep in the Catacombs of the Capuchins. Not only that, he also added paraffin, duly dissolved in ether. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. 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. Much of their rules involved living in as much austerity that was practical. The techniques used by Alfredo Salafia have marveled many. The Normans were a group from France unified by a famous Viking called Rollo who took over much of Europe. These blue eyes, like the rest of her body, are remarkably intact. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. 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. [9] In response to speculation about her moving eyelids, Piombino-Mascali stated that "It's an optical illusion produced by the light that filters through the side windows, which during the day is subject to change [her eyes] are not completely closed, and indeed they have never been". All of which would have had a unique story to tell. , thanks to the possibility that he was granted access to the anatomical school of Professor Randaccio. 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