Rosalia Lombardo sadly passed away just before her second birthday back in 1920 due to a case of pneumonia, which experts suggest was likely caused by the Spanish flu pandemic. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. [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. 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). One resident was not famous in her short life but became infamous in death. Rosalia Lombardo (Born December 13, 1918 and Died December 6, 1920) was a Palmerian toddler who died one week before her second birthday from pneumonia caused by the Spanish flu. In 1933 when the Sicilian embalmer passed away, he wrote down the secret formula of the preservation. Watch on Mario Lombardo was overcome by grief when his only child died of pneumonia. Thats hard to say. Obviously it was expensive, for this reason these bodies almost all belong to people of high class. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. What happened to little Rosalia's body after she died. There are those who claim that it is a mere optical illusion, caused by how the light falls on those half-closed eyelids. 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. 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. She lays near THOUSANDS of preserved humans in the 4 corridors beneath the Capuchin Church - Palermo, Sicily for all to see. 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. The skin of Rosalia still appears very smooth, as if it is made of porcelain. Alba incoming - Eurofirst Tours 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. 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. Amazingly, 8000 skeletons (although a more accurate number is said to be closer to 2,000) and around 1250 mummies inhabit the catacombs. 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. He also sought the embalmers elixir of preservation which has kept her form so perfect even until this day. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. Get notified of the best best booming posts weekly. Rosalia died due to pneumonia in a region which becomes extremely cold in the winter months. 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. A multitude of skeletons line the walls in these catacombs to give a more than eerie vibe, and having experienced it for myself a strange sensation runs through as one enters the cold surroundings. According to the laws of the time, in fact, the embalmed bodies should have remained in the Catacombs only temporarily, only to later find a definitive burial, a burial that Rosalia never had. Who is wrong? Husband of Assunta Mananizza Father of Eugenia Lombardo and Rosalinda Lombardo. Interesting history topics are just a click away. Thanks to Salafias embalming techniques, the body was well preserved. Alfredo Salafia was regarded as the finest because of his extensive knowledge in the preservation of 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. In the 1970s, the notes describing Rosalias mummification were found. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Rosalia Lombardo in her glass coffin. 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. 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. Scientists have determined that changes in humidity in the catacombs cause changes of pressure in her body and thus her eyes to open. 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. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. The results were staggering, showing that she was indeed truly a mummy and that even her organs were still in functional condition. Surely, some will say, Alfredo Salaria has studied a lot to obtain this surprising result. One of the properties that makes Rosalia such a beautiful mummy is the embalming process that was used to preserve her. 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. [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. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. But what curiosity are we talking about? In 1920, a little girl known as Rosalia Lombardo died at the age of two due to an aggravated case of pneumonia. I spend many hours researching her and you can read more about that here if you want. Rosalia's father, Official Mario Lomba. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. 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. Recommended Visit: Her father Mario Lombardo was understandably so beset with heartache that he sought out a renowned local embalmer by the name of Alfredo Salafia. These questions arise spontaneously. 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. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. He has written for 8 years in a variety of fields including history, health and politics. A century has passed, but her corpse still looks like the little girl is just dozing under the glass case of the casket. However, the work that Alfredo Salaria managed to carry out on the body of little Rosalia is incredible, his most successful work ever, the body considered the most beautiful in the world by scholars and experts in the sector. 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 was born on December 13, 1918 and died on December 6, 1920 of pneumonia. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. 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.. Her body is kept in a small chapel placed on a wooden pedestal. This added to an intricate system of drying rooms within the catacombs which implement pipes to drain any excess water and ultimately keep the bodies of the deceased dry. The story of love, loss, beauty and tragedy have captured thousands of people through multiple generations. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark? Curiosities about the body of Rosalia, who seems to be blinking. The other bodies present in the catacombs. Available at: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2017/01/rosalia-lombardo-mummy-that-blinks.html, Mystery of The Blinking Child Mummy Solved. Rosalia's father Mario Lombardo was devastated by her death and approached Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. To add further to the folklore surrounding the Sleeping Beauty, rumor had it that Rosalia would blink multiple times a day. They were famed for their Romanesque architecture, characterized by semi-circular arches. 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. 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 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 techniques, the body was well-preserved. Thousands of visitors from across the world have come to see the girl, intrigued by the many reports that the eyes of the dead body are blinking. Required fields are marked *. Some believed that some supernatural force was at work, and that the mummy actually blinked. Not only that, he also added paraffin, duly dissolved in ether. Rosalia Lombardos story reached Professor Salafia, as he never charged his father for his services. Researchers and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without having official documentation. Top Image: Rosalia Lombardo. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. Her father was so grief-stricken that he sought the aid of an embalmer and taxidermist to preserve his child. It is December 13, 1918. Salicylic acid to stop the growth of fungi Later it became part of the Roman and Arab Empires before unifying with the modern-day Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was distraught by her death and asked embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve her remains. [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? 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All rights reserved. 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. However, they are not perfectly closed, they are actually ajar, as if it were sleeping, yes, but on the verge of waking up. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. The embalmers relatives gave him several of Alfredo Salafias documents. The father refused to bury his daughter, seemingly extremely traumatized because of losing his child.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofyesterday_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Rosalias death took place only a week shy of her second birthday. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. [2] She now attracts thousands of visitors to the Capuchin Catacombs in Sicily where she lays forever encased in glass. The corpse was preserved nearly perfectly due to the dry atmosphere inside the Catacomb. Advertising Disclosure: This content may use referral links. 2022 History of Yesterday | All Rights Reserved. Managed by: David Nicholas Yustin: Rosalia Lombardo. Is it better to believe in science or in the irrational? 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). Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920)[1] was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Read more on Wikipedia. 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. Rosalia died barely one week before her second birthday. Alfredo Salaria used glycerin, formalin, zinc salts, alcohol and salicylic acid on the body of little Rosalia. Children of Llullaillaco: Where Young Children Were Sacrificed to the Gods, Church of the Dead: Home to the Peculiar Mummies of Provincial Italy. A 2009 National Geographic photograph of Rosalia Lombardo shows the mummy is beginning to show signs of decomposition, most notably discoloration. But even so, there are many who prefer to believe that her spirit really does return to her body! The Lombardo family was from Italy and even if the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, it seems that the girls pneumonia was caused by this deadly virus. Mario Lombardo refused to bury her daughter, claiming that losing his son had left him distraught. If you want to visit Rosalia, youre not alone. Full text data coming soon. Enjoyed this article? Even the best body at some point goes towards a process of decomposition, even if only partial. Then, later in 2009 Dario Piombino-Mascali, a biological anthropologist sought out Alfredos living descendants and asked to go through his things for clues as to the formula. Rosalia was an Italian child who died in 1918 in Palermo. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. 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 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. The formalin wiped out all the bacteria, and the salicylic acid helped in removing any fungi present in the flesh. Rosalias gaze is something that has attracted onlookers to Palermo for a hundred years. STSTW Media strives to deliver accurate information through careful research. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Why is there an Elephant Buried Beneath the Vatican. To address these concerns, Rosalia Lombardos body was relocated to a more dry area of the catacombs, and her original coffin was put in a hermetically sealed glass container filled with nitrogen gas to prevent further decomposition. Mario and maria are not married at the time of Rosalia 's birth, but her corpse still like. Were famed for their Romanesque architecture, characterized by semi-circular arches to her body and thus her eyes open. Her daughter, Rosalia husband of Assunta Mananizza father of Eugenia Lombardo and Rosalinda Lombardo maria di Cara his! It was expensive, for this reason these bodies almost all belong people... Story reached Professor Salafia, as if it is perhaps good that it remains so have the to... 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