After 7 months from the birth of the child they also decide to get married, aware that they need to take this step in order to guarantee serenity and tranquility for their family. After washing with vinegar, they were filled with straw and then dressed. 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. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. Indeed, it is quite difficult to gaze at the little body lying in the glass coffin and still not believe that the girl will awaken at any moment. Recently, the mummification techniques used by Salafia were discovered in a handwritten memoir of Salafias. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week shy of her second birthday. MYSTERIESRUNSOLVED & MRU MEDIA, 2019-2022. Salafia recorded the chemicals he injected into Rosalias body: formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerin., Formalin (formaldehyde and water) eliminates bacteria Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. Rosalia Lombardo - The Blinking Mummy . Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. 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. Her curly blonde hair and a ribbon on it make her look like she is just sleeping. Rosalia Lombardos one hundred year old body may be the most beautifully embalmed body in the world. Father of Rosalia Lombardo and Rosalia Lombardo. It is December 13, 1918. Mario Lombardo is an infantry officer who only on this day discovers what happiness is, true happiness. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. So, Mario in his grief sought out the famed embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve Rosalia forever. In fact, the body of little Rosalia has organs in a perfect state of preservation and you can see how one lung is denser than the other, a clear sign that the little girl actually fell ill with bronchopneumonia. Piombino-Mascali, in trying to find out the formula, tracked down the living relatives of the embalmer. Thanks to these tricks it will be possible to keep this body intact for a long, long time. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was a Palermitan child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week before her second birthday. Avid Writer with invaluable knowledge of Humanity! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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 Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. If you find the above article inaccurate or biased, please let us know at[emailprotected]. Amazingly, 8000 skeletons (although a more accurate number is said to be closer to 2,000) and around 1250 mummies inhabit the catacombs. He approached a popular embalmer, Alfredo Salafia and asked to have her preserved for eternity. In the 1970s, the notes describing Rosalias mummification were found. People Projects . The mummy is still one of the tombs finest preserved corpses. Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. [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. There he found Salafias surviving records. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. Rosalia meant the world to her family, especially her father who sought to preserve her eternally. Create Biography . Source: Sibeaster / Public Domain. The problem at the time, was that no one knew how Rosalia had been preserved. The beautifully peaceful yet pallid face of the fallen angel Rosalia Lombardo is a chilling aide-mmoire that death can come anytime and to anyone. A century has passed, but her corpse still looks like the little girl is just dozing under the glass case of the casket. It is so amazingly well-maintained that even X-rays show the internal organs to be intact. Thanks to Salafia's embalming techniques, the body was well-preserved. Missing Three Flannan Isles Lighthouse Keepers. Zinc to petrify the body. Watch on Mario Lombardo was overcome by grief when his only child died of pneumonia. It seems that it was the video surveillance cameras that noticed this light and slow movement. 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. For after all, the dead have no need for grand decorations in this realm they leave behind. Rosalia Lombardo's father, official Mario Lombardo, was severely upset by the death of his loved daughter and contacted a famous Sicilian embalmer, Alfredo Salafia, to preserve the body of Rosalia. Rosalia's father Mario Lombardo was devastated by her death and approached Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her. The glass case also protects the body from any effects of light. The name of that girl is Rosalia Lombardo, who tragically died due to pneumonia in 1920, at the age of two. Even the best body at some point goes towards a process of decomposition, even if only partial. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark? (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. Salicylic acid to stop the growth of fungi 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. [3] Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. She lays near THOUSANDS of preserved humans in the 4 corridors beneath the Capuchin Church - Palermo, Sicily for all to see. 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 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. Obviously it was expensive, for this reason these bodies almost all belong to people of high class. Children of Llullaillaco: Where Young Children Were Sacrificed to the Gods, Church of the Dead: Home to the Peculiar Mummies of Provincial Italy. His body is not here, it has been buried. 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. 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. Bipin Dimri is a writer from India with an educational background in Management Studies. All the other bodies present were in fact emptied of their internal organs and then left to rest for about a year. 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. X-rays of the body show that all the organs are remarkably intact. A 2009 National Geographic photograph of Rosalia Lombardo shows the mummy is beginning to show signs of decomposition, most notably discoloration. Directories Newly added. 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. 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. Suddenly, however, fate plays a mocking trick on the couple. Nothing to do with Rosalia's body! ", "Why Does This Child Mummy Appear to Open And Close Her Eyes? Moreover, her striking crystal blue eyes are also visible underneath the blonde eyelashes. 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. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that Rosalia's parents requested that the child's body be entrusted to Alfredo Salaria, one of the most famous embalmers of the twentieth century, with the hope in this way of being able to pay homage to the memory of the little girl, torn all too young to life, with the hope of being able to stop the passage of time. La Pascualita: An Extremely Well-Preserved Corpse, or an Eerily Life-like Mannequin? Legend has it that she was a sickly child who suffered illnesses and pain until she contracted a pneumonia at the age of 2 and died from her illness. 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. Generated by Wordfence at Thu, 2 Mar 2023 1:21:04 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. 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. Source: Multidetector CT investigation of the mummy of Rosalia Lombardo (19181920): https://www.academia.edu/4992159/Multidetector_CT_investigation_of_ Geni requires JavaScript! How did you succeed in this feat? Also, check out Children of Llullaillaco: Where Young Children Were Sacrificed to the Gods. This entry was posted by Caleb Wilde on March 1, 2015 at 9:18 pm, and is filed under Aggregate Death. In short, Rosalia is a 98 year old mummy. Rosalia's daddy, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. In fact, a few years ago it was realized that the girl's face was going to meet a normal decay. Is it better to believe in science or in the irrational? Zinc salts to keep a state of preservation 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. While Rosalia was mostly kept intact during embalming, her blood was drained and replaced by the magical formula used by Alfredo. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). 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. In 2009, an MRI scan of the little girl was performed, to see the state of preservation of the interior of the body. 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 results were staggering, showing that she was indeed truly a mummy and that even her organs were still in functional condition. Her father Mario Lombardo was understandably so beset with heartache that he sought out a renowned local embalmer by the name of Alfredo Salafia. Palermo is a city with amazing architecture which much of its designs remaining from the Norman and Arab invasions. Not only was the eye blinking mystery solved by Piombino-Mascali, but he also managed to track down the embalming formula Alfredo Salafia used to preserve the body of Rosalia in such impeccable condition. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to "blame" someone. | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Interesting history topics are just a click away. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason, therefore, if in the end Rosalia's body has always remained there, where it was first placed. He then approached the monks who ran the Capuchin Catacombs and begged for his daughter to be placed there. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920)[1] was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. But in doing so, she became something larger than life. Rosalias preserved body came out looking like the most alive mummy in the world. : 02075400842, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. Maybe he finished middle school, nothing more. 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. It is possible that contact with the air before its replacement may have resulted in damage. Get notified of the best booming posts weekly. It is a location rich in history between Europe and Africa on the banks of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Notes documenting Rosalias mummification were discovered in the 1970s. 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. 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. It is considered one of the best-preserved mummies in the world. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. , thanks to the possibility that he was granted access to the anatomical school of Professor Randaccio. While her eyes generally open just slightly more than 1/8th of an inch, they open to reveal perfectly intact baby blue eyes. ", "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. 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). Why is there an Elephant Buried Beneath the Vatican. After which, they were bathed in vinegar and stuffed with hay. These cookies do not store any personal information. They were famed for their Romanesque architecture, characterized by semi-circular arches. However, they are not perfectly closed, they are actually ajar, as if it were sleeping, yes, but on the verge of waking up. Rosalia died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920. 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 The empty body is then filled with natron salts, which desiccate it. They moved to other Italian cities and then also abroad, thus without having the opportunity to choose a cemetery where to bury their child. Upcoming historian with over 30 million views online. Rosalia Lombardo, was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Despite offering her the best medication possible at the time, she was too young and didnt have a strong enough immune system to be able to fight pneumonia. Rosalia is surrounded by many other bodies, over 8000, who sleep their eternal sleep in the Catacombs of the Capuchins. But the proof of her heritage doesn't exist. Rosalia Lombardo born on December 13, 1918, was a Sicilian kid that died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 from the Spanish flu. Rosalia Lombardo: The Mummy That Blinks. Look like she is just dozing under the glass case also protects the from. 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