Genealogy profile for Mario Lombardo. But the magical element was the zinc salts which gave Rosalias body rigidity. Zinc salts to keep a state of preservation He used many modern and original techniques to mummify young Rosalia to perfection. Rosalia Lombardos story reached Professor Salafia, as he never charged his father for his services. The problem at the time, was that no one knew how Rosalia had been preserved. 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 Her father Mario Lombardo was understandably so beset with heartache that he sought out a renowned local embalmer by the name of Alfredo Salafia. The Lombardo family was . 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. 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. Bronchopneumonia, diphtheria, typhus, over the years these have been the most widespread theories on the death of little Rosalia. Create Biography . Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. 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. But even so, there are many who prefer to believe that her spirit really does return to her body! The heartbroken father of Rosalia sought the help of an embalmer named Alfredo Salafia to preserve his childs body. Why is he still there now that it's been over 100 years since his death? Even the best body at some point goes towards a process of decomposition, even if only partial. Compared to when the body was placed in the Catacombs of the Capuchins, it seems that the skin of the child's face has become darker and that the hair has instead lightened, from brown to blond. What is certain, however, is that Alfredo Salaria was a great lover of chemistry as well as anatomy and over the years he had the opportunity to do many experiments, first on animal bodies, then starting from the early 1900s also on human corpses. 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. Get notified of the best best booming posts weekly. One piece of evidence pointing to Mario being her father is that he supposedly named his second daughter Rosalia (after the first). Alfredo Salafia, a taxidermist, and a skillful embalmer, then mummified the dead body of Rosalia Lombardo with impressive skill, preserving her so well that even her internal organs were kept intact. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. [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". Rosalia's dad, Official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved after her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to preserve her. Rosalia died due to pneumonia in a region which becomes extremely cold in the winter months. 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. While her eyes generally open just slightly more than 1/8th of an inch, they open to reveal perfectly intact baby blue eyes. Recommended Visit: [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. Husband of Assunta Mananizza Father of Eugenia Lombardo and Rosalinda Lombardo. But, the fact is, that theres not even a single photo of Rosalia when she was alive to validate any part of her history. Her body is starting to take on a yellow waxy skin texture. (Sibeaster / Wikimedia Commons). Piombino-Mascali, in trying to find out the formula, tracked down the living relatives of the embalmer. [3] It is thanks to all of this that little Rosalia's body has reached us intact. Mario Lombardo is an infantry officer who only on this day discovers what happiness is, true happiness. 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. 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. Who is wrong? The formalin wiped out all the bacteria, and the salicylic acid helped in removing any fungi present in the flesh. Later it became part of the Roman and Arab Empires before unifying with the modern-day Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Glycerin prevented her body from desiccating or drying out. 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. Alfredo Salafia was considered the best as he had a lot of experience preserving corpses. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark? In short, Rosalia is a 98 year old mummy. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). There are those who claim that it is a mere optical illusion, caused by how the light falls on those half-closed eyelids. It seems that it was a common practice to insert a bottle in the coffin containing the reagent capable of preventing the formation of mold and ensuring that the body was preserved longer. People were curious to know what was causing the dead body to blink. [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. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was distraught by her death and asked embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve her remains. This mystery of blinking eyes, and the well-preserved body is what makes Rosalias mummy so fascinating. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. Salafia recorded the chemicals he injected into Rosalias body: formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerin., Formalin (formaldehyde and water) eliminates bacteria Thanks to Salafia's embalming . [3] Sometimes called "Sleeping Beauty", hers was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. 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. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. Geni requires JavaScript! Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Maria Cara Lombardo e Mario Lombardo, i genitori della piccola Rosalia (per gentile concessione della . She lies in the coffin, glass-covered and on a wooden pedestal. Her body is kept in a small chapel placed on a wooden pedestal. 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 was born on December 13, 1918 and died on December 6, 1920 of pneumonia. 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. A century has passed, but her corpse still looks like the little girl is just dozing under the glass case of the casket. A Net Inceptions project. 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. The skin of Rosalia still appears very smooth, as if it is made of porcelain. Source: Multidetector CT investigation of the mummy of Rosalia Lombardo (19181920): https://www.academia.edu/4992159/Multidetector_CT_investigation_of_ Geni requires JavaScript! Obviously it was expensive, for this reason these bodies almost all belong to people of high class. She now attracts thousands of visitors to the Capuchin Catacombs in Sicily where she lays forever encased in glass. MYSTERIESRUNSOLVED & MRU MEDIA, 2019-2022. STSTW Media strives to deliver accurate information through careful research. (Sibeaster / Wikimedia Commons). Available at: https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/mystery-of-blinking-child-mummy-solved.html. 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. What is even more interesting is that upon an X-ray of the mummified corpse, it seems that Rosalinas organs have been perfectly conserved. (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo, and she died of pneumonia caused by the Spanish Flu just one week shy of her second birthday in 1920. His body is not here, it has been buried. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". Rosalia Lombardo in her glass coffin. La Pascualita: An Extremely Well-Preserved Corpse, or an Eerily Life-like Mannequin? Rosalia Lombardo born on December 13, 1918, was a Sicilian kid that died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 from the Spanish flu. 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. [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. Interesting history topics are just a click away. Your access to this service has been limited. Rosalia died due to pneumonia in a region which becomes extremely cold in the winter months. Coming to this conclusion was not difficult for them. He then handed it over to the researchers who discovered the formula right there to guarantee a body the eternal sleep it deserves. The changing direction of the light through the day makes Rosalias eyes seem to open and close many times. Shes located in the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily with over 8,000 other mummies. 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 other bodies present in the catacombs. Her young age allowed Salafia to follow a simple mummification process that kept her angel face untouched and undeteriorated for over 100 years. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Genealogy for Mario Lombardo (1789 - 1864) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Her story to this day is passed on by the monks who still work in the catacombs. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Rosalia has indeed sparked much fascination in the world of science and commoners alike. 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. It is considered one of the best-preserved mummies in the world. Life is full of constant reminders that we will one day die. A tuft of hair is also held in place by a yellow bow. Many people believed that Lombardo had opened her eyes a fraction of an inch in a composite of many time-lapse photographs. How did you succeed in this feat? Others passed this phenomenon off as changes of the light. 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. Caligulas stunning 2,000-year-old sapphire ring tells of a dramatic love story, Evidence of a 14,000-year-old settlement found in western Canada, Archaeologists locate earliest known North American settlement, 2,400-year-old baskets still filled with fruit found in the submerged Egyptian city, 9,000-year-old site near Jerusalem is the Big Bang of prehistory settlement, Oldest stone tools ever found were not made by human hands, study suggests, Mysterious skeleton revealed to be that of unusual lady anchoress of York Barbican. Further studies however, including time-lapse photos by National Geographic, show that Rosalia does in fact blink several times an hour! Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The mummy is still one of the tombs finest preserved corpses. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. Avid Writer with invaluable knowledge of Humanity! The story of love, loss, beauty and tragedy have captured thousands of people through multiple generations. ", "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. Rosalias preserved body came out looking like the most alive mummy in the world. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. But, this supposed sister is strangely quiet and difficult to learn about. Alfredo Salafia was regarded as the finest because of his extensive knowledge in the preservation of corpses. 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