City of the Dead in Italy (Terrible Catacombs).

City of the Dead in Italy (Terrible Catacombs).

City of the Dead in Italy (Terrible Catacombs).

Real city of the dead found in the catacombs beneath the Capuchin monastery in Palermo. 2000 inhabitants of this terrible place watch with empty eyes to visitors: more than five hundred years ago, the ancient cave monastery was turned into a shrine for the residents of the Italian city.




The most recent burial, committed in the catacombs in 1920. His final resting place there found two-year-girl Rosalina, who died of a bronchial infection.

Despite the fact that since the death of the blonde babe has been more than 90 years, the girl looks like newly fallen asleep. Masters of mummification were able to save the baby's body from decay. The rest of the bodies are not perfectly preserved: some remained nose or the cheek, the other - a tuft of hair thin half-decayed. The oldest mummies in the catacombs - 410 years, this monk Silvestro Subba, who died in 1599, and was buried in his monk's robes.

Initially, the process of embalming was not too difficult. The dead were dissected, the organs were removed, and after the body was dried out - and this occurred after 7-8 months - it was dipped in vinegar, then placed in a coffin or hung on a wall, depending on the wishes of relatives.

The catacombs are divided into several sections. In one of them kept the mummy priests, another wholly owned by women, whose corpses in poluistlevshiye skirts and torn parasols in hand look particularly creepy buried separately virgin.

There is a dungeon and a nursery. Dearly departed crumbs buried here in their best clothes. Among them is a small Rosalina that local people have long believed doll. However, researchers have shown that the girl's body was mummified by certain chemicals that enabled him so well preserved.

The study of ancient mummies allows scientists to learn much about the disease, diet, and life expectancy in the last century.
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