A comparison between Giovan Battista Rini and Paolo Gorini

Il presente contributo è finalizzato ad esplorare le analogie tra due celebri imbalsamatori lombardi, Giovan Battista Rini e Paolo Gorini. Tali straordinarie figure, note soprattutto per la preparazione di esemplari pietrificati, vengono confrontate sulla base della tipologia di reperti, dei materiali impiegati e dell’alone di mistero che li accomunò.This short paper aims to explore analogies between the two famous embalmers from Lombardy, Giovan Battista Rini and Paolo Gorini. These extraordinary figures are wellknown due to their petrified specimens and are compared on the basis of preparation typologies, materials employed and the shroud of mystery that characterized their stories

Ancient Egyptians in Lithuania: A scientific study of the Egyptian mummies at the National Museum of Lithuania and the MK Čiurlionis National Museum of Art

Since 2011, ancient Egyptian mummified human remains from collections in Lithuania have been subjected to scientific analysis in an attempt to assess the lives and deaths of the individuals, and how their bodies were treated after death in order to achieve bodily preservation. In total, six mummies were studied using computed tomography to obtain the maximum amount of useful data in a non-invasive manner. This paper outlines the aims of the research, what has been done to date and the plans for future work on this corpus of material

Public attitudes towards the display of non-adult mummies in the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo are one of the most visited sites on the island of Sicily and are home to one of the world’s largest assemblages of human mummies. Within the framework of a multidisciplinary project aimed at investigating the biohistories of non-adults buried at this site, the authors wished to better understand how visitors felt about the display of these young individuals and whether they had prior knowledge of these mummies before their visit. In order to capture guest feedback, questionnaires were distributed to 105 visitors in September 2022. While there were no clear-cut patterns based on the demographic and social attributes of visitors, this research revealed some recurring themes. Several visitors felt that there should be signs warning guests of the Children’s Room due to the large number of young individuals displayed in this area. Furthermore, visitors felt that more information was needed throughout the site and queried whether the non-adults, or their kin, had consented to their display. These issues could be addressed by the inclusion of information boards in the catacombs. The findings of this research ultimately have implications for the way in which non-adult remains are displayed in catacombs and other heritage contexts

Molecular identification of parasites in an intestinal coprolite from a mummified religious dignitary of the Piraino Mother Church crypt, Sicily

Intestinal contents were sampled from a spontaneously enhanced mummy from the Sepulcher of the Priests of the Piraino Mother Church in the Province of Messina, Sicily. This adult male mummy, Piraino 1, is an unidentified religious dignitary dating from the late-18th to mid-19th centuries. Immunological and molecular diagnostics were used to test for common and clinically significant parasites. A morphological diagnosis of Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) was confirmed genetically. A previously undetected Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) infection was also identified genetically. These data indicate that the Piraino 1 individual was simultaneously infected with multiple intestinal parasite species indicative of poor hygiene. This study also emphasizes the importance of utilizing multiple diagnostic techniques to detect pathogens from archaeological contexts

The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs Project: a multidisciplinary approach to the study of a modern Mummy Collection (ca 1600-1900)

In this paper we present a multidisciplinary project for the study of the present conditions, history, bioanthropological features and conservation status of a large collection of modern human mummies, kept in the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (Sicily, Italy). Due to the large amount of spontaneously and anthropogenically mummified human bodies, and to an abundant presence of associated artefacts, this collection provides a unique opportunity to carry out a large multidisciplinary survey useful for a thorough biocultural understanding of these remains, a conservation plan, and testing of new restoration protocols

Human mummification practices among the Ibaloy of Kabayan, North Luzon, the Philippines

The province of Benguet, situated in North Luzon, the Philippines, holds a large number of ancient mummified remains, mostly located within the municipality of Kabayan. Such bodies are mainly associated to the Ibaloy – one of the indigenous groups collectively known as Igorot – and are stored in natural rockshelters or caves carved into the stone, inside wooden coffins often obtained from hollowed pine tree segments. Recent inspections of some of these corpses, carried out in 2002 and 2012, indicated the nature of their mummification process as well as some details regarding their bioanthropological features. Although very little information was initially available on these bodies, the authors have gathered significant oral information on funerary rituals and attitudes towards the ancestors via interviews with the local elders, as well as data on the vegetal materials employed and the practice of tattooing. This paper is the first critical evaluation of these mummies and demonstrates the uniqueness and preciousness of this biocultural heritage now in danger

Unveiling the Identities of the Juvenile Mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily

Two kilometers west of the historic city of Palermo (Sicily) lie the Capuchin Catacombs. This site is home to 1,284 mummified individuals, including the mummified and skeletal remains of at least 163 children. The individuals within the Catacombs provide a window into historical funerary rites, beliefs, and traditions. Until recently, anthropological research has focused on the adults; this study aims to rectify this imbalance. Using a portable direct digital (DR) radiography unit and anthropological methods, forty-three individuals, the majority of whom were housed in the “Children’s Room”, were examined. This methodological approach provided an insight into demography, pathology, funerary attire and artifacts, and mummification methods associated with the children of nineteenth-century Palermo. In total, 35/43 (81.4%) individuals were between two and eight years of age. The high concentration of young children in the “Children’s Room” may have been an attempt to appeal to visitors’ preferences over the course of the twentieth century. Despite the high social standing of these children, some individuals exhibited Harris Lines, which suggest physiological growth disruption or disturbance. Most individuals (35/43) were spontaneously mummified, while evidence suggests the remaining juveniles were likely offered anthropogenic mummification. This may indicate a difference in social identity and/or status, which was possibly associated with family wealth. The overall findings have revealed new evidence for the age profile, health status, and funerary rites associated with the children who inhabited and died in late modern Palermo, allowing researchers to form a fuller understanding of the city and its inhabitants during this period

The “Angioletti” of Palermo: The Health and Development of Mummified Non-Adults in Late Modern Palermo, Sicily (1787-1880 CE)

The Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, have been home to non-adult mummified remains since the seventeenth century CE. Despite the increasing numbers of scientific studies conducted at this site, very little research has focused specifically on the youngest members of late modern society. This research aims to redress the balance by examining 43 individuals to gain insight into the demographic profile of mummified non-adults, to characterize their health status and possible cause of death, and to better understand the funerary treatment offered to the youngest members of society. A portable X-ray unit was used to capture anteroposterior and lateral images of each mummy; this facilitated age estimation, the identification of pathological and/traumatic lesions, and evidence of conservation and the mummification process more generally. This study revealed that regardless of age and health status at the time of death, the mortuary rite performed was primarily influenced by the wealth and social standing of the deceased’s kin. No demographic trends were observed in the data and the lack of evidence of metabolic neoplastic, and traumatic bone lesions suggest these non-adults died from short-term, acute illnesses. Even when individuals did display evidence of chronic health conditions that would have impacted their day-to-day lives (e.g. B035), they were not excluded from this mortuary tradition on the basis of their long-term health and care requirements in life. Artifacts were found with all individuals examined and were associated with the mummification process, conservation of mummies, and/or their display. This research has ultimately demonstrated that non-invasive imaging can be used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the lives and deaths of non-adults inhabiting late modern (1787-1880 CE) Palermo