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The bodies of Rosalia Lombardo, a daughter of two-year-old Sicilian who died in 1920, still looks fresh. Mummy known as "Sleeping Beauty" is stored in a glass case in Palermo, Italy.Potions what makes mummy still looks fresh, a secret for years. However, biological anthropologist from the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman named Dario Piombino-Mascali managed to uncover the concoction used to preserve Rosalia.
He was looking out the materials used from relatives and people close to Alfredo Salafia, a taxidermist preserves maker or specialist who died in 1933. Of note is hand made Salafia revealed that he injected chemicals into Rosalia's body in the form of formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerol.
Formalin is a material that is now most commonly used to preserve dead bodies. Mixture of formaldehyde and water that kills all the bacteria that cause spoilage of meat. Salafia was one of the pioneers of the use of chemicals to preserve dead bodies.
While alcohol in dry areas will serve to maintain the body Rosalia remained dry so more durable against temperature changes and humidity. Glycerol as oil will prevent the body too dry and salicylic acid to prevent the growth of mold.
However, the key is embalming zinc salt. According to the Johnsons Melissa Williams, executive director of the American Society of Embalmers, zinc is not used in the pickling process in the U.S.. "Zinc makes it stiff. You can lift it out of the crate and let it stand, "said Williams.
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