City of the Dead in Italy

This city of the dead found in the catacombs of the Capuchin monastery in Palermo. 2000 inhabitants of this terrible place looking at his empty eye sockets of skulls guests: more than five centuries ago the ancient cave monastery was turned into a shrine for the people of the city.

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

Despite the fact that since the death of a blond little girl has been more than 90 years, the girl looks like she recently went to sleep. Masters mummification were able to save the baby's body from decay. The rest of the bodies are preserved is not perfect: some remains of the nose or cheeks, others - a tuft of hair thin half-decayed. The oldest mummies in the catacombs - 410 years old, is a monk Silvestro Subba, who died in 1599, and was buried in his monastic garb.

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

The catacombs are divided into several sections. One of them kept the mummies of the priests, another wholly owned by women, half-decayed corpses which skirts and torn parasols in their hands look particularly scary, separately buried a virgin.

There is a dungeon and a children's room. Dearly departed crumbs lie here in their best clothes. Among them are a little Rosalina, which locals have long believed doll. However, researchers have proved that the girl's body was mummified by means of certain chemicals, which enabled him to survive so well.

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