Tag: Embalming
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The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo
The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (also Catacombe dei Cappuccini or Catacombs of the Capuchins) are burial catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. Today they provide a somewhat macabre tourist attraction as well as an extraordinary historical record. Historical background Palermo’s Capuchin monastery outgrew its original cemetery in the 16th century and monks began to excavate crypts below it. In 1599 they mummified one of their number, the recently-deceased brother Silvestro of Gubbio, and placed him…
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Nasu aka Nasa (Zoroastrianism) and Tower of Silence
Nasu (Also; Druj Nasu, Nasa, Nas, Nasuš) is the Avestan name of the female Zoroastrian demon (daeva) of corpse matter. She resides in the north (Vendidad. 7:2), where the Zoroastrian hell lies. Nasu takes the form of a fly, and is the manifestation of the decay and contamination of corpses (nasa) (Bundahishn. 28:29). When a death occurs, Nasu inhabits the…
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Embalming syringe set, London, England, 1790-1820
Description The embalming set consists of two brass syringes and accompanying accessories. It sits in a purple velvet lined wooden box. It was made between 1790 and 1820 by London-based surgical instrument makers, Laundy. Embalming syringes preserved the body by injecting chemicals such as arsenic or zinc chloride, normally via the arteries. This delayed inevitable…
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The tale known as “The Poison Dress” or “Embalmed Alive” features a dress that has in some way been poisoned
The tale known as “The Poison Dress” or “Embalmed Alive“[1] features a dress that has in some way been poisoned. This is a recurring theme throughout legends and folktales of various cultures, including ancient Greece, Mughal India, and the United States. Although lacking evidence suggesting that some American urban legends are directly linked to the classical tales, they share several common motifs.[2] Greek mythology Main…
