The Most Beautiful Living Mummy in the World Who Can Open Her Eyes: The Mystery of This Sleeping Beauty Revealed [With Real Images]

According to Saed News’ society section, Rosalia Lombardo was a beautiful little girl who became known as the “Sleeping Beauty,” the “Girl in the Glass Coffin,” the “Most Beautiful Mummy in the World,” and the “Healthiest Mummy in the World.” She rests in the city of Sicily, Italy, preserved almost exactly as she appeared in life, with her long eyelashes still clearly visible. Remarkably, Rosalia Lombardo appears to blink—photographs of her taken at different times sometimes show her eyes open and closed.

Today, Rosalia’s body is displayed in a glass coffin within the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, open to public view.

Birth Date: December 13, 1918
Date of Death: December 6, 1920
Location: Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo, Italy

oes Rosalia Really Blink?

Time-lapse photography of Rosalia’s face suggests that this beautiful little girl occasionally opens and closes her eyes. When her eyelids are open, her blue eyes can be seen, perfectly preserved. In the photo on the right, for instance, her eyes appear fully open. These images caused widespread fascination online, and many people have expressed a desire to see this unusual mummy in person. While roughly 8,000 mummies are stored in the Capuchin Catacombs, Rosalia Lombardo remains by far the most famous.

Some interpret the apparent opening of her eyes as a miracle, while others suggest it is a photographic illusion. The curator of the catacombs offers a different explanation, attributing it to a visual trick: “Rosalia’s blinking is an optical illusion caused by light passing through the glass coffin. Throughout the day, changing light conditions create this effect. Additionally, her eyes were never fully closed; they have always been slightly open.”

The Mummy

Looking closely at Rosalia’s beautiful, innocent face, it’s hard to believe that it belongs to a body over 100 years old. Her face shows no visible signs of death or the passage of time, which has sparked curiosity and speculation.

The Secret of Rosalia’s Preservation

Alfredo Salafia used a special technique to mummify Rosalia, the formula for which remained a secret for decades. In 2009, biological anthropologist Dario Piombino-Mascali obtained the formula from Salafia’s descendants. The chemical mixture includes formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerin. Alcohol, combined with the catacombs’ environmental conditions, helped dry her body, while glycerin contributed to its mummification. Salicylic acid prevented mold and fungal growth on her skin. But the most remarkable ingredient is zinc, which preserved the body’s shape and transformed Rosalia’s remains into a wax-like form.