Hundreds of mummies discovered in mass graves

Hundreds of stacked mummies were found during the restoration of the Roccapelago church located on a remote mountain in central northern Italy.

According to Discovery , there are about 281 adult bodies, babies and children. One third of them were marinated before being buried.

" We see about 100 mummies preserved very naturally. This may be the community of people who lived from the 16th century to the 18th century. This is quite unique, " said Donato Labate and colleagues from the Agency. Archaeological manager Emilia Romagna said.

The mummies found in the Roccapelago cathedral have skin, tendons and hands still intact, in a prayer position . The excavation agency found the mummy still wearing a robe, thick socks and a scarf.

According to Iolanda Silvestri and Marta Cuoghi Costantini, the ancient costume expert of the Emilia-Romagna Institute of Cultural and Artistic Heritage, mummy clothes show a simple lifestyle. Fabrics made from wool, linen and cotton have different lengths, decorated with wrist and neck.

Mummies come with various personal items such as rings, necklaces, religious medals and crosses, made from gold, silver, wood, stone and glass. Archaeologists also found that some mice were embalmed, probably because of the poison gas from the grave buried hundreds of people.

Archaeologists have also unearthed a well-preserved letter. They said that this could be a form of agreement between God and the dead. In the letter, the dead will pray for amnesty for the five sins they have committed.

The two windows on the church wall let the tomb be cleared and the process of embalming is natural. Researchers believe that the tomb was originally used as a traditional grave. But after that, the dead were still dressed fully and wrapped in a shroud or shroud dropped from a window above the church.

Many corpses are found in unusual positions. According to scientists, this is because the corpses are dropped from the top. Most bodies are stacked on top of each other and form pyramids.

Studies of mummies have revealed that some of them worked very hard. Further studies will continue to shed light on the lifestyle, diet, epidemics and hygiene regime of this community. The study will include analysis of pathological conditions, histological examination, teeth analysis, DNA analysis, as well as the creation of 3D recycled faces for some mummies.

After finishing the study, some mummies will be transferred to the church display.