We typically associate mummies with ancient Egypt — or sometimes cheesy old horror movies. Now a newly described mummy from an unexpected place — Austria — details in the journal Frontiers in Medicine a previously unknown embalming technique.
Although mummification is firmly linked to the Age of the Pharaohs, other cultures have employed various embalming techniques resembling that process. It is often used for religious reasons and the methods vary by time and place.
Unusual Embalming Technique
The well-preserved Austrian mummy is the corpse of a local parish vicar, Franz Xaver Sidler von Rosenegg, who died in 1746. It was found in the church crypt of St Thomas am Blasenstein. The embalming technique was notable not just for its efficacy and ingredients, but for what can only be described (to put it delicately) as a rear-entry approach.
“Our investigation uncovered that the excellent preservation status came from an unusual type of embalming, achieved by stuffing the abdomen through the rectal canal with wood chips, twigs and fabric, and the addition of zinc chloride for internal drying,” Andreas Nerlich, a pathologist at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität and an author of the paper, said in a press release.
Most embalming techniques involve opening the body to insert preservative materials. However, the rectal route may be more common than scientists have realized.
“This type of preservation may have been much more widespread but unrecognized in cases where ongoing postmortal decay processes may have damaged the body wall so that the manipulations would not have been realized as they were,” Nerlich said.
Preserving the Mummy
The mixture of materials found packed in the mummy’s abdominal and pelvic cavity absorbed much of the body’s moisture. Zinc chloride, which the researchers detected in a toxicological analysis, exhibits a powerful drying effect. The combination of the materials and that chemical helped preserve the mummy.
Although, the mummy was long rumored to be the vicar, the identity wasn’t confirmed until the recent analysis. The scientists used multiple methods, including radiocarbon dating, CT scans, and stable isotope analysis, to reach their conclusion.
Insight into the Vicar's Life
The investigation also provided insight into Sidler’s life. He appeared to have lived on central European grains, animal products, and possibly freshwater fish. Near the end of his life, he may have missed meals — perhaps due to the War of Austrian Succession. The skeleton showed no major signs of stress, which fits with the lifestyle of a priest who would have performed little to no physical work. He appeared to have been a smoker and suffered from tuberculosis near the end of his life.
Despite those details, a few mysteries remain. The researchers discovered a small glass sphere with holes on both ends inside the body. They are unsure if it was placed there deliberately or accidentally included during the body’s preparation for burial.
They also don’t know why he was buried in the church crypt, rather than near his home.
“Possibly, the vicar was planned for transportation to his home abbey, which might have failed for unknown reasons,” Nerlich said in the release.
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Frontiers in Medicine. The mystery of the “air-dried chaplain” solved: the life and “afterlife” of an unusual human mummy from eighteenth century Austria
Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
