Stories from Sicily: Of Museums, Mummies, and Meatloaves

Bones of Saint Lucy as a relic.

Today was a full day of seeing local attractions and talking about the ethics of mummy studies. MSFS student, Christina Coon, wants to tell you all about it!

Day of July 23, 2017

Today we started at 9:30 am to go down to see the Museum of the Diocese of Santa Lucia del Mela that had a bunch of relics of saints and items belonging to the Beato Antonio Franco. In this museum, they had relics that contained the bones of the saints and objects that saints had touched. Some of the things that I saw were objects in the shape of a heart that were given to saints either after they recovered from heart disease or before they had beat heart disease, and there was some shaped like eyes if you had an eye disease. The silver eyes were objects that reflected Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia) or that you would give to her. Also in this museum, there were robes that the people of the church wore, and they were made of silk with gold threaded throughout.

Object showing the eyes associated with Saint Lucy.

Items belonging to the Beato Antonio Franco.

Students examine vestments at the museum

Up-close look at the golden stitching on one of the vestments.

Dario tells students about art in the church.

The church that we saw today in Santa Lucia del Mela is beautiful. There is a grand alter, and around the alter there are amazing paintings and statues that tell the stories of saints. The restored body of the Beato Antonio Franco is in the church and is dressed in clothing that is historic and very beautiful. He died in the 17th century.  The history behind the church is extraordinary and all the paintings were breath taking. I have seen old paintings in my art history class, but to physically seeing them was a whole different thing. It was truly an amazing experience. There was also this fountain that was pretty old as well, which was in the church that was super old. The whole church was probably my favorite part of the day because to be in such an old church and to see where Saint Antonio Franco was in his glass coffin was really cool. To see him in his robes and they were really vibrant was really cool. Just seeing the whole designs of the all of the robes seen today that were worn by the people of the church was really amazing.

An art historian tells students about the history of the paintings and statues in the church.

The restored mummy of the Beato Antonio Franco.

Dario describes his restoration work with the body of the Beato Antonio Franco.

Today in our discussion, we talked about ethics for about two hours. It was a pretty great discussion. We learned about why ethics are important for religious reasons and political and economic reasons as well. I learned a lot from that and the readings alone. It was a great discussion!

Students have a discussion about the ethics of working with human remains.

Pesto pasta with veggies and cheese.

The food today was sooooo good!! We started off with bread, grilled eggplant, and salami that was probably the best salami I have ever had. I could not stop eating it! Then we got pasta with fresh veggies in a pesto. It was the best pesto dish I have ever had! After our discussion we went down to the Poker Bar, which is just like a café that serves alcohol, I got a cappuccino and a pastry that was a bread roll filled with a chocolate cream. Oh…my…GOSH it was soooooooooo good! I could have eaten like 10.

Cappuccino from the Poker Bar.

The cappuccino is was also very good! I might not drink them when I get back because I know it won’t be the same as here. For dinner we had a lighter dish but it was just as filling and packed of flavor as lunch. We had delicious potatoes and a meat roll kind of thing. I don’t know what it was called, but it was also sooooo delicious! Then salad, and, of course, bread! (: The watermelon the past two nights has been so refreshing and the perfect way to end our meals.

Herbed meat patties.

Potatoes with spices.

Meatloaf-like entree stuffed with cheese and ham.

The day was a really great day! It was fun. Sure it was hot, but it is totally worth it to see such a great city, and country and to learn the history of the city! It’s truly been a great experience and just keeps getting better and better each day. I keep learning new things, and get to do it in an amazing country and city.

Sunset from the convent in Santa Lucia del Mela.

P.S. Make sure to close the doors whenever you leave a room (;

Stories from Sicily: Settling in at Santa Lucia del Mela

This morning we made the trek from Palermo to our home in Santa Lucia del Mela for the duration of the field school. MSFS student, Chase Horn, shares his experiences from the day:

The Sun Sets on Santa Lucia del Mela

July 22nd, 2017

      Today was a good day. It was long and it was hot, but it was a good day. We left Palermo to head to Santa Lucia del Mela, where we will be staying for the next two weeks. We were supposed to meet to leave the hostel at 7:30am and in my usual fashion, I was the last one ready (my friends and family can vouch for me on that). However, we made it to the train station with plenty of time and only nearly got hit by a bus once on the walk over. There was a little bit of a problem at the station trying to figure out which train was ours, but we managed to get on and at 8:27am, we were heading toward our new temporary home. I’d like to brag about myself for a second and say that I loaded almost everyone’s luggage on the train (apparently college girls tend to pack heavy; Who knew?). Anyway, despite an issue with the bathroom being locked on the train and a little bit of motion sickness, we arrived in Milazzo and headed on a bus to Santa Lucia del Mela.

Lab all set up and ready for students.

After we arrived in the village, we made a small hike up the hill to the convent we will be staying in for the next couple of weeks. After getting unpacked and familiarized with the place, we were given a little bit of down time to relax. I went and visited the Poker Bar (not as sketchy as it sounds, not a "bar" and no gambling) with Drs. Reinhard, Meier, and Piombino-Mascali. I really enjoyed this part of the day personally because I was able to witness a conversation between friends and professionals in the fields that I am interested in. I've learned that it's important to pay attention to what your mentors are saying because you can learn quite a bit. After a while, we headed back up to eat our first meal of frittatas and penne pasta with a tomato sauce.

After lunch, we were given a little bit more free time while the instructors set up for our first lecture. I helped set up the lab with a few others, while I think some of the other students relaxed and hung out for a bit (Did I mention that there was no WiFi yet? Don’t worry though, we survived!).

Eventually, we started with our first lecture from Dr. Piombino-Mascali, which was a review over the skeletal system and how we can use bones to interpret information about mummies. We did get a small break to try some coffee offered to us by a restaurant down the street. The locals seem to be pretty excited that we are back for the second year of the field school.

Students have their first lecture on osteology and paleopathology with Dr. Piombino-Mascali.

After our break, we finished the lecture and got another small break until supper was ready. By this time, our WiFi was set up and ready to go!

When supper was finally ready, we headed down as a group and were treated to a meal of grilled eggplant, mozzarella and havarti cheese, ham, tomatoes, and bread, with a refreshing slice of juicy watermelon to wrap everything up. Next, some students decided to venture down to the town square, so Drs. Reinhard and Meier went ahead and took us on a field trip of sorts. Luckily for us, the locals are very helpful because Dr. Reinhard ended up getting us lost on the way down and had to ask for directions in "flawless Italian," (if you're not familiar, Santa Lucia is on a hill, and our convent is close to the top, while the square is closer to the bottom). We enjoyed some amazing gelatto and then began our sweaty ascent back to the top.
Overall, today was very fun. Friendships are being made, we are experiencing many things, and we are emerging ourselves in a new, interesting culture. Even though we traveled for much of the morning and have had to fight off the heat the whole day, we finally made it to our destination. Our journey is just beginning and I am excited to see what else Sicily holds in store for us.

Grilled eggplant, mozzarella, and tomatoes with bread. 

Stories from Sicily: Our First Taste of Sicily

Alexis has her first taste of anchovies.

Greetings from Sicily! Yesterday, students, faculty, and visiting scholars representing a wide range of educational backgrounds and seven different institutions met up in the city of Palermo. We had no major delays or lost baggage, but we are all thankful for having the extra day to recover from our jet lag that was scheduled in case of such travel complications this year. Students are starting to get to know one another and have already shared a few meals at some of the city's restaurants.

Today brought about adventures in exploring the city, but don't take it from me! This year, we will be featuring a series of blog posts written by our students to share with you their experiences. Stories from Sicily will summarize our daily activities and provide different perspectives and insights related to our time on the island.

Student Haley Carr talks to her fellow classmates about the concept of incorruptibility.

Please enjoy our first piece for this series written by Haley Carr:

July 21st, 2017

Santa Maria rests above the crypt.

This morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the Caffe Roma and at the hostel before heading out to the crypt of Santa Maria Dell'Itria of the Coachmen. We observed the many frescos painted on the walls, some of which date as far back as the 15th century. As we walked through, we saw the draining rooms where the bodies would sit for a year before being moved upstairs for three years and then to the main room where families could sit and visit with their loved one. The incorrupt body of Santa Maria herself was also in the crypt encased in a replica. We examined some of the skulls in the draining room and determined sex and age. It was interesting to learn that the bodies that were prepared at the crypt were ordinary people of the coachman profession and their families.

Karl talks to students about crypt construction and usage.

After leaving the crypt, we stopped for a refreshing granita before heading to the National Museum of Palermo. Many of the artifacts there were recovered from two cities that were covered in ash from Mt. Vesuvius, and they have allowed researchers to have a greater understanding of Greek and Roman culture. There was a wide variety of statues and pottery but we especially loved the turtles swimming in the courtyard.

One of the many beautiful stone artifacts seen today at the museum.

Students enter the courtyard at the museum.

Students also enjoyed seeing turtles in a fountain at the museum today.

After the museum, we stopped for lunch where we enjoyed a multitude of dishes such as pasta, pizza, and risotto. After lunch, we went to the dome to get a birds eye view of the city and take photos. We then went back to the hostel to rest or went out on our own to explore before we all met for dinner.

View overlooking the city of Palermo from the dome of an old church.

Students enjoy a view from the top of the city.

A view of the inside of the dome.

For me, the best part of the day was the crypt because I was very impressed with both its age and how elaborate it was. It felt very authentic and not so much like a museum. I learned a lot about the body preparation process as well as confirming my previous knowledge that I had learned online such as families eating meals with their dead and identifying incorrupt saints. I ate a lot of good food (Nutella gelato is the best!) and am excited to see what tomorrow has in store.

2017 MSFS students enjoy their extra day in Palermo.

Mummy Monday: Ask a Mortician Talks About Sicily's Rosalia Lombardo

Happy Mummy Monday, everyone! In a previous post, we've talked about one of the most famous and beautifully-preserved mummies, that of Rosalia Lombardo. (Check it out here if you missed it!) This child mummy we preserved by the famous embalmer, Alfredo Salafia, following the girl's death at the age of 2. She is amazingly well-preserved both externally and internally with all of her organs still in place.

Thanks to the phenomenal work of our very own, Dario Piombino-Mascali, we know quite a bit about this unique mummy. Salafia's secret embalming recipe was revealed through careful examination of the embalmer's notes and imaging techniques have shown the incredible preservation of internal structures. As the curator for the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, the place where Rosalia Lombardo is interred, Dario has also played a vital role in the long-term preservation of the little girl's remains. Today, this precious mummy is on display inside of a nitrogen chamber within the catacombs to protect her from further damage by bacteria and other curatorial concerns.

Mortician, author, and YouTube host, Caitlin Doughty, recently released a new episode of Ask a Mortician that features Rosalia and her story...including Dario's crucial role! For those of you joining us in Sicily this summer, you will be learning a lot more about this mummy and her history...plus, you will get to meet her as part of our field trip to the Capuchin Catacombs! So, without further ado, I would like to share with you this episode:

Be sure to check out more mummy stories from Ask a Mortician
and Doughty's nonprofit organization, The Order of the Good Death!

Graduate Student Spotlight: Re-Introducing Ruth!

Ruth Grady will be joining us a second time in Sicily for the 2017 MSFS. As an undergraduate, Ruth was one of our first students to join the program. After graduating this May, she will begin her graduate student career in UNL's Department of Anthropology and will be working with Dr. Reinhard for her thesis project. Ruth is excited to be returning to the island, degree in hand, as her first adventure during her Master's program. We caught up with Ruth to ask her about her involvement with this year's field school.

Hey, Ruth! What made you want to come back to Sicily to study mummies with us?

Last year I was unsure what to expect. I was so excited to be in the field school and I loved every moment. There was a lot to take in and I felt that I missed some parts of the field school in my excitement. Now that I know what to expect, I plan to pay more attention to the content. I also want to meet this year’s students and guest lecturers. Everyone has different interests and information. I feel I can learn from them because they have had different experiences that can be beneficial to me. The opportunity to study mummies daily for two weeks with Drs. Karl Reinhard, Dario Piombino-Mascali, Debra Meier, and Johnica Morrow is incredible. The daily experiences and instruction of topics related to the mummies is my core interest. 

How does Sicily fit into your thesis project and broader goals as a graduate student?
My goal as a graduate student is to expand my expertise in anthropology. I intend to do so through course work, field experiences, and research activities.

What are you most looking forward to about this summer's Mummy Studies Field School?

I look forward to learning the new things that were not taught last year. This year we will be visiting sites that we did not see last year. I also look forward to meeting this year’s students and guest lecturers. 

What are you most worried/anxious about?

Last year I had a lot of bug bites that I was not prepared for. This year, I will take extra measures to not have as many or any bug bites.

What are your plans following graduation?

I am currently a graduate student at UNL.  I will be working with Dr. Reinhard learning everything I can from him. I plan to take Archaeoparasitology, Pollen Analysis and Taphonomy in the near future. I am still looking for my niche but I have gotten closer to it with the help of Dr. Reinhard. I plan to continue into a Doctorate Program after my Masters.  

Who is your favorite mummy and why? Is this different from prior to the 2016 MSFS?
I no longer have a favorite mummy. Last year, my favorite mummy was the Lady of Dai, a Chinese mummy. But, after learning more about mummies, I realize that each mummy is unique. We can learn so much about a mummy and each one has a different story to tell that is special. 

Mummy Monday: Giving a Face to the Name, Nebiri

The mummified head of Nebiri
(Photocredit: Francesca Lallo)

Live Science just put out a great article discussing the reconstruction of the face and brain of a 3,500-year-old Egyptian mummy. The remains of the mummy included a beautifully preserved head and canopic jars containing internal organs, all of which belong to an Egyptian dignitary named Nebiri. Nebiri lived under the reign of Thutmoses III during the 18th Dynasty.

Two years ago, this mummy had been diagnosed with the oldest reported case of chronic heart failure. He had died sometime between the ages of 45 and 60 years and his remains were desecrated when his tomb was plundered in antiquity. What was left of this mummy was found by Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904. Those remains are now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Turin.

Facial reconstruction of Nebiri
(Photo Credit: Philippe Froesch)

Using modern forensic techniques, researchers were able to reconstruct the face of Nebiri. They were also able to use similar techniques to reveal the patterns of linen bandage wrapping around the head. Combined with preliminary chemical data from the bandages that were presented at the 2013 World Mummy Congress, researchers were able to better understand the role that mummification techniques played in the preservation of these remains. Additionally, the intact brain within this well-preserved head was scanned using non-invasive techniques and reconstructed. The meticulous work of the Egyptians who prepared Nebiri's body gave modern researchers insights into the life that he led.

As an added bonus to this excellent article, the MSFS was mentioned by our very own,  Dario Piombino-Mascali in the article!

You can check out the article for yourself here! Be sure to note the name of Raffaella Bianucci, a co-author on this project who is also a scientific collaborator for the MSFS!

Student Spotlight: Meet Emuobosa!

Emuobosa Orijemie is a Newton International Postdoctoral fellow at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge, in the UK. He is also a member of the faculty within the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. His main fields of interest are Palynology and Environmental Archaeology. We tracked Emuobosa down to ask about taking part in the UNL Mummy Studies Field School this summer.

Hey, Emuobosa! How did you hear about our program?
Facebook

What made you interested in our program?
The content of the field school.

What are you most looking forward to about our program?
Learning more about Palaeoparasitology and Mummies!

What are you most worried/anxious about your upcoming adventure in Sicily?
Nothing really.

What are your goals after you finish your degree?
I wish to develop and improve my skills in the field of forensic palynology/archaeology, and impart this knowledge in my home institution, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Is this your first time out of the country?
I have not yet been to the US, but certainly to other parts of Africa (Kenya, Ghana, Benin Republic, South Africa), Europe (Italy, Norway, Sweden, Germany and United Kingdom), and Central America (Mexico).

Do you know any Italian words or phrases yet?
Grazie!

Who is your favorite mummy?
I don't really have one.