Friday, November 21, 2014

Stone Corpses For Freaky Friday...!

I found something really bizzare the other day over on Listverse. One more way to preserve dead bodies! Just what you wanted to hear, right?

Actually, the method described in this article is unique as far as I can tell and to date no one has been able to copy it. That makes it pretty freaky to me!

Corpses Of Stone


Photo credit: Universita degli Studi di Firenze

Mankind has been taken with the idea of preserving corpses. The oldest known mummy is that of a child of the Chinchorro people, a prehistoric fishing culture that lived along the arid coast of present-day Chile and Peru. It was carbon dated to approximately 5050 B.C., long before the Egyptians began their practice.

Born in 1792, Italian anatomist Girolamo Segato was rather obsessed with Egyptian funerary practices. He went on several archaeological expeditions to Egypt, where he became intimately acquainted with the process of mummification. Upon his return to Italy, Segato unveiled an extraordinary technique of preserving flesh—artificial petrifaction.

According to pioneering American surgeon Valentine Mott, who spent some time in Europe in the company of Segato, the Italian “had discovered a chemical process by which he could actually petrify, in very short time, every animal substance, preserving permanently, and with minute accuracy, its form and internal texture, and in such a state of stony hardness that it could be sawed into slabs and elegantly polished!”

Segato died in 1836, destroying all his notes before his passing. His collection of preserved remains was scattered, with the largest concentration located at the Museum of the Department of Anatomy in Florence. Despite extensive study, Segato’s petrification method remains a mystery to this day.

One more thing to add to our growing list of mysteries we don't know the answer to, I guess!

Well, since today is my birthday, I'm taking the rest of the day off! Yep, I hit the big "70" today! I don't know how I managed to last this long, but here I am!

Coffee in the kitchen. It's warm, but rainy outside!

12 comments:

Chickenmom said...

Happy, Happy Birthday, Mr. Hermit!
May your day be filled with wonderful surprises! I'll bring A big cake for all of us to share on your special day!

HermitJim said...

Hey Phyllis...
I thank you for the birthday wishes and I never turn down a cake! Heck, I'll even share!

Thanks for dropping by today!

linda m said...

Happy Birthday, Mr. Hermit!!! Hope you enjoy your special day and have fun celebrating.

texasann said...

Bubba -
Happy Birthday to my favorite big brother! Got a surprise for you, one that's connected to your blog! How's that for a hint? Hope to see you tomorrow!
I love you, and thank God every day for you ~
A hug and kiss for today ~
Baby Sis

Sixbears said...

Okay, that's disturbing.

It's in the teens, windy and snowing. Good thing the coffee is ready.

JO said...

Happy Birthday Jim, wishing you lots of good good and a wonderful day and many more.

Now that is a mystery and quite an ugly picture haha

HermitJim said...

Hey Linda...
Thank you for the B.D. wishes.

Thanks also for coming over this morning!



Hey Sis...
Many thanks for the kind words, Sis.

I appreciate you taking the time to come over!



Hey Sixbears...
It is a bit disturbing, isn't it?

Thanks for the visit today!



Hey Jo...
Thank you dear, for the thought!

Thanks also, sweetie, for dropping in today!

Anonymous said...

So interesting! I'm not sure I like the saw into slabs and elegantly polished part though :-) :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.

Dizzy-Dick said...

Maybe Mister Segato was trying to develop the Midas touch but only got to stone, a long way from gold (grin). Have a very happy Birthday, Jim, and many, many more.

Rob said...

Happy birthday!

Mamahen said...

Yuck.....Sorry I'm so late.hope you had a wonderful birthday :))

Judy said...

Happy Birthday!

Since Chickenmom is bringing the cake I'll dig out the folks' hand-crank ice cream maker and we can take turns cranking while we gab.