The Most Beautiful Mummies of the World – Fascinating Stories beyond Egypt
Mummies tell us a lot about past cultures and how they dealt with death and concepts of the afterlife. Egypt, in particular, has shaped our idea of them – magnificent tombs such as that of Tutankhamun with its rich grave goods are famous. Interestingly, mummies were rarely depicted in philately; the focus was usually on the tomb and the symbolic objects, or as the main characters in a movie. However, this is not about Egypt’s mummies, as there are also impressive examples of natural and artificial mummification elsewhere that offer fascinating insights into history and medicine. (Egypt 1968; USA 1997)
Rosalia Lombardo – The „Beatuy of Palermo“
Rosalia Lombardo died of pneumonia in 1920 at the age of two. Her father hired Dr. Alfredo Salafia, who used his extraordinary technique to preserve Rosalia almost alive. She even appears to be blinking. Salafia used a complex mixture of formaldehyde, zinc chloride and zinc sulphate, glycerine, alcohol and salicylic acid. This combination produced an extraordinary preservation that is still admired today (©Rosalia Lombardo im Kapuzinerkloster von Palermo, Foto von Thomas Ledl, via Wikimedia Commons, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 3.0 AT). Salafia’s technique was groundbreaking for its time and is now considered a precursor to modern embalming methods. Rosalia’s state of preservation continues to inspire researchers and amateurs alike to this day. She is considered one of the most impressive examples of modern mummification. She can be seen with many other mummies in the Capuchin Crypt in Palermo, less than 20 minutes’ walk from Palermo Cathedral (Italy 1944). More to it
The mummies of Qilakitsoq
In 1972, eight exceptionally well-preserved mummies from the 15th century were discovered near the village of Qilakitsoq in Greenland, giving us a unique insight into the life of the Inuit. The cold, dry conditions of the Arctic led to natural mummification, which preserved skin, organs, hair and clothing made from animal skins in excellent condition. Particularly striking on some female mummies are elaborate facial tattoos, which served as social markers and spiritual signs of protection (Greenland 2023) and are also used again in Greenland today (Greenland 2024). Among the mummies is a very well mummified boy whose state of preservation is particularly remarkable (Greenland 1983, 2025 Europa stamp; © Qilakitsoq I-1 von User:Wknight94, via Wikimedia Commons, licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0). His body provides valuable information about the everyday life and environment of Inuit children over 500 years ago. More to it
The Beauty of Loulan
The mummy of the so-called Beauty of Loulan comes from the Taklamakan desert region on the Silk Road and is over 4000 years old (© Face of the Beauty of Loulan, photo by Anagoria, via Wikimedia Commons, licenced under CC BY 3.0). It is particularly well preserved, as the extremely dry air of the Taklamakan Desert caused natural mummification. The city of Loulan was located on one of the most important trade routes of antiquity, the Silk Road, which connected China with Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe (China 2012, the center stamps depict the ruins of Loulan). Cultures, languages and religions intermingled along this route. The mummy shows West and East Asian features, wears silk clothing with gold thread and is a testimony to cultural exchange. The mummification took place without human intervention, which shows us how environmental influences can have a preservative effect. It also provides information on diet, diseases and clothing of the time. More to it
The children of Llullaillaco
The mummies of Llullaillaco are among the most spectacular archaeological finds of recent decades: two young girls and a boy who were sacrificed to the Incas around 500 years ago as part of a ritual human sacrifice on the Llullaillaco volcano, which is over 6,700 meters high (Argentina 2014). Found in 1999 by Johan Reinhard, 4 years after “Juanita” – the princess from the ice in Peru (Peru 1998). The Capacocha ritual was a sacred ceremony to appease the gods or affirm political power. The children – healthy, beautiful and from respected families – were prepared for months. They were given a special diet, coca and alcohol, presumably to calm them down. Forensic investigations show that the older girl (approx. 15 years old; © Llullaillaco child mummies in the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña, Salta, © Rodolfo Sanches R., Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0) did not freeze to death, but suffocated – probably after being heavily sedated. The extreme altitude conditions and the icy cold preserved the bodies almost perfectly. Today, the mummies are among the best preserved in the world – with intact skin, internal organs and even detectable hair and blood samples that provide information about nutrition and state of health. These children not only offer an insight into a religious world view, but also into the medical and social reality of the Inca Empire. More to it
Franz Xaver Sydler de Rosenegg – The “luftg’selchte Pfarrer” of St. Thomas am Blasenstein
Mummies can also be found in Austria, albeit less “beautiful” ones. The mummy of the priest Franz Xaver Sydler de Rosenegg (1709-1746) lies in St. Thomas am Blasenstein. He was to be transferred to Waldhausen Abbey after his death, which is why his body was preserved for transportation. Instead of conventional embalming, he was stuffed over the rectum with wood shavings (Hungary 1955), dried pine branches (North Macedonia 1999), silk cloth (Liechtenstein 2013) and zinc (Thailand 1990) and copper compounds – a unique technique that prevented dehydration and bacterial growth. The torso in particular is anatomically well preserved. In 2025, researchers were able to establish tuberculosis with pulmonary hemorrhage as the cause of death and evidence of diet, pipe smoking and a physically strenuous lifestyle. More to it
The mummies presented here are just a small selection of the many fascinating finds worldwide. Other remarkable examples are Ötzi the Iceman (Italy 2001) from the Alpine region with his well-documented find history and the bog bodies from Northern Europe (Ireland 2010; series of permanent stamps for “History of Ireland in 100 Objects”), which provide important insights into past realities of life. This diversity impressively demonstrates the scientific and cultural value of mummies – as silent witnesses of their time and as important sources for archaeology and historical research. More to it
