10.6092/issn.1973-9494/1404
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1973-9494
1404
en
Franco Palla
Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs Project: a multidisciplinary approach to the study of a modern Mummy Collection (ca 1600-1900)
Text.Serial.Journal
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/
8
Articles
2009-04-17
2008-04-17
2015-11-02
155-165
CSCH
Franco Palla
2008
10.6092/issn.1973-9494/1404
155
1973-9494
en
165
The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs Project: a multidisciplinary approach to the study of a modern Mummy Collection (ca 1600-1900)
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/article/download/1404/773
8
T
    HE PALERMO CAPUCHIN CATACOMBS PROJECT:
    A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE STUDY
    OF A MODERN MUMMY COLLECTION (CA 1600-1900)

Luca Sineo, Barbara Manachini, Giuseppe Carotenuto
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale “G. Reverberi”
Università degli Studi di Palermo
Dario Piombino-Mascali, Albert Zink
EURAC – Istituto per le Mummie e l’Iceman, Bolzano
Franco Palla
Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche, Laboratorio di Biologia Molecolare
Università degli Studi di Palermo




1. Introduction

    In recent years, modern biomedical technologies have led to a great increase of
knowledge concerning the study of human remain collections and their associated mate-
rials. These collections provide a substantial amount of information on the biological fea-
tures, health status, nutrition and lifestyle of once-living populations, as well as on the
reconstruction of the environment in which they lived. Additionally, this understanding
enables the development of effective restoration and conservation programmes. In this




                                                                                                Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage, 8/2008
paper we present a multidisciplinary project uniting the study of the present conditions,
history, bio-anthropological features and conservation of a large collection of modern
human mummies (XVI-XX centuries), which are located in the subterranean corridors
(“Catacombs”) of the Capuchin Convent of Palermo (Sicily, Italy). Due to the large
amount of spontaneously and anthropogenically mummified human bodies, and an abun-
dant presence of associated artefacts, this collection provides a unique opportunity to
carry out a large multidisciplinary survey useful for a thorough biocultural study of these
remains, a conservation plan, and the testing of new restoration protocols.

2. The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs

    The Capuchin Convent of Palermo was built at some point after 1534 on one of the
western hills surrounding the city, and soon became the seat of a large ecclesiastic com-
munity [1]. At the end of the XVI century the community created a hypogeum for their own
use. Over time, this site was incorrectly called “Catacombs”, a term that has remained in

                                                                                              155
                                                                                                        use until today. According to documentary sources, the first friar to be enshrined in the
                                                                                                        Catacombs was Silvestro da Gubbio, who died on October 16th, 1599. His mummified
                                                                                                        remains may still be viewed in the first hall of the crypt. Due to natural environmental con-
                                                                                                        ditions which brought about spontaneous drying of the corpses, in the XVIII century, the
                                                                                                        Catacombs became a privileged burial place for the preservation and exhibition of the
                                                                                                        deceased clergy, but also a cemetery reserved for the nobles and the high-status citizens
                                                                                                        of Palermo [1]. In the Catacombs, mummification was enhanced by putting the cadavers
                                                                                                        in special preparation rooms called “drainers” (“colatoi”), where terracotta racks were
L. Sineo et al. - The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs projet: a multidisciplinary approach to the study...




                                                                                                        constructed to accommodate bodies and collect fluid dripping. After the dehydration
                                                                                                        phase, bodies were exposed to air, cleaned with vinegar and dressed, and eventually
                                                                                                        placed in coffins or exposed in wall niches. However, during the XIX century, preserva-
                                                                                                        tion methods become more complex and effective, due to the establishment of novel
                                                                                                        techniques based on intra-arterial injection [2]. These embalming processes were gener-
                                                                                                        ally performed by physicians and embalming experts using different chemicals and vari-
                                                                                                        ous methods of cadaver preparation. Unfortunately, several dramatic events such as
                                                                                                        fires, flooding, and heavy bombing of the city during the Second World War, damaged the
                                                                                                        site. Furthermore, the chaotic growth and building activities that afflicted Palermo in the
                                                                                                        1960s, together with increased urbanization and car traffic, progressively affected the
                                                                                                        soundness and stability of the whole architectonic structure, as well as the delicate ecol-
                                                                                                        ogy of this underground cemetery, leading to a gradual deterioration of the mummies, and
                                                                                                        of all goods and artefacts held there.

                                                                                                        3. The Catacombs ecology

                                                                                                           The Capuchin Catacombs spread out under the large architectonic complex of the
                                                                                                        Convent, of the Santa Maria della Pace Church and of the Capuchin Cemetery, within the
                                                                                                        Zisa area of Palermo. Large rooms and high-vaulted corridors branch out from the origi-
                                                                                                        nal corpus beneath the Church; the whole underground system covers a broad area. An
                                                                                                        effective ventilation system determined by a number of permanently opened windows and
                                                                                                        air conducts carved into the limestone once created an ideal place and the right condi-
                                                                                                        tions for mummy preservation over the centuries. Unfortunately, this is no longer the
                                                                                                        case, and drastic environmental changes are causing permanent damage to the collec-
                                                                                                        tion. The great majority of drainers are presently closed or have been closed to light and
                                                                                                        air circulation for decades, making them microcosms with high relative humidity, deep
                                                                                                        darkness, and with a high presence of organic matter in active degradation, including
                                                                                                        human remains, tissues and wood, terrain and vegetal material.

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4. The human remains

   The Capuchin Catacombs host the largest known collection of spontaneous and
anthropogenic mummified remains in the world. The exact number of human bodies pres-
ent is unknown. According to a recent survey, there are 1852 bodies still to be investi-
gated, 1252 of which are exposed, and 600 of which inside coffins [3]. However, one must
bear in mind that some of the caskets are empty. Furthermore, some preparation rooms
contain other coffins, which might be available for future investigations. The total number
of people buried in the crypt over the centuries is also approximate, due to the fact that
some information was lost through an accident [1]. Different types of mummies can be
observed in the Catacombs, and can be further subdivided into two main categories:
spontaneously (“naturally”) and anthropogenically (“artificially”) preserved bodies, the for-
mer being the earliest bodies buried in the crypt and the bodies which were drained in the
preparation room, and the latter consisting of the bodies preserved by means of either
evisceration, injection or immersion in preservatives [3-5]. Clearly, such different prac-
tices implicate a highly variable degree of soft tissue preservation. Apart from the mum-
mified remains, the collection also includes a series of skulls, most of which still retain
some soft tissue.

5. The Mummy Project

   This important and ambitious project was suggested and supported by Father
Calogero Peri, currently Ministry of the Capuchin Friars of Palermo. The goal is a multi-
disciplinary approach for the reappraisal of the site and the restoration of mummies in
order to create a correct protocol of conservation of this invaluable treasure of Palermo.
Different qualified laboratories from departments of the Palermo University, the EURAC -          Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
Institute of Mummies and the Iceman of Bolzano, as well as specialists and local enter-
prise (BioNat-Italia, Palermo) are presently creating a highly qualified collaborative team.
The project will focus on the historical and social aspects of mummification and embalm-
ing, the biological and pathological features of such a population, and on biological,
molecular and environmental surveys on this important mummy collection. Each propos-
al of research, together with the methods of investigation, will be described in the sub-
sections below.

6. Historical investigation

   Archival sources are a tool of utmost importance for investigating ancient societies.

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                                                                                                        The availability of church and communal records will shed new light on the demographic
                                                                                                        dynamics of a large Sicilian population sample, pertaining to the clergy, nobility and mid-
                                                                                                        dle-class citizens. At the same time, this information will be of great importance in reveal-
                                                                                                        ing biographic details on many identifiable and prominent individuals enshrined in the
                                                                                                        crypt. Any possible source of information, either historical or literary, will be used and
                                                                                                        recorded for a deeper understanding of life habits, epidemics, and sanitation in Sicily dur-
                                                                                                        ing the Modern Era [6]. In particular, the relationship between disease and possible treat-
                                                                                                        ment will be explored on the basis of ancient treatises and local medical literature. A sec-
L. Sineo et al. - The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs projet: a multidisciplinary approach to the study...




                                                                                                        ond important point will consist of the study of texts regarding both funerary practices and
                                                                                                        the treatment reserved for the dead, emphasising the role of embalming techniques as
                                                                                                        an essential element for both hygiene and prolonged exposure of the body [7]. The mum-
                                                                                                        mification phenomenon, on which only limited and somewhat contradictory research was
                                                                                                        performed [8], shall be investigated through a socio-cultural perspective, in the wider con-
                                                                                                        text of South Italy past mortuary treatments [9-11]. Last but not least, old records regard-
                                                                                                        ing the building and development of the Catacombs will be reappraised and re-evaluated
                                                                                                        for a thorough and comprehensive history of this unique mortuary site.

                                                                                                        7. Bioanthropological investigation

                                                                                                           Both mummies and skeletons can yield a huge amount of biological information [12].
                                                                                                        The attempt here is to create a significant database compilation of these bodies. The
                                                                                                        data, which will be recorded according to a standard procedure set up by Aufderheide
                                                                                                        [13], will consist of a detailed description of the exterior of the body, the clothing and the
                                                                                                        items recovered on each individual. In particular, the anthropological investigators will
                                                                                                        concentrate on:
                                                                                                        Ø mummification type;
                                                                                                        Ø sex and age determination;
                                                                                                        Ø measurements of the mummies and of available long bones and skulls;
                                                                                                        Ø sampling of organic tissue from non-visible areas for the purpose of compiling a tis-
                                                                                                           sue archive for future laboratory investigations [13-14]. The latter shall include a his-
                                                                                                           tological investigation for determining tissue degree of preservation, radiographs of
                                                                                                           the great majority of the bodies, as well as stable isotopes analyses from bone colla-
                                                                                                           gen to reconstruct ancient diet and subsistence patterns. Additionally, a valuable part
                                                                                                           of the research will consist of the careful comparison of the bioanthropological fea-
                                                                                                           tures to the historical records and the identity of the subjects, a study which will per-
                                                                                                           mit a further assessment of current age and sex determination methods [15-17].

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8. Paleopathological investigation

   Paleopathology, the study of ancient disease, is a field of growing interest for archae-
ologists, anthropologists, and physicians. Although reconstructing health conditions of
once-living populations is a challenging task, some conditions do leave revealing marks
on both skeletal and soft tissue [18]. The most commonly investigated affections include:
Ø infectious diseases;
Ø metabolic diseases;
Ø degenerative disorders;
Ø congenital anomalies and malformations;
Ø dental diseases;
Ø trauma;
Ø non-specific stress markers;
Ø tumours and tumour-like processes [18-21]. Since mummified remains should be con-
   sidered unique cultural artefacts, the approach chosen for the Palermo Catacombs
   project will not include autopsy or any other destructive methodology. Instead, mini-
   mal samples of tissue will be obtained through non-invasive techniques guided by x-
   ray imaging, CT-scans and endoscopy. Further study of these remains’ pathological
   conditions will comprise scanning electron microscopy (SEM), histology, immunology,
   and immuno-histochemistry. Great emphasis will be put on the identification of ancient
   pathogens, a research field which will also rely on historical sources.

9. Paleogenetic investigation

   Within the last decade the study of ancient biomolecules has made significant
progress [22]. In particular, the study of DNA from old bones, teeth and soft tissues has       Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
revealed vital information on evolutionary processes, animal and plant domestication and
the presence of pathogens in ancient populations [23-24]. Moreover, the retrieval of
ancient DNA enables the determination of the genetic origins and relationships of skele-
tons or mummified individuals. This can help to understand population developmental
processes or to reconstruct kinship relations. This project will include the extraction of
ancient DNA out of tissue samples from the mummies located in the Capuchin
Catacombs in order to investigate their genetic profile and to identify ancient pathogen
DNA. The first attempt will comprise the amplification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of
the specimens. This particular DNA is exclusively inherited from the mother side and
allows the reconstruction of the maternal lineage in the mummies. More importantly, dif-

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                                                                                                        ferences in mtDNA will allow us to trace back the origins of this Sicilian population.
                                                                                                        Furthermore, we will attempt a molecular detection of infectious disease pathogens. This
                                                                                                        will be done by the amplification of specific targets of the ancient pathogen DNA. There
                                                                                                        is documentary evidence that the inhabitants of Palermo suffered from several major
                                                                                                        infectious diseases during the investigated time period, such as tuberculosis, cholera and
                                                                                                        plague. The study of pathogen DNA should provide us with important information on the
                                                                                                        occurrence, frequency, ways of transmission and evolutionary history of these conditions.
L. Sineo et al. - The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs projet: a multidisciplinary approach to the study...




                                                                                                        10. Biological, microbiological and environmental investigation

                                                                                                           Biodeterioration of artefacts is a complex process involving many microbial species
                                                                                                        and thus represents a relevant problem with regard to conservation purposes of both inor-
                                                                                                        ganic and organic cultural heritage. This is particularly true for mummified remains stored
                                                                                                        in historical settings, such as the Capuchin Catacombs. The modification of the original
                                                                                                        environmental conditions has led to significant changes to the storage requirements of
                                                                                                        the mummies, as demonstrated by the continuing degradation of the corpses. Aim of this
                                                                                                        study is therefore to combine a detailed physical survey and molecular bioanalysis of the
                                                                                                        Capuchin Catacombs to monitor the presence of different microorganisms and to inves-
                                                                                                        tigate the contents of biofilms colonizing the crypt and the mummies. The characteriza-
                                                                                                        tion of the microorganisms will be performed on the basis of morphological features using
                                                                                                        optical methods, such as confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning elec-
                                                                                                        tron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, we will use molecular biology techniques to further
                                                                                                        characterize the different bacterial and microbial species found in the Catacombs. For
                                                                                                        this, the microbial DNA will be extracted directly from surface and aerosol samples and
                                                                                                        will subsequently undergo further analysis. The PCR amplification and sequencing of
                                                                                                        specific microbial DNA targets, including the 16S rRNA locus and 16S-23S Intergenic
                                                                                                        Transcribed Spacer, will define a detailed picture of the presence and composition of the
                                                                                                        microbiological communities in the biofilm and aerosol specimens [25, 26]. The results of
                                                                                                        the microbiological analysis will be evaluated in consideration of the present environ-
                                                                                                        mental factors, such as humidity, temperature and luminance. On the basis of this results
                                                                                                        we will be able to define measures necessary to prevent the crypt contents from further
                                                                                                        decay and to determine the optimal environmental conditions for a long-term preserva-
                                                                                                        tion of the bodies and of the cultural assets.

                                                                                                        11. Entomological investigation

                                                                                                        Deterioration related to animal infestation is one of the factors affecting the conservation

                                       160
    of these catacomb mummies. Assessing the composition of the faunal communities
    represents the first stage in the understanding and control of these colonisations.
    Many insects and other animals may be associated with the human remains or with
    their related environment [27-29]. The project will focus on the entomofauna associ-
    ated with the mummies and, later on, it will explore the other fauna inhabiting the
    Capuchin Catacombs. Insects can be associated to:
•   the time of death of the subject;
•   different mummification processes;
•   decomposition;
•   parasitism before death;
•   the environmental location of the mummies. Animal remains will be collected directly
    from the mummies or from the surrounding environment using different techniques.
    Dead insects and those present on the mummies will be collected with a small brush
    and/or vacuum pumps, live insects inhabiting the Catacombs will be sampled using
    different kinds of traps and devices (pitfall, Berlese, pheromone traps, sticky traps,
    coloured traps). Additionally, a careful direct observation and survey will be performed
    on the mummies and inside the Catacombs at different hours and during different
    period of the year. The identification of the samples will be done using various
    approaches: classical microscope analysis, biomolecular techniques (for some par-
    ticular species), and SEM analyses. Arthropods will be the major object of this proj-
    ect, but attention will also be given to the nematofauna present in the preparation
    rooms and in the soil under the mummies. In fact, Nematodes are considered useful
    indicators of the biodiversity within the soil and also of the presence of fungi and bac-
    teria. Through nematofaunal analysis we will gain clues on the complete trophic rela-
    tionship present in the Capuchin Catacombs. These will be collected using a combi-            Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
    nation of the Bearman modified method and centrifugation. Identification will be done
    under light microscope and also using the phase contrast microscope.

12. Conclusions

    The proposal above offers only a minimal idea of the spectrum of research that could
be carried out on the Palermo mummies. These, indeed, represent an extraordinary
material collection, the value of which has been neglected for too long time. To sum up,
we are confident that a substantial and original contribution will be made through the
study of these remains. Historical materials shall provide us with a deeper knowledge on
the ancient Palermo inhabitants and their social and emotional responses to death; the

                                                                                                161
                                                                                                        anthropological investigation shall focus on reconstructing their features and living condi-
                                                                                                        tions; modern biotechniques shall prove an instrumental tool for the study of ancient
                                                                                                        human remains, providing data which may be even useful for modern-day medicine; the
                                                                                                        environmental monitoring of the crypt shall guarantee a future preservation plan for this
                                                                                                        enormous biocultural heritage. Finally, public funding may be fully justified by the signifi-
                                                                                                        cance of this site, so important for Sicilian history and culture.

                                                                                                        Acknowledgments
L. Sineo et al. - The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs projet: a multidisciplinary approach to the study...




                                                                                                           We would like to express our gratitude to Father Calogero Peri, for granting us per-
                                                                                                        mission to study the Capuchin mummy collection and the related enviroment. A special
                                                                                                        thank is due to Angela Graefen, for editing the original manuscript.

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                                                                                                        Summary
                                                                                                        In this paper we present a multidisciplinary project for the study of the present conditions, history,
                                                                                                        bioanthropological features and conservation status of a large collection of modern human mum-
                                                                                                        mies, kept in the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (Sicily, Italy). Due to the large amount of sponta-
                                                                                                        neously and anthropogenically mummified human bodies, and to an abundant presence of associ-
                                                                                                        ated artefacts, this collection provides a unique opportunity to carry out a large multidisciplinary sur-
L. Sineo et al. - The Palermo Capuchin Catacombs projet: a multidisciplinary approach to the study...




                                                                                                        vey useful for a thorough biocultural understanding of these remains, a conservation plan, and test-
                                                                                                        ing of new restoration protocols.


                                                                                                        Riassunto
                                                                                                        In questo lavoro gli autori presentano un progetto multidisciplinare il cui scopo è lo studio storico e
                                                                                                        bioantropologico, e la valutazione delle attuali condizioni di conservazione della grande collezione di
                                                                                                        mummie moderne presente nelle Catacombe dei Cappuccini di Palermo (Sicilia, Italia). In relazione
                                                                                                        all’elevato numero di corpi mummificati naturalmente o artificialmente, e alla presenza di numerosi
                                                                                                        manufatti di notevole valore storico-artistico, questa collezione rappresenta un’opportunità unica per
                                                                                                        la realizzazione di un completo studio finalizzato alla caratterizzazione biologica, per la stesura di un
                                                                                                        corretto protocollo di conservazione, oltre che per la possibilità di saggiare e implementare specifi-
                                                                                                        che metodologie di restauro.


                                                                                                        Résumé
                                                                                                        Dans cet ouvrage, les auteurs présentent un projet multidisciplinaire dans lequel le but est l’étude
                                                                                                        historique et bioanthropologique, et l’évaluation des conditions actuelles de conservation de la gran-
                                                                                                        de collection de momies moderne présente dans les Catacombes des Capucins de Palerme (Sicile,
                                                                                                        Italie). Par rapport à l’élevé nombre de corps momifiés naturellement ou artificiellement, et à la pré-
                                                                                                        sence de nombreux ouvrages de considérable valeur historico-artistique, cette collection représen-
                                                                                                        te une opportunité unique pour la réalisation d’une étude complète finalisée à la caractérisation bio-
                                                                                                        logique, pour la rédaction d’un correct protocole de conservation, outre que pour la possibilité d’es-
                                                                                                        sayer et d’implémenter des méthodologies de restauration spécifiques.


                                                                                                        Zusammenfassung
                                                                                                        In diesem Werk stellen die Autoren ein multidisziplinäres Projekt vor, dessen Ziel es ist, eine histo-
                                                                                                        rische und bio- anthropologische Studie anzufertigen und den jetzigen Erhaltungszustand der gro-
                                                                                                        ßen Kollektion von modernen Mumien in den Katakomben der Kapuziner in Palermo (Sizilien,
                                                                                                        Italien) zu bewerten. Dort befindet sich eine große Anzahl von natürlich oder künstlich mumifizierten
                                                                                                        Körpern und von Artefakten mit einem erheblichen historischen und künstlichen Wert, aus diesem
                                                                                                        Grund ist diese Kollektion eine einzigartige Gelegenheit, um eine vollständige Studie für die biologi-
                                                                                                        sche Charakterisierung durchzuführen, um eine geeignete Erhaltungsmethode zu finden, und um
                                                                                                        spezifische Restaurationstechniken zu testen und zu implementieren.


                                                                                                        Resumen
                                                                                                        En este trabajo, los autores presentan un proyecto multidisciplinar cuya finalidad es el estudio his-
                                                                                                        tórico y bioantropológico, así como la evaluación de las condiciones actuales de conservación de la
                                                                                                        gran colección de momias modernas que se halla en las Catacumbas de los Capuchinos de
                                                                                                        Palermo (Sicilia, Italia). En relación con el elevado número de cuerpos momificados, natural o arti-

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ficialmente, y en relación con la presencia de numerosas piezas de notable valor histórico-artístico,
esta colección representa una oportunidad única para efectuar un completo estudio cuya finalidad
es la caracterización biológica, para la redacción de un protocolo de conservación correcto y para
la probar e implementar métodos de restauración específicos.




                                                                                                          Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage




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