Franz Xaver Sidler von Rosenegg, also known as the 'Air-Dried Chaplain', is an unusually well-preserved mummy found in St Thomas am Blasenstein's church crypt. His preservation resulted from an unconventional embalming technique that involved stuffing his abdomen with wood chips, twigs, and fabric, supplemented by zinc chloride to aid drying. Research including CT scanning and autopsy revealed intact upper body features, while lower extremities showed decay. The combination of absorbent materials and zinc chloride contributed to the remarkable state of preservation that highlights a previously unseen method from the 18th century.
The unusually well-preserved mummy in the church crypt of St Thomas am Blasenstein is the corpse of a local parish vicar, Franz Xaver Sidler von Rosenegg, who died in 1746.
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.
Clearly, the wood chips, twigs, and dry fabric absorbed much of the fluid inside the abdominal cavity, leading to the extraordinary preservation.
A toxicological analysis showed traces of zinc chloride, which has a strong drying effect, contributing significantly to the mummy's durability.
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