Researchers Uncover Unusual Embalming Method in 18th-Century Austrian Mummy

 ST. THOMAS AM BLASENSTEIN, AUSTRIA — A centuries-old mystery surrounding a mummified corpse housed in a church crypt has finally been unraveled. Researchers have concluded that the individual, long believed to be an aristocratic vicar, was embalmed using a remarkably unconventional method—via the rectum.

The remains, stored beneath the church of St. Thomas am Blasenstein, were historically attributed to Franz Xaver Sidler von Rosenegg, a parish chaplain who died in 1746 at the age of 37. Dubbed the "air-dried chaplain" by locals, the mummy has long fascinated historians and scientists alike due to its unusually well-preserved state and unclear origins.

In a recent study published in Frontiers in Medicine, an international research team led by Dr. Andreas Nerlich, a pathologist at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, revealed that the embalming involved filling the body’s abdominal and pelvic cavities with an absorbent mixture of wood shavings, broken twigs, hemp and silk fabrics, and zinc chloride. Crucially, the body wall showed no signs of surgical incision, leading researchers to conclude that the materials were inserted through the rectum.

“This technique is unlike anything we've previously documented,” said Dr. Nerlich. “There was no external access point, which leaves the rectal route as the only viable method. It is distinct from known embalming techniques, including those from ancient Egypt.”

The findings emerged following a partial autopsy, CT scans, and radiocarbon dating conducted during recent renovations of the crypt. These revealed that the mummy likely belonged to a man aged between 35 and 45, who lived and died sometime between 1734 and 1780—closely aligning with Sidler’s recorded death.

Analysis of bone, skin, and dental samples further supported the theory. Isotopic data indicated a diet rich in meat and grains typical of Central European clergy, while skeletal markers revealed no signs of physical labor or malnutrition. The body also showed indications of chronic pipe-smoking and bunion formation—lifestyle traits associated with educated men of the cloth during the 18th century.

An unusual circular object previously identified in the left bowel via X-ray—once suspected to be a swallowed capsule—was found to be a single glass bead, likely from a rosary or decorative fabric element used during embalming.

The cause of death, according to the researchers, was most likely severe pulmonary hemorrhaging due to tuberculosis, a common and often fatal illness in the period.

While the precise motive behind Sidler’s embalming remains uncertain, scholars suggest it may have been a preventive measure to curb the perceived risk of infection via “miasma” or bad air. Another possibility is that the process was intended to preserve the body for transportation to his home monastery in Waldhausen.

“This is the first scientifically documented case of rectal embalming,” Nerlich noted. “While unique in its confirmation, this may not have been an isolated practice. It raises the possibility that similar short-term preservation methods were employed more widely than previously understood.”

The discovery offers new insight into lesser-known mortuary customs of 18th-century Europe, blending scientific curiosity with cultural and historical intrigue.