Il Museo delle Mummie di Ferentillo è uno dei musei più caratteristici e visitati della zona.
Il Museo si trova a Ferentillo (in Valnerina e a pochi chilometri da Terni) ed è situato al di sotto della Chiesa di Santo Stefano, all’interno di una cripta lunga ventiquattro metri risalente al XIII secolo. Il museo ospita al suo interno circa una ventina di corpi mummificati, in perfetto stato di conservazione.
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Scoperta delle Mummie di Ferentillo
Nel XIX secolo, a seguito di lavori di scavo effettuati nella cripta sottostante l’antica chiesa del paese, vennero alla luce vari corpi mummificati di cui alcuni ancora con indosso abiti ben conservati. I corpi appartengono a persone defunte in diversi periodi: il più antico risale a circa quattro secoli fa, mentre il più recente è del XIX secolo. Essi si sono conservati in ottime condizioni grazie ad una combinazione particolare di elementi, da una parte i microrganismi presenti nel terreno della zona, dall’altra le condizioni e l’ariosità della cripta.
Una volta esposti alla luce e soprattutto all’aria, però, sia gli abiti sia i corpi delle mummie iniziarono a deteriorarsi e resero necessario un intervento per scongiurare la decomposizione. Per non compromettere lo stato di conservazione, si decise di dar vita a un museo dedicato con l’utilizzo di apposite teche espositive in grado di mantenere le mummie.
Già a seguito della scoperta, il fenomeno suscitò grande interesse e si cercò di risalire alle identità dei corpi ritrovati, con tutta probabilità appartenenti ad abitanti del luogo.
Grazie a racconti orali ancora tramandati e ricerche negli archivi ecclesiastici locali, si è riusciti a ricostruire la storia di alcune delle mummie esposte.
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Le Storie delle Mummie del Museo
Il Museo delle Mummie di Ferentillo ospita oggi 24 mummie appartenenti a uomini, donne e bambini. A questi si aggiungono inoltre circa 270 teschi e due volatili mummificati, di cui uno di un’aquila, e una bara sigillata. Al suo interno pare si trovi un avvocato del posto ucciso in un agguato, la cui mummia venne lasciata chiusa nella bara per rispetto dell’uomo e dei suoi discendenti.
Tra le mummie esposte, due presentano caratteri e una fisionomia asiatica: secondo la leggenda, si tratterebbe di due sposi di origine cinese in viaggio di nozze in Italia in occasione del Giubileo Cristiano del 1750, i quali purtroppo si ammalarono e morirono a Ferentillo, per poi essere sepolti nella chiesa del paese.
Sono presenti poi le mummie di una giovane partoriente con il feto nato morto, un’anziana contadina, soldati napoleonici che attraversarono la penisola nelle campagne d’Italia del 1796-1797.
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Visitare il Museo delle Mummie di Ferentillo
L’ingresso al Museo delle Mummie, si trova al di sotto della Chiesa di Santo Stefano, in via della Rocca a Ferentillo. Il Museo è visitabile nei seguenti giorni e orari (ingresso consentito fino a 15 minuti prima della chiusura):
Sabato e domenica dalle 10:00 alle 13:00 e dalle 15:00 alle 17:00
L’ingresso al museo è consentito fino a 15 minuti prima della chiusura
Il Biglietto d’ingresso ha un costo di € 3,00. Sono previsti biglietti ridotti a € 2,50 per gruppi con più di 15 persone e a € 2,00 per gruppi scolastici.
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The Museum of the Mummies of Ferentillo is one of the most characteristic and visited museums in the area.
It is located in Ferentillo, in the Nera Valley and at few kilometers from Terni, under the Church of Santo Stefano, within a twenty-four meters long crypt dating from the thirteenth century. The museum exhibits about twenty bodies mummified bodies in a excellent state of conservation.
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Discovery of Mummies in Ferentillo
In XIX century, after some works and excavations in the crypt underlying the ancient Church of the village, they discovered many mummified bodies with also their own clothes, all in a excellent conservation. The bodies belong to dead people in different eras: the oldest came from nearly four centuries ago, the youngest was of XIX century. The scientists explained their preservation because of a combination of particular elements, both the type of microorganisms characterizing the soil of the area and the airy space of the crypt.
Once exposed to the light and the air, bodies and their clothes started a degeneration and it was necessary to do something to contrast their decline. So, they decided to create a Museum where some special shrines and cases could preserve them.
The phenomena and the discovery created a great interest about the mummies and their identity. Probably, they belong to some inhabitants of the ancient village of Ferentillo.
Thanks to many verbal stories and to the religious local archives, scientists could retrace the story of some of the exposed mummies.
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The Stories of the Mummies
The Mummies Museum of Ferentillo includes 24 mummies belonging to men, women and children. In addiction, there are about 270 skulls, 2 mummified birds (one of them is an eagle) and a sealed coffin. Inside that, there is the body of a lawyer murdered because of an ambush, whose mummy was left locked in the coffin as a sign of respect for the man and his descendants.
Among the mummies, two of them have an Asian appearance: according to the legend, they are two spouses from China, who came in Italy in occasion of the Giubilee of 1750 in honeymoon. Unfortunately, they fell ill and died in Ferentillo, so they were buried in the local church. Then, there are: a mummy of a young woman with her deceased fetus, an ancient farmer, two soldiers of Napoleon who were in Italy because of the military campains of 1796-1797.
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Visiting the Museum of Mummies of Ferentillo
The entrance of the Museum of Mummies is under the Church of Santo Stefano, in via della Rocca in Ferentillo. The Museum is open in the following days and timetables (last entrance about 15 minutes before che closure):
April – September, 10:00 – 13:00 / 15:00 – 19:30
October 10:00 – 13:00 / 15:00 – 18:00
November – February 10:00 – 13:00 / 15:00 – 17:00
March 10:00 – 13:00 / 15:00 – 18:00
The ticket costs € 3,00. There are reduced tickets at € 2,50 for groups with more of 15 people and at € 2,00 for schools.
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The Museum of the Mummies of Ferentillo is one of the most characteristic and most visited museums in the area, located under the Church of Santo Stefano, within twenty-four meters long with a crypt dating from the thirteenth century, the museum houses inside about twenty bodies mummified.
The bodies, belonging to deceased persons in different periods, the oldest dating back nearly four centuries ago, the latest being the nineteenth century have been preserved in excellent condition thanks to a particular combination of elements: a particular type of microorganisms in the soil of the area and conditions of the crypt.
Opening Hours
October / March 9.30 to 12.30 / 14.30 – 18.00
April / September 9.00 – 12.30 / 14.30 to 19.30
November / February 10.00 – 12.30 / 14.30 – 17.00
The Museum of the Mummies of Ferentillo is one of the most characteristic and most visited museums in the area, located under the Church of Santo Stefano, within twenty-four meters long with a crypt dating from the thirteenth century, the museum houses inside about twenty bodies mummified.
The bodies, belonging to deceased persons in different periods, the oldest dating back nearly four centuries ago, the latest being the nineteenth century have been preserved in excellent condition thanks to a particular combination of elements: a particular type of microorganisms in the soil of the area and conditions of the crypt.
Opening Hours
October / March 9.30 to 12.30 / 14.30 – 18.00
April / September 9.00 – 12.30 / 14.30 to 19.30
November / February 10.00 – 12.30 / 14.30 – 17.00
The Museum of the Mummies of Ferentillo is one of the most characteristic and most visited museums in the area, located under the Church of Santo Stefano, within twenty-four meters long with a crypt dating from the thirteenth century, the museum houses inside about twenty bodies mummified.
The bodies, belonging to deceased persons in different periods, the oldest dating back nearly four centuries ago, the latest being the nineteenth century have been preserved in excellent condition thanks to a particular combination of elements: a particular type of microorganisms in the soil of the area and conditions of the crypt.
Opening Hours
October / March 9.30 to 12.30 / 14.30 – 18.00
April / September 9.00 – 12.30 / 14.30 to 19.30
November / February 10.00 – 12.30 / 14.30 – 17.00
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