Below the Church of Santo Stefano in the peaceful landscape of Ferentillo, southern Umbria, were buried bodies preserved by a rare microfungus that attacked corpses and turned them into mummies.

The Church was built in 15th century above an older church used as burial ground from 16th to 19th century. Some of the mummies still have beards, teeth and hairs. Some of them are elderly people, a napoleonic soldier, a murder, a victim, a mother with her child, two birds, the hunchback Severino and even two Chinese lovers pilgrims who died during their travel in Italy for cholera.

photo: dr. Labude

photo: dr. Labude

Photos: Musei Terni