A CRYSTALLISED WOMAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 884, 8 September 1879, Page 2

A CRYSTALLISED WOMAN.

Another very remarkable instance, we are informed, has just come to light as to the preserving or petrifying effects of nitrate of soda. A well-known and inflential city firm, who have every extensive connections with South American planters, minere, &c, have recently received from Peru a curiosity m the. shape of what may be termed a crystallised female body, which, as their correspondents advise them, was some short time since discovered by a set of miners at Pisagua, m that country, completely embedded m one of the great nitrate of soda deposits peculiar to the district." The body is described as having the appearance of a petrified mummy, and is stated to be m a singular state of perservation. This curiosity has already been seen by several of our best known naturalists and scientific analysts, and it. is believed that the woman, who apparently was of middle aye, must have perished either through accident or design at a remote period of the past, probably, as some even go as far as to say, two or three thousand years ago. That her death was violent there is little room to doubt, inasmuch as when discovered the body was m a recumbent position, partly on the side, with chest slightly crushed, as if through a severe fall, the legs drawn up, and the fingers and toes contracted. The hair is m a most perfect state, and j maintains its contact with the skull m a peculiarly astdnißhina- w«»«»i»«»> -«*ua" tile mouth is open, displaying the teeth arid tongue, which are plainly visible.. The extremities are remarkably small and. perfect, even the nails being m their respective places. The hair on the head, we would add, appears to be plaited m a very peculiar manner, and is of great length and thickness, though m some parts detached, owing to part of the skull having been destroyed. The curiosity at present is at the offices of the firm who have imported it from South America, but we understood that arrangements are being made that it shall be publicly shown at the Westminister Aquarium at an early date.