Ancient Smoke-Dried Mummies Unearthed in Southeast Asia and China
Archaeologists have discovered evidence of mummification practices in Southeast Asia and China dating back up to 12,000 years, predating previously known methods.
Recent archaeological findings reveal that mummification practices in Southeast Asia and China date back up to 12,000 years, significantly earlier than previously documented instances.
Researchers examined 69 bone samples from 54 pre-Neolithic burials across southern China, northern Vietnam, and Indonesia, dating between 4,000 and 12,000 years ago. Analysis indicated that approximately 84% of these samples exhibited signs of heat exposure, suggesting that bodies were smoke-dried over low fires for extended periods.
This method of mummification involved tightly binding the deceased and suspending them over smoldering fires, a practice still observed among certain Indigenous communities in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The findings challenge previous assumptions about the origins and spread of mummification, indicating that such practices were more widespread and diverse than previously understood.