New research indicates these communities created what might be the world’s oldest known mummies through smoke-drying methods rather than the bandage-based preservation associated with ancient Egypt.
Researchers recovered bodies primarily from humid regions across China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, contrasting with the dry conditions that facilitated natural mummification in Chile’s Atacama coastline.
The remains showed scorch marks in specific patterns that appeared inconsistent with cremation attempts, suggesting deliberate preservation techniques rather than accidental burning.
Laboratory analysis compared bone samples from these sites against control samples from ancient Japanese burial sites, revealing evidence of exposure to mostly low-temperature heat.
Some samples date back more than 10,000 years, indicating that societies practiced forms of mummification thousands of years earlier than previously documented in historical records.
Hung emphasised the remarkable discovery connecting ancient practices with contemporary traditions still found in some communities today.
The process also held significant cultural importance beyond mere preservation, serving spiritual and emotional functions within these ancient societies.
This practice allowed relatives to maintain contact with deceased loved ones while providing spiritual comfort through beliefs that spirits could roam freely during daylight hours.
Hung expressed that these practices reflect something deeply human—the timeless wish that loved ones might never leave but remain present forever.
The study authors suggest this tradition may have been known across vast regions for many millennia, challenging previous assumptions about ancient preservation practices.
These groundbreaking findings appear in the latest edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, published on Monday. – AFP
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