Oldest Known Mummies Found in Southeast Asia, Dating Back 12,000 Years
Oldest mummies discovered in Southeast Asia, dating back 12,000 years, reveal widespread ancient practices.
Why it matters
- Discovery pushes back known mummification practices by thousands of years.
- Shows practice was more widespread and varied than previously thought.
- Suggests cultural links between ancient Southeast Asian and later New Guinea/Australian practices.
By the numbers
- 12,000 years old: age of the oldest mummies.
- 69 bone samples analyzed from 54 burials.
- 84% of samples showed heat exposure.
The big picture
- Deliberate mummification is older and more widespread than believed.
- Smoking technique differs from Egyptian or Chinchorro methods.
- Practice might have been shared among hunter-gatherer communities for millennia.
What they're saying
- Comments reflect fascination and interest.
- Some mention rumors of ancient civilizations but note lack of solid evidence.
Caveats
- Some samples didn't return reliable results.
- Different mummification method might explain why it was overlooked before.
What’s next
- Further research could explore more sites to see how widespread the practice was.
- Additional analysis might reveal more about cultural practices and connections.