Forget everything you thought you knew about ancient mummies—there’s a new set of wrinkly old-timers on the block, and the Egyptians just got upstaged by a few millennia! Scientists are now rewriting history books with the discovery of 10,000-year-old Asian remains that predate the most famous mummification practices by thousands of years. Bandages and animal-headed masks need not apply!
History Gets a Makeover: Out with the Old, In with the Even Older
For ages, if you said “mummy,” everyone’s mind zipped straight to Egypt’s linen-wrapped royalty. But according to a recent study published on Monday, September 15 in the scientific journal PNAS (you know, the place where fancy new science finds its home), some ancient civilizations were getting creative with corpse preservation long before pyramids were even a glimmer in Egypt’s eye. And this creativity took quite a smoky turn.
Civilizations in Asia were apparently using smoking techniques to preserve their deceased over 10,000 years ago. That’s millennia before the Egyptians began leaving their mark on the embalming scene. So, sorry Cleopatra—someone beat you to the punch, and with a lot less ceremony.
It’s Not All About Bandages and Sand
Up until now, the oldest mummification examples came not from Ray-Ban-wearing desert kings, but from ancient Chilean societies. There, the dry air did most of the work, leaving embalmed bodies that dated back more than 7,400 years before our era (not too shabby, Chile!). No linen strips or jackal-faced masks, just straightforward preservation courtesy of Mother Nature and her arid sense of humor.
But then came a discovery that made scientists do a double take. Researchers at the Australian National University uncovered evidence of ritual mummification in China and Southeast Asia, dating back more than 10,000 years! Thousands of years earlier than archaeologists had imagined. The jaw-dropping twist? These weren’t found in dry deserts, but rather in regions so humid you’d want to bring a towel. And an umbrella. And a spare shirt—just in case.
The Science of Smoked Skeletons: No BBQ Sauce Required
What really piqued scientists’ interest here was the peculiar contortion of the skeletons they discovered. Turns out, when you don’t have any soft tissue left, you’re a lot more bendy—which makes for some curious archaeological puzzles. Researchers hypothesized that the skeletons’ arrangement was only possible because all soft tissue had been removed by a drying-based mummification process, not a Viking funeral pyre. (So, if you were picturing blazing flames, dial it back to a slow, cool smolder.)
To get to the bottom of this twisty mystery, scientists analyzed the composition of bone samples from these sites, comparing them to remains from ancient burial locations in Japan. The verdict? The bodies had been exposed primarily to low temperatures—definitely not cremated. The intact skeletons suggest these folks wanted to preserve their loved ones, not turn them into prehistoric charcoal.
- Smoking was probably “the most effective option” for preserving bodies in tropical climates, according to the study.
- This process wasn’t unique to these regions; similar practices existed in neighboring civilizations in Indonesia and Australia.
- In those societies, the dead were tied up above a constantly burning fire—sometimes for several months. So, if you think long-smoked brisket takes patience, try this!
Co-author Hsiao-chun Huang from the Australian National University admitted it came as “a great surprise” to witness this level of preservation—and ingenuity—so long ago.
Why Smoke the Dead? Ritual, Meaning, and Never Saying Goodbye
It wasn’t just about staving off decay. As the study notes, ritual smoking may have carried deep cultural significance. For some communities, it allowed loved ones to stay “in touch” a little longer. For instance, the researchers reference the Anga people of Papua New Guinea: mummification here was believed to let the spirit of the deceased roam freely during the day, only to re-enter its body at night. That’s maybe one way to keep the in-laws close, isn’t it?
“This reflects something profoundly human,” says Hsiao-chun Huang, pointing to the timeless wish that those we lose are never really gone, but instead stay by our side forever.
So next time you visit a museum and marvel at an ancient mummy, remember: the desire to hang onto loved ones—just a little while longer—may be the oldest story of all. Just don’t expect them to share their secrets to longevity or perfect grilling techniques anytime soon.
