Posted on 09/26/2025 1:14:06 PM PDT by Red Badger
The process of mummification is often associated with the tombs of Ancient Egypt or the dry deserts of Chile. Many people frequently assume that the origin of this burial practice also traces back to these cultures.
A new study in PNAS challenges these assumptions by suggesting that the people of southern China and Southeast Asia developed a different approach to this practice by curing bodies over low, smoky fires. Archaeologists recently uncovered evidence that these hunter-gatherers practiced smoke-drying their dead as early as 12,000 years ago.
This discovery implies that early human societies were practicing mummification long before the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. Some elements of these practices may still be present in modern traditions of some cultures today.
Mysteries in Ancient Burials
Archaeologists have long studied unusual graves found across southern China, Vietnam, and parts of Indonesia. These bodies were commonly buried in a tightly crouched or squatting position, with limbs pressed closely against the torso.
Many of the remains contained scorch marks, but they were not consistent with those found in cremation. The skeletons also remained intact, with the burns limited to specific areas, including the skulls, knees, and elbows. This suggests an entirely different process was involved.
Testing Mummified Bones
Researchers analyzed 69 bone samples using a technique known as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). They also used X-ray diffraction (XRD) on 20 additional samples to identify structural changes caused by heat. These methods allowed the team to distinguish between natural decay, cremation, and controlled smoke treatment. Samples from Edo Castle in Japan served as controls for comparison.
FTIR measured crystallinity in the bone, a chemical signature that increases with exposure to heat. XRD confirmed the structural changes were also heat-related.
The results showed that approximately 84 percent of the samples exhibited evidence of heating, typically at low temperatures. Only a few samples indicated exposure to higher heat. Most of the bones were blackened in a way that matched smoke exposure rather than burning by open flame.
This analysis also explains the tightly bound postures. The bodies were likely tied and dried over slow fires before burial, causing them to shrink into compact forms. Researchers identified smoke-dried mummification at nine of the eleven sites tested, with dates ranging from 12,000 to 4,000 years ago. Some of these remains represent the oldest known examples of artificial mummification.
Echoes Across Millennia: Rewriting the Timeline
Ethnographic evidence also supports these results. In the New Guinea Highlands, the people of Dani and Anga practiced smoke-drying into the 20th century. Bodies were tightly bound and suspended above low fires for extended periods of time. The mummified corpses were then placed on display in homes or on ledges. It was believed that this practice allowed the spirits to move freely during the day and return to their bodies at night.
“The bones are so ancient, and it is remarkable to discover that this tradition is so old,” said Hsiao-chun Hung of the Australian National University. “It connects the practices of ancient peoples with those still found in some communities today.”
This discovery reframes the history of mummification. It shows that artificial preservation wasn’t just practiced in deserts, but also in humid, tropical regions where smoke provided an effective means of preservation.
Researchers plan to apply chemical analysis to older burial sites and improve the precision of radiocarbon dating. They will also examine genetic material to compare burial customs with ancient migration routes.
If confirmed, these findings could establish that the origins of mummification were developed in tropical Asia, highlighting a widespread human practice of maintaining close connections with the dead.
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Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, along with a certification in Data Analytics. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.
Smokin’ Mummies! PinGGG!.................
Mummy brisket!
The Great Pyramids of Giza are older than the mummies.
Are you suggesting slow roasting my mother!?
[singing] We're gettin' down today! We'll pick you up and take you away ...
Mummy Jerky.................
Apparently this practice was reserved for high members of society...........
Mummy Jerky? What does Haitian Barbeque say about the recipe?
I think what the archeologists missed in the processing was great amounts of alcohol over years followed by by the smoking process. This explains Hillary and Nancy Pelosi perfectly. They are just about ready.
Tan me hide when I’m dead, Fred. Tan me hide when I’m dead. So we tanned his hide hide when he died, Clyde, and that’s it hang’n on the shed.
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