Discovery of the world's oldest mummies
The Chinchorro people settled in Chile around 7,000 BC and developed mummification techniques around 5,000 BC. To date, archaeologists believe these are the oldest mummies in the world.
Many people tend to think that the oldest, rarest mummies come from Egypt, the Valley of the Kings. However, this thinking is completely wrong.
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| A newly discovered mummy in Chile is believed to be the oldest in the world. |
In fact, the first people to learn the art of mummification were in the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert in Chile. The Chinchorro people are known to have developed a mummification technique around 5,000 BC, about 2,000 years before the ancient Egyptians began mummifying pharaohs.
The site of the mummies in the Azapa Valley is the San Miguel de Azapa Archaeological Museum in the small village of San Miguel de Azapa. The site holds the mummies of around 300 Chinchorro people. However, due to the lack of funding and space for the museum, it is little known.
"It's a very sacred collection because most of the items are related to death rituals," explains conservator Mariela Santos.
Scientists have identified five distinct styles of mummification used over a period of about 4,000 years. Most mummies were stuffed with sticks and reeds, decorated with wigs and wearing clay masks on their faces.
Chile is currently working to gain World Heritage status for the Chinchorro sites, with a proposal to be submitted to UNESCO in early 2020.
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