Mummifying the dead is a funerary rite that has been practiced for thousands of years in many locations across the world.

A new discovery reveals that we may have been underestimating exactly how widespread the practice has been. Bones that show signs of deliberate mummification have been found across Southeast Asia and southern China, with ages dating back to the pre-Neolithic period up to 12,000 years ago.

That's several thousands of years older than the cultures best known for mummification, the Chinchorro people of Chile, who were mummifying their dead 7,000 years ago , and the ancient Egyptians, who were practicing the craft 5,600 years ago .

Related: Stunning Tattoos Discovered on Siberian Mummy From 2,000 Years Ago

The reason we might have missed it? The technique used by

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