Oldest known evidence of human mummification discovered in Asia, scientists say

The skeleton of a middle-aged man excavated from the Huiyaotian site in Nanning, in China's Guangxi province, is over 9,000 years old. courtesy Hirofumi Matsumura

Hunter-gatherers in parts of ancient Asia prepared their dead for burial with smoke-drying up to 14,000 years ago, resulting in the oldest known evidence of human mummification, according to a new analysis of dozens of burials.

People around the world have long practiced mummifying, or preserving organic remains, using various techniques — including heat, smoke, salts, freeze-drying and embalming — to remove moisture from the body’s soft tissues and prevent decay. The remains from China, Vietnam and Indonesia that scientists investigated weren’t visibly mummified. However, examination of charring on the skeletons — which