Cool Fact - Chinchorro Mummies

Starting the week with the oldest examples of artificially mummified human remains. 

The Chinchorro mummies are the oldest mummies in the world. They were created by the Chinchorro people who live near the coast of Chile and Peru in South America. The Chinchorro people preserved their dead for as long as 10,000 years ago. The process of mummification was similar to that of a human body being embalmed today. The skin and muscles were removed and then replaced with a paste made from plants, animal fat, and minerals like selenium and manganese. Once this was done, they would cover it with protective layers like animal fur or paint, which would help stop bacteria from entering the body. 

The bone chemistry from these suggest that these people had a predominant seafood culture.

The earliest mummy, Acha man , dates to 7020BCE


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