Dawn of artificial mummification pushed back 5,000 years, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Archaeologists discovered evidence of artificial mummification practices dating back 14,000 years in Southeast Asia.
• The study analyzed pre-Neolithic burials from 11 sites, revealing that bodies were heated and smoked for preservation.
• This discovery pushes back the earliest known evidence of artificial mummification by 5,000 years compared to the Chinchorro mummies.
• The research team used X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and radiocarbon dating to analyze the bones.

Detailed Insights:

• Pre-farming burials (12,000 to 4,000 years ago) often featured tightly crouched or squatting bodies, indicating unique burial practices.
• The heating and smoking process explains the contorted postures and darkened bones found in these burials.
• Bones showed elevated crystallinity, with some samples heated to 525ºC or more, indicating intentional heating.
• Burn traces clustered on specific body parts like the forehead, knees, and elbows, suggesting a controlled heating process.
• The practice demonstrates early communities' spiritual beliefs, technical skills, and concern for the dead .
• This discovery highlights the development of symbolic thinking, strong social bonds, and ancestor-related rituals in early human culture.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• X-ray diffraction: A technique used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal.
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy: A technique used to obtain an infrared spectrum of absorption or emission of a solid, liquid, or gas.
• Radiocarbon dating: A method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon (carbon-14).