Ancient Chilean mummies reveal secrets of survival in the desert
Al Jazeera · Just In
Al Jazeera
Just In
In one of the driest places on earth, the world's oldest mummies can be found. The Chinchorro people, who lived in what is now southern Peru and northern Chile, mummified their dead thousands of years before the Egyptians, using a complex system to honour their loved ones.
Breakdown
- Chinchorro mummies in Chile predate Egyptian mummies by at least 2,000 years. 16s
- The Chinchorro developed complex mummification methods, reconstructing bodies with plant fibers, seaweed, and clay. 35s
- High arsenic levels in the desert's water led to frequent deaths, including unborn children. 1m 31s
- The Chinchorro initially carried their mummified dead with them before later burying them as their society changed. 1m 15s
- Little is known about the Chinchorro's social structure or language, but their burial practices are well documented. 2m 18s