Archaeologists have found evidence that ancient hunter-gatherers in Asia practiced mummification as early as 14,000 years ago. This is the oldest known example of mummification in human history, predating the mummies of the Egyptian pharaohs by thousands of years.
The study, published in the journal PNAS, shows that ancient people used a unique method called smoke drying. Bodies were placed over low heat to dry with smoke for a long time until all the moisture was removed. This way, the body was preserved from decay. Scientists studied 54 ancient tombs found in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
