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It turns out that the Oldest Mummy in the World is not from Egypt, this Nation Preserved the Corpse First

The process of preserving corpses through mummification is not a new practice that was first carried out by the people of Egypt.

The famous practice of mummifying corpses in ancient Egypt turned out not to be the first innovation. The Chinchorro community in the Atacama Desert, Chile, has been preserving corpses since ancient times. This is evident from the discovery of Chinchorro mummies that are over 7,000 years old, with origins dating back to around 5050 BC.

Although so, there are individuals who naturally undergo the mummification process in the area since 7020 BC. At that time, the Chinchorro people used the extremely dry desert conditions to preserve the corpses.

The following is the translation of the given 'Bahasa' text to 'English' while preserving any html tags: "Chinchorro community, a group of hunter-gatherers living around the northern coast of the Atacama Desert, live as diligent fishermen and depend on seafood as their source of food. Their name originates from the technique of catching fish using gill nets. Their dwellings are located in the Atacama Desert, which is one of the driest deserts in the world. Despite the challenging environmental conditions, the Chinchorro community has managed to utilize it effectively."

One of their unique practices is to move deceased bodies to a very dry desert area. This stops the natural process of decay and results in well-preserved mummies. Acha Man, one of the oldest corpses found in the dry region called Acha, is estimated to be around 9,000 years old.

Source: IFL Science

Creating Mummies with Specific Purposes

Inspired by this natural process, the Chinchorro community then began intentionally creating mummies. UNESCO associates the Chinchorro site, which dates back to 5450 BC, with the artificial creation of human mummies. Many mummies are still in good condition, wearing clothing and jewelry that reflect their culture.

However, climate change has caused the degradation of these mummies, with some of them experiencing damage and turning into "unpleasant black mud." Although this site was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2021, the future of the Chinchorro mummies has become uncertain due to the impact of climate change.

Before ancient Egypt discovered the method of mummification, the Chinchorro society had developed their own mummification. Although Chinchorro mummies have survived for thousands of years, the current challenge is to ensure their sustainability and preservation for the future.

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