Chinchorro-World's Oldest Mummies
Posted: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
by Jack H. Schick
The oldest man made mummies were not found in Egypt. They were not found in the deserts of central Asia or in Mesopotamia. They were found in the foot hills of the Andes in South America over looking the Pacific coast. They were made by the Chinchorro Culture over 7000 years ago, several millennia before the earliest Egyptian mummifications.
Chinchorros skeletons display the oldest archeological evidence of "work related" injuries. Their inner ear bones were distorted and damaged from repeated deep diving, and almost all the males had hair line fractures in their pelvises. It is speculated, as a result of repeatedly slipping and falling on their 'butts' on wet coastal rocks. The women displayed bone damage from abscesses and other abnormalities that may have come from constant handling of decomposing corpses during the mummification processes.
There have been about 300 specimens of the Chinchorros mummies found. The oldest is approximately 7000 years old. This is of the Black Mummy phase that lasted from about 5000 bc until about 2500 bc. The Red Mummy phase lasted another 500 years, until the culture faded from existence. Most mummies found are, not surprisingly, of the Red type due to the vast period of time since the Black Mummies were made.
The processes used to produce these mummies are unique. The skin was removed and dried. The skeleton was disassembled and all the flesh was removed from the bones. The head was removed and skinned. They took particular care with the face. The head was then cut in half at the eye sockets and the contents removed. The bones and skull were heat dried.
After curing, the' body' was reassembled. The skeleton was reinforced with sticks to which the bones were tied. The flesh was simulated by bundles of grass and straw. This 'scare-crow' was then covered with a white ash paste forming a clay body. The skin was then put back on, whole if possible, but usually in sheets and pieces. Seal skin was sometimes used to complete the envelopment. The head was re-attached and the facial skin carefully put on like a mask. The entire mummy was covered with a magnesium paint that made it black. During the more recent period the body was painted red, instead. The mummy was often given a wig and was dressed in 'everyday' clothes.
There is evidence that the facial 'muscles' were rebuilt with ash paste and the skin repainted several times. This indicates that they did not bury the mummies, but kept them 'among the living,' perhaps sitting around the house. It is also evident that the mummification was not exclusive to the elite class. Every body was treated that way. It appears that most homes had a dead relative propped up in the corner 'participating' in family activities.
The Chinchorros specimens are by far the oldest mummies we have found. They precede the earliest Egyptian experiments with mummification by over 2000 years. They were a primitive culture who left little other evidence of their lives and society. Few people have ever heard of this culture and their strange practices. The Chinchorros have become over shadowed by the farming, pottery making and monument building cultures with which we are so much more familiar in South America.
{Chincharro mummies can be seen at the Museum of San Miguel Azapa at the Univ. of Tarapaca Chile}
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Great research work! Very informative and educational article you have here. Thanks for sharing!TerenceThanks for reading
I've read a lot about the Egyptian mummies,and seen a lot of pictures of course, but the only one I've ever seen in person is at the museum in Houston- every time I go, I stand there and stare forever- fascinating! I enjoyed reading your article- very interesting. I've never heard of the Chincharro people or their mummies. Evidently their method of mummification is a lot different than the Egyptians. Seems as though the Egyptians tried to keep more of the body intact than they did. Good writing- Thanks- EllaYes, I was facinated when I read the book on these mummies. The age is unbelievable. 5000 bc! Egypt wasn't even started a a organized culture yet.
lolthanks for reading and commenting
i am doing this at school this has helped me out a alot more then the teacher has thanxyou're very welcome
there needs to be more about the chinchorros out in the desert because why did they start believing in the afterlifeyears ago I had a book about them--cant remember the name-- a google search should come up with it. Afterlife was something people believed in long before this culture. Whey did they develope the process? We could debate theories on that forever. perhaps they found mummified people in the desert and thought they'd duplicate it.
yes that could be true and probably can have theory for years to come i will look for that book it would probably be more help for my essay thanx againthanks again for reading and commenting
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