A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that human remains found across China and Vietnam — and in smaller numbers from the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia — may have been deliberately mummified as far back as 12,000 years ago.
The bodies were buried in crouched or squatting positions and showed signs of cuts and burn marks. Researchers believe these ancient communities used smoke-drying techniques to preserve their dead — a method still practised today by Indigenous groups in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
“The practice allowed people to sustain physical and spiritual connections with their ancestors, bridging time and memory,” said Professor Hirofumi Matsumura of Sapporo Medical University in Japan, lead author of the study.
A New Chapter in Mummification History
Until now, the oldest known mummies were those of the Chinchorro people in South America, dating back around 7,000 years. This new discovery pushes the timeline of intentional mummification back by another 5,000 years.
However, some experts have urged caution. Dr Rita Peyroteo Stjerna, a human evolution specialist at Uppsala University in Sweden, who was not involved in the study, said the dating methods could be more robust and questioned whether smoke-drying was consistently practised across all sites.
“It’s an important contribution to the study of prehistoric funerary practices,” she added.
Cultural Significance and Continuity
The findings suggest that early Southeast Asian societies had complex spiritual beliefs and rituals surrounding death. The use of fire and smoke to preserve bodies may have served both practical and ceremonial purposes, allowing communities to maintain a connection with their ancestors.
This discovery not only challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of mummification but also highlights the rich cultural heritage of ancient Southeast Asia.
