World's oldest mummies in need of protection

Chilean researchers are seeking conservation aid to protect a collection of mummified human remains found in northern Chile, the oldest mummies discovered in the world to date, by seeking special heritage status at UNESCO.

The nearly 300 "Chinchorro" mummies, which have been recovered in recent years from the dry coastal area near the Peru border, are thought to date from between 5000 BC to 1500 BC.

The "Chinchorro" were a simple community of hunters and gatherers who have puzzled by experts through their complex methods of mummification.

"Over the past 40 years our researchers have dedicated themselves to the rescue of this archaeological site in Arica and Camarones and across the north coast of Chile, the sites which have the human remains from this culture of fishermen, hunters and gatherers who lived in Arica between 5,000 to 1,500 BCE. There were 3,500 years in which this relatively simple society of hunters which would mummify bodies in a complex way."

Medina is leading an attempt to get the Chinchorro mummies recognized by UN heritage body UNESCO as a world heritage site and is building up evidence on the significance of this ancient culture.

"We have seen this culture attribute as relevant to the university in recent years so as to build scientific and technical arguments in a file called the 'Nomination File' for this ancient culture to be presented to the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO," he added.

Medina believes the "Chinchorro" culture is unique in the world, with an uninterrupted mummification process outlasting the Egyptians.

"The important attribute for the "Chinchorro" (culture) is a simple social structure for hunters and gatherers who carried out the mummification process uninterrupted for 3,500 years. In a political society of hunters and gatherers of a simple structure we have found a complex mummification process which adds to a distinct universal value that has been accredited by the scientific group at our university. It allows us to be very optimistic in imagining a future UNESCO nomination. What we understand is not that this is a goal in itself but the beginning of a process of better tools for conservation with Chile and the international community," he declared.

Experts also predate Chile's mummies before Egypt's.

"You can find two types of mummification, the natural mummification or intentional mummification which is cultural. And the carbon dating that we have on these bodies in these sites and in the museums are basically from 7,000 years ago, that is 5,000 BCE to 1,500 BCE. Therefore they have more of a relatively seniority in regards to the intentional (mummification) of the human body that you can find in Egypt," said Medina.

The mummies need to be kept under specific conditions of temperature and humidity to prevent deterioration. — Reuters