Archaeologists have reported the discovery of what may be the oldest known mummies in the world, dating back as far as 12,000 years in southeastern Asia. The findings were announced this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Human remains were uncovered in China and Vietnam, with additional examples from the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The bodies were found in crouched or squatted positions, some showing cuts and burn marks. The study suggests that hunter-gatherer groups in these regions smoke-dried bodies over fire to preserve them. This pushes back the recognized timeline of mummification, which had been linked to the Chinchorro people of South America about 7,000 years ago. The research shows that the practice served cultural and spiritual purposes, giving families a way to remember their ancestors.

The investigation revealed that heat exposure and careful preparation were central to this preservation method. According to experts, this approach allowed communities to maintain a lasting bond with the dead. One researcher described the discovery as an epochal contribution to knowledge about funerary traditions, while another highlighted its potential to offer heuristic insights into human evolution. Still, scholars warned that dating methods require further testing and not all sites confirmed consistent smoke-drying. Despite such uncertainty, the discovery demonstrates how prehistoric societies expressed both transcendence and respect in their rituals. Specialists agreed that the evidence provides an edifying view of cultural resilience and an invaluable perspective on how ancient people coped with mortality. The study also pointed out that smoke-drying is still practiced in some Indigenous communities in Australia and Papua New Guinea, proving that the tradition remains alive in parts of the modern world.