Chinchorro mummies

The head of a mummy from the Chinchorro culture, which is found in northern Chile.

As Chile’s climate changes, the world’s oldest mummies are turning moldy

Science

The oldest mummies in the world aren’t in Egypt, but in northern Chile where the Chinchorro people once lived. Their 7,000-year-old remains are now under threat from changing weather patterns wrought by climate change, as are cultural relics around the world.

New study looks at why ancient South American culture mummified its dead

Why the South American Chinchorro People Made the First Mummies

Arts, Culture & Media