The mummies of ancient Egypt are arguably the most famous mummies in the world, renowned for their elaborate embalming processes and the wealth of artifacts buried with them. However, they are not the oldest known mummies. The Chinchorro people of South America began preserving their dead about 7,000 years ago, long before the Egyptians, and their mummies have become one of the wonders of Andean archaeology.
UNESCO has recently acknowledged the cultural significance and importance of the Chinchorro mummies by including them in the World Heritage List. Bernardo Arriaza, a Chilean anthropologist and expert on these mummies, highlighted the importance of this recognition, stating, “UNESCO is internationally validating, through various experts, that the settlements and artificial mummification practices of the Chinchorro culture possess exceptional value and global significance.”
The Chinchorro people inhabited the coast of the Atacama Desert, in what is now northern Chile and southern Peru, between 7000 and 1500 BC. They relied on fishing, hunting, and gathering for their subsistence. The earliest known Chinchorro sites date back to 7000 BC, but mummification, according to current evidence, began around 5000 BC. This indicates that the Chinchorro mummies predate the more famous Egyptian mummies by two millennia.The first identification of the Chinchorro mummies occurred in 1917, credited to the German archaeologist Max Uhle. Subsequent excavations revealed that these mummies were distributed along the coast, with a concentration between Arica and Camerones. However, the most significant discovery of Chinchorro mummies took place in 1983. Surprisingly, this discovery was not made by archaeologists but by the Arica water company while laying a new pipeline near the base of El Morro.
While Uhle initially identified three categories of mummification, showing an increasing complexity over time, archaeologists have since expanded upon his explanation. Consequently, the two most common methods used in Chinchorro mummification were the Black Mummy and the Red Mummy techniques.
The Black Mummy technique, utilized from approximately 5000 BC to 3000 BC, involved a series of steps. Firstly, the deceased’s head, arms, and legs were removed. Subsequently, the body underwent a process of heat-drying, during which the flesh was entirely stripped from the bones. Finally, the skull was bisected horizontally, approximately at eye level, to facilitate the removal of the brain.
Following the drying of the skull, it was filled with materials and reassembled by tying it back together. The remaining body parts were similarly reconstructed. Sticks were inserted beneath the skin to reinforce the limbs and spinal column. Additionally, the body was filled with substances like clay and feathers. Once the skull was reattached to the reassembled body, a paste made from white ash was applied. This paste served to cover the body and fill the gaps resulting from the reassembly process. Moreover, it was utilized to restore the individual’s typical facial features.
The Red Mummy technique, employed from around 2500 BC to 2000 BC, represented a distinct departure from the Black Mummy technique. In this method, the Chinchorros made incisions in the trunk and shoulders of the deceased to extract the internal organs and dry the body cavity. The removal of the brain involved severing the head from the body.
Similar to the Black Mummy technique, in the Red Mummy method, the body was also filled with various materials to achieve a human-like appearance. Sticks were utilized for structural support, and the incisions were subsequently sewn up. The head was reattached to the body, and a wig made from human hair tassels was placed on it, secured by a “hat” fashioned from black clay. Everything except for this wig, and often the face, was then painted with red ochre.
Arriaza, who serves as the director of the Chinchorro Center at Tarapaca University in the city of Arica, emphasizes that the mummification techniques showcase the meticulous craftsmanship of these ancient specialists. He remarks, “These bodies are intricately crafted by skilled individuals. There’s a finesse, a level of creativity exhibited by these early populations.”
