Manila: Scientists have uncovered what are believed to be the world's oldest known mummies in Southeast Asia, dating back as far as 12,000 years, according to new research on Monday. The study, published in the journal PNAS, indicates that researchers found human remains buried in crouched or squatting positions, some with cut and burn marks, at archaeological sites across China and Vietnam, with smaller numbers located in the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

According to Philippines News Agency, the remains discovered in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia were preserved through prolonged exposure to low heat, despite lacking visible signs typically associated with mummification. Further analysis of the bones suggested that the bodies were likely exposed to heat, pointing to the possibility that hunter-gatherer communities in the region smoke-dried and mummified the remains over a fire. The study notes that some of the analyzed archaeological samples represent the oldest known instances of such artificial mummification in the world.

The research employed multiple techniques, including X-ray diffraction, used for identifying mineral composition, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, which analyzes chemical bonds. These methods were applied to analyze 54 pre-Neolithic burials from 11 archaeological sites across Southeast Asia. While Egypt's mummies are the most famous, some of the oldest previously known were created around 7,000 years ago by the Chinchorro, a fishing people who lived in what is now Peru and Chile.