Cherchen Man, also called Chärchän Man or Ur-David, is the current name for a mummy discovered in the town of Cherchen, which is now part of the Xinjiang region in China. This mummy belongs to a group known as the Tarim mummies. His naturally preserved remains were found in Tomb 2 at the Zaghunluq cemetery, near the town of Qiemo (Chärchän) in the Taklamakan Desert of north-west China. Similar remains have also been found at other locations across the Tarim Basin, including Qäwrighul, Yanghai, Shengjindian, Shanpula (Sampul), and Qizilchoqa.

Description

The mummy is an adult male who probably died around 1000 BC and was likely about fifty years old when he died. His height was about 176–178 cm. His hair was reddish brown with some gray strands, and it framed his high cheekbones. He had a long nose shaped like a bird's beak, full lips, and a red beard. He wore a red twill tunic and leggings with a pattern similar to tartan. Yellow and purple spiral and sun designs on his face were once thought to be tattoos, but they are actually made of ochre paint.

Mummification

The Cherchen Man was buried in a tomb made of mud bricks covered with reeds and brush. He and another female mummy were placed on several branches, with small mats underneath them. The mats helped keep the tomb dry, which helped preserve the bodies. The Cherchen Man also had a piece of wood under his legs, keeping them bent. This position allowed more air to move around the body, slowing how quickly it decayed.

The Cherchen Man and his companions (one man, three women in the same tomb, and a baby in a nearby tomb) were natural mummies. This means they became mummies because of the natural conditions around them, not because people intentionally mummified them, as was the case with Egyptian mummies.