The Chinchorro mummies are preserved bodies from the ancient Chinchorro culture, discovered in what is now northern Chile. These mummies are the oldest known examples of human remains that were intentionally preserved. They were buried about 2,000 years before the first Egyptian mummies. The earliest mummy found in Egypt dates to around 3000 BC, while the oldest Chinchorro mummy was preserved around 5050 BC.

The oldest naturally preserved body linked to the Chinchorro civilization was found in the Atacama Desert and is dated to about 7020 BC.

Studies of shell middens and bone chemistry show that 90% of the Chinchorro people's food came from the sea. Other ancient fishing cultures lived in the dry river valleys of the Andes, but the Chinchorro people were different because they carefully preserved the bodies of the dead.

In 2021, UNESCO recognized the Chinchorro culture's settlements and mummification practices in Arica and Parinacota as a World Heritage Site.

Chinchorro mummification

The Chinchorro people, who lived in what is now Chile, mummified all members of their society, including children, elderly individuals, and even fetuses. This practice made them unique compared to other cultures that only preserved the wealthy or powerful. Archaeologists believe this showed that the Chinchorro valued all people equally. Children and babies often received the most detailed mummification treatments.

About 29% of known Chinchorro mummies were naturally preserved, meaning the dry, salty environment helped their bodies stay intact. The oldest naturally preserved mummy, called the Acha man, dates back to 7020 BC. Artificial mummification, which involved removing organs and replacing them with materials like plant fibers or clay, began around 5000 BC and was most common between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. The oldest artificially preserved mummy, a child, was found in the Camarones Valley, Chile, and dates to about 5050 BC. Mummification continued until around 1800 BC, overlapping with other ancient cultures in South America.

Since 1914, archaeologists have discovered about 282 Chinchorro mummies. At a site called Morro-I, 96 bodies were found, including 54 adults and 42 children. The number of males, females, and children found suggests that the Chinchorro did not favor one group over another in their mummification practices.

Some believe the mummies helped guide the souls of the dead or prevented their bodies from scaring the living. Another idea is that the Chinchorro honored ancestors by keeping their bodies with their groups and displaying them during rituals. The mummies were often decorated with colors and painted, and their bodies were stiffened so they could be carried on reed litters. However, because the Chinchorro lived before pottery was used and moved frequently, it is hard to know exactly why they mummified their dead.

The genetic makeup of Chinchorro people is linked to a group called mitochondrial haplogroup A2. Dr. Bernardo Arriaza, a Chilean scientist, studied Chinchorro mummification and created a classification system still used today. His book, Beyond Death: The Chinchorro Mummies of Ancient Chile, was published by the Smithsonian.

Chinchorro mummification methods changed over time, but some steps remained the same. For example, soft tissues and organs were always removed, and bones were reinforced with sticks. The body was then stuffed with plant material, covered in clay, and wrapped in reeds to dry for weeks.

Archaeologist Max Uhle first classified mummies into three types: simple, complex, and mud-coated. Later, scientists added more categories, including natural, black, red, and bandage mummies. Some mummies combined techniques, and different types were found in the same burial sites. The two most common styles were black mummies and red mummies.

Of the 282 mummies found, 29% were naturally preserved due to the dry, salty environment in northern Chile. The soil there contains nitrates, which help preserve bodies by drying them out quickly. Even though the Chinchorro did not use artificial methods, they still wrapped the dead in reeds and placed grave goods with them.

The black mummy technique, used between 5000 and 3000 BC, involved removing the body’s skin, drying the bones with heat, and reassembling the body. The body was then covered with a white ash paste mixed with grass, soil, and hair. The skin was refitted and painted black with manganese.

The red mummy technique, used between 2500 and 2000 BC, involved making incisions to remove organs and dry the body. The head was separated to remove the brain, and the skin was covered with a clay mask. The body was packed with materials to restore its shape, and the head was replaced with a wig made of long human hair. The body and wig were painted red with ochre.

The final style, called the mud-coat, was used from 3000 to 1300 BC. The dry, stable environment helped preserve mummies, and clay was used to cover the body, creating colorful designs. The clay also masked the smell of the decaying body. Artisans no longer removed the skin, as it was not needed for preservation.

Tattooing

At least one Chinchorro mummy provides important evidence about the long history of tattooing in the region. The remains of a male individual (Mo-1 T28 C22) show a dotted line tattoo above his upper lip, similar to a mustache. This mummy is dated to around 1880 BCE, with a possible range of 100 years earlier or later (2563–1972 cal BCE). This discovery is considered the oldest clear proof of tattooing in the Americas and the fourth-oldest such evidence in the world.