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The Taizhou mummy was discovered accidentally by road workers and was found immersed in a mysterious brown liquid. Source:  GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA

Accidental Find of Impeccably Preserved Ming Dynasty Taizhou Mummy

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Mummies often evoke thoughts of the ancient Egyptians and their sophisticated mummification rituals. These practices aimed to create a seamless transition between life and death and led to remarkable body preservation that is renowned to this day. While most mummies discovered today are a product of this complex process, natural mummification has occurred in rare instances. The Taizhou mummy is an extraordinary example of this, distinguished by its exceptional state of preservation and enigmatic backstory.

Road workers unexpectedly discovered the tomb of a woman, now known as the Taizhou mummy, who was buried during the time of the Ming Dynasty in China. (GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA)

Road workers unexpectedly discovered the tomb of a woman, now known as the Taizhou mummy, who was buried during the time of the Ming Dynasty in China. (GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA)

Taizhou Mummy Unearthed During Routine Road Works in Eastern China

Chinese road workers stumbled upon an astonishing find in 2011 - the remarkably intact remains of a woman from the Ming Dynasty, dating back 700 years. The discovery shed light on the daily life of the people of that era, while also raising questions about the woman's identity and the secret behind her remarkable preservation. Who was she? And how did her body remain so well-preserved over the centuries?

The discovery of the Taizhou mummy was quite shocking. Road workers in Taizhou, located in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, were tasked with widening a road. During the excavation process, they dug several feet into the ground and unexpectedly hit a large, solid object about six feet below the surface.

Recognizing the potential significance of their discovery, the workers promptly contacted a team of archaeologists from the Taizhou Museum to excavate the area. Subsequent investigations revealed that the object found in Taizhou was, in fact, a Chinese tomb, containing a three-layered coffin within its walls.

The Taizhou mummy was discovered immersed in a mysterious brown liquid. (GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA)

The Taizhou mummy was discovered immersed in a mysterious brown liquid. (GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA)

Mysterious Brown Liquid: The Enigmatic Preservation of the Taizhou Mummy

As the archaeologists opened the main coffin, they were greeted by layers of silk and linens, all covered in a mysterious brown liquid. Upon further inspection, they uncovered the astonishingly well-preserved remains of a woman, complete with her body, hair, skin, clothing, and jewelry. Even her eyebrows and eyelashes were impeccably preserved, revealing remarkable details about her appearance from centuries ago. Since the discovery, she has come to be known as the Taizhou mummy or the accidental mummy.

Researchers have been unable to definitively determine the age of the woman's body. However, based on the artifacts and clothing found with the Taizhou mummy, it is believed that she lived during the Ming Dynasty, which spanned from 1368 through 1644. This means that the woman's body could potentially be up to 700 years old.

The hand of the Ming Dynasty Taizhou mummy, wearing a striking green ring. (GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA)

The hand of the Ming Dynasty Taizhou mummy, wearing a striking green ring. (GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA)

The woman was found dressed in traditional clothing from the Ming Dynasty and adorned with several pieces of jewelry, including a striking green ring. Based on the quality of her jewelry and the fine silks she was wrapped in, it is believed that she was a high-ranking civilian. The discovery of her well-preserved remains has provided valuable insights into the daily life and social hierarchy of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition to the stunningly preserved remains of the woman, the coffin also contained bones, ceramics, ancient writings and other relics. The archaeologists who excavated the coffin were unable to determine whether the mysterious brown liquid inside the coffin was used intentionally to preserve the body or if it was simply groundwater that had seeped in over time.

Some researchers, however, have suggested that the woman's body may have been preserved due to the specific environment in which she was buried. If the temperature and oxygen levels in the water surrounding her were just right, bacteria would have been unable to grow, effectively slowing or halting the process of decomposition. This unexpected discovery left archaeologists and scientists alike eager to learn more about the unique circumstances that led to the Taizhou mummy's remarkable preservation.

The Taizhou Mummy Raises More Questions Than Answers

This discovery provides researchers with an intimate look into the customs of the Ming Dynasty. They have a very clear view of the clothing and jewelry people wore, and some of the relics that were used during the time. This can answer many questions about the lifestyle, traditions, and daily activities of the people from that time.

The discovery of the Taizhou mummy raised numerous questions about the circumstances that led to the exceptional preservation of her body for centuries. Archaeologists are still trying to determine the identity and social status of the woman, as well as the cause of her death and whether her preservation was intentional.

Unfortunately, the secluded location of the discovery and the absence of additional remains may make it difficult to find definitive answers. However, if similar discoveries are made in the future, they may provide the information needed to answer these, and other questions about the so-called accidental mummy.

Top image: The Taizhou mummy was discovered accidentally by road workers and was found immersed in a mysterious brown liquid. Source:  GU XIANGZHONG, XINHUA

By M R Reese

References

No name. 4 March 2011. “Archaeologists find Ming Dynasty mummy in China” in The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/8361635/Archaeologists-find-Ming-Dynasty-mummy-in-China.htm

No name. 12 March 2011. “Pictures: Lifelike "Wet Mummy" Found During Roadbuilding” in National Geographic. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/110310-wet-mummy-china-ming-science-mummies-tomb-chinese-road

No name. 7 August 2014. “Road Workers Found This Mysterious Box Underground. They Decided to Look Inside And…” in Before its News. Available from: http://beforeitsnews.com/paranormal/2014/08/road-workers-found-this-mysterious-box-underground-they-decided-to-look-inside-andphotos-2473712.htm

Pickup, O. 2 March 2011. “She's aged well: Face of incredibly preserved 700-year-old mummy found by chance by Chinese road workers” in The Daily Mail. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1362957/700-year-old-mummy-road-workers-east-China-excellent-condition.htm

Wade-Palmer, C. 1 March 2022. “Perfectly preserved 700-year-old mummy in brown liquid looked only a few months old” in The Daily Star. Available at: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/perfectly-preserved-700-year-old-2635929

 

Comments

riparianfrstlvr's picture

that liquid might the extra cellular matrix the scientist use today to generate new body parts using stem cells, just a thought. pig bladder has this matrix, we all do in our bodies.

riparianfrstlvr

anybody notice similarities to the Lady of Dai? i would bet that the liquid is partly mercury. perhaps not so accidental.

If mercury is present, it would have been mentioned. Any chemicals they used would known by now, unless reese is not a good investigator for story writing. What do the manuscripts say found with her ?? Those will help !

rbflooringinstall's picture

This is awesome. Hopefully they can't find more evidence that points to who she was and a more precise date.

Peace and Love,

Ricky.

Fascinating discovery! Finding artifacts in the coffin will go a long way in telling them more about her. An uneducated guess but the liquid is more than like water that seeped in. Cannot tell if thats concrete or what material surrounding the coffin but I do know that concrete vaults of today will leak considerably as they are a cheap alternative. Hope we see more on this in this future.

mrreese's picture

M R Reese

M R Reese is a writer and researcher with a passion for unlocking the mysteries of ancient civilizations. She believes that only by understanding where we come from, can we truly understand our life path and purpose. She has earned... Read More

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