July
29
/ 2021
The mummies of ancient Egypt are arguably the most famous mummies in the world. They are not, however, the oldest. The Chinchorros of South America began preserving their dead about 7,000 years ago and their mummies have become one of the wonders of Andean archaeology. UNESCO has just recently recognized the cultural value and importance of the Chinchorro mummies by adding them to the World Heritage List. Chilean anthropologist and expert on the mummies, Bernardo Arriaza, explained the significance of this recognition, saying, “UNESCO is validating on an international level, through different experts, that the settlements and artificial mummification of the Chinchorro culture has exceptional value, that it has a global importance.” [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"88406","attributes":{"alt":"The Chinchorro mummies have been added to the
