Exhibit - Burial PracticesHow were they buried?
In the Tarim Basin, the corpses were buried with great care. Many of the items accompanying their remains suggest the preparation for an afterlife.
Archaeologists have identified dozens of ancient cemeteries in Xinjiang; the oldest were in use nearly 4,000 years ago. One of the most remarkable sites is Small River Cemetery Number 5, also known as Xiaohe (she-ow-HUH). The cemetery was discovered in 1934, but not fully excavated until 2005. Nearly 167 graves were excavated, revealing over 1,000 objects and 30 well-preserved mummies. The remains at Xiaohe raise many questions about the people who created them. The mummies were buried in coffins shaped like overturned boats. Sexual iconography was everywhere at the site, with posts representing phalluses and vulvas placed in front of each grave. Their purpose remains a mystery. The posts rise out of the ground, creating a startling, jagged landscape when viewed from a distance. The Xiaohe cemetery material is some of the earliest found in Xinjiang.
There is no evidence of any towns within several miles of Xiaohe cemetery, leaving questions about the lives of the people who were buried there.
Why are they so well preserved?
Unlike their famous counterparts from ancient Egypt, the human remains found in Xinjiang were mummified naturally. In fact, mummies represent just a small portion of the people buried in these ancient cemeteries. Most bodies fully decomposed, leaving only the bones behind. We do not know why some remains mummified and others did not. The arid environment of the Taklamakan (tah-kluh-mah-KAHN) Desert helped the bodies dry out before they decomposed completely and the high salt content in the soil accelerated the drying process. Those two criteria are true for all of the burials. One theory as to why only some of the bodies were mummified suggests that they were buried during the winter. The extremely cold temperatures inhibited the growth of bacteria, and slowed decomposition even more. The best-preserved mummies were dressed warmly, further supporting the theory that they had winter burials. In such cases, perfect conditions were present to conserve the burials for thousands of years, so that they can be appreciated and studied today.
The human remains in the Tarim Basin mummified naturally. The desert environment, freezing winters, and salty soil created the perfect environment for the preservation of organic materials. Their purpose remains a mystery. The posts rise out of the ground, creating a startling, jagged landscape when viewed from a distance. The Xiaohe cemetery material is some of the earliest found in Xinjiang.
Some of the Tarim Mummies were smeared with a substance containing an animal protein before burial. This is thought to have acted as an antiseptic, aiding preservation even further.