mummies of nomadic pastoralists adrian mcclain. mummies mummies do not come back to life they can be...
TRANSCRIPT
MummiesMummies do not come back to life
They can be created by humans or are the product of natural causes
Extreme conditions: heat, cold, low humidity, etc.
When and Where the Mummies Were Found
1978 (with some earlier reports)Northwestern China: near Taklimakan DesertProvince of XinjiangDry, hot (over 100 degrees at times) environmentHair, skin, and other tissues remained intact
Basic Mummy Info
Dated from about 4000-2300 BP
Common people, no evidence they were elites
Buried with clothing and other grave goods; ritualistic burial (tattoos, etc.)
But the Most Interesting Thing…
Mummies were tall and thin, and had light-colored hair, thick beards (on men), round eyes, and relatively large nosesThese features are usually associated with Europeans; what’s up with that?!?
Over a Decade Later, the Investigation Continues
After “Ice Man” discovered in Alps in 1991, DNA research publicizedVictor Mair (U.S.A.), Wang Binghua (China), and Paolo Francalacci (Italy) team up to study again, using new methodsDNA collected; problems with analysis (one individual) but limited results show relation to European peoplesPhysical anthropology findings: earlier individuals physically similar to groups to northwest; later resembled western and southwestern neighbors
Why Might it Matter???Caucasian presence this far East might change thoughts about isolation of early Chinese statesIf contact occurred, many accepted facts would be questioned: invention of first metal objects, wheel, horse-riding, chariots, etc.Indo-European language “missing piece?”
Other Evidence of Origins
Clothing
Wagons, wheels, and horses
Historical accounts
Tocharian language
Pottery
ClothingMummies wore brightly colored wool clothing, leather boots, and sometimes tall, pointed hats
Wool is woven in same twill pattern as usually associated with Europe
Wagons, Wheels, and HorsesWagon wheels found near mummies resemble ancient Ukrainian ones
Bit, reins, whip, saddle, etc. found near graves
Could have come from Eastern Europe with this technology, which later spread to Shang Dynasty
Historical AccountsOld books describe tall, bearded men with light eyes and hair as historical or legendary figuresModern-day people in the region also have these features…why so different from neighbors?
Tocharian LanguageTexts discovered in area dating between sixth and eighth centuries written in a language we named TocharianThis language belongs to Indo-European family, separate from Chinese
PotteryStudied and found by experts in field to resemble style that extended geographically from modern-day Russia to Hungary
Bronze objects similar origins
Sun design