Mummies of Nomadic Pastoralists Adrian McClain. Mummies Mummies do not come back to life They can be created by humans or are the product of natural causes.

Mummies of Nomadic Pastoralists

Adrian McClain

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

ConclusionsNo clear-cut evidence that these people came from West, but widely accepted with few criticismsStudies continue, though poorly funded, and with some limits from Chinese government