in the chilean region of arica, on the northern fringes of the country s atacama desert, you ll find clues that something significant lies beneath the ground. hidden in the sand are some of the oldest mummified bodies in the world, evidence of an overlooked culture that once lived and thrived here on the western coast of south america. it s amazing how close these skeletons are to the surface and, apparently, there is layer after layer after layer of bodies going down as low as 2m underground. this is crazy. ifeel quite strange walking on the dead here. between 7000 and 1500 bc, the hunter gatherer chinchorro people called this area home and developed complex mummification practices which have astounded 21st century researchers.
between 7000 and 1500 bc, the hunter gatherer chinchorro people called this area home and developed complex mummification practices which have astounded 21st century researchers. last year, chinchorro burial culture was officially recognised by unesco, who placed it on their world heritage list. and many hope this will transform awareness of these remarkable mummified bodies. when you think of mummies, you think of the ancient egyptians wrapped in bandages but these guys here, there are sticks where their bones are, there s masks and what s fascinating is these smaller mummies of children and babies. wow. behind the scenes, at san miguel de azapa museum, the careful study and preservation of the majority of the chinchorro
in the chilean region of arica, on the northern fringes of the country s atacama desert, you find clues that something significant lies beneath the ground. hidden in the sand are some of the oldest mummified bodies in the world, evidence of an overlooked culture that once lived and thrived here on the western coast of south america. it s amazing how close these skeletons are to the surface and, apparently, there is layer after layer after layer of bodies going down as low as 2m underground. this is crazy. ifeel quite strange walking on the dead here. between 7,000 and 1,500 bc, the hunter gatherer chinchorro people called this area home and developed complex mummification practices which have astounded 21st century researchers.
once lived and thrived here on the western coast of south america. it s amazing how close these skeletons are to the surface and, apparently, there is layer after layer after layer of bodies going down as low as 2m underground. this is crazy. ifeel quite strange walking on the dead here. between 7,000 and 1,500 bc, the hunter gatherer chinchorro people called this area home and developed complex mummification practices which have astounded 21st century researchers. last year, chinchorro burial culture was officially recognised by unesco, who placed it on their world heritage list. and many hope this will transform awareness of these remarkable mummified bodies. when you think of mummies,
low as two metres underground. this is crazy. ifeel quite strange walking on the dead here. between 7000 and 1500 bc, the hunter gatherer chinchorro people called this area home and developed complex mummification practices which have astounded 21st century researchers. last year, chinchorro burial culture was officially recognised by unesco, who placed it on their world heritage list. and many hope this will transform awareness of these remarkable mummified bodies. when you think of mummies, you think of the ancient egyptians wrapped in bandages these guys here, there are sticks where the bones are, there masks and what s fascinating is these smaller mummies of children and babies. wow. behind the scenes,