Mummies dating back 14,000 years, thought to be among the oldest in the world, have been discovered by archaeologists in southeast Asia.
The discovery shows how mummification was an enduring tradition among early hunter-gatherer societies - and predates Egyptian mummies by nearly 10,000 years.
Burial sites were unearthed throughout southern China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and predate the Neolithic period.
Unlike other, later burials, these involved individuals in tightly crouched or squatting positions, with some showing evidence of post-mortem dismemberment and burning.
The discovery shows how mummification was an enduring tradition among early hunter-gatherer societies
|PNAS
Professor Peter Bellwood, the co-author of the study, told NBC News: "We found that in southern China and southeast Asia, there were many archaeological sites that contain human burials that are between 4,000 and 14,000 years old."
According to analysis, numerous corpses were intentionally smoke-dried above fires, an identical mummification process to that used by indigenous Australians and New Guinea Highlands populations to this day.
Previous discoveries of ancient mummies include those of the Chinchorro culture in northern Chile from around 7,000 years ago and those in ancient Egypt from around 4,500 years ago.
A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) analysed 54 burials across 11 sites.
ARCHAEOLOGY - READ MORE:
MAPPED: Recorded hunter-gatherer sites with flexed and squatting burials
|PNAS
Dr Hsiao-chun Hung, one of the lead authors of the study, said: "We have gradually gathered multiple lines of evidence over many years.
"It's a bit like detective work - finding small clues, piecing them together, and growing increasingly confident in the hypothesis."
Discussing the process of mummification, Dr Hung added: "I believe this reflects something deeply human.
"The timeless wish that our loved ones might never leave us, but remain by our side forever."
Vietnam's Con Co Ngua site was one of the most notable finds with 267 pre-Neolithic burials found, the majority of which were in flexed or squatting positions.
The positions found throughout the burials would have required technical skill and show the ritual significance which was invested in ancient funeral practices.
The findings also appear to disprove previous claims that mummification started in the Americas or Egypt.
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