DNA reveals unexpected origins of enigmatic mummies buried in a Chinese desert

By Katie Hunt, CNN

Updated 2016 GMT (0416 HKT) October 28, 2021

Hundreds of mummified bodies have been found across the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, northwestern China, that date back to around 4,000 years ago. This is an aerial view of one site called Xiaohe Cemetery.
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Hundreds of mummified bodies have been found across the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, northwestern China, that date back to around 4,000 years ago. This is an aerial view of one site called Xiaohe Cemetery.
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The ancestry of the mummies has long been debated among researchers.
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The ancestry of the mummies has long been debated among researchers.
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The dry desert air means the bodies are extraordinarily preserved, with hair and facial features clearly visible.
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The dry desert air means the bodies are extraordinarily preserved, with hair and facial features clearly visible.
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Another aspect of this enigmatic group is that they were buried in boats with oars. The coffin is covered with a cattle hide.
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Another aspect of this enigmatic group is that they were buried in boats with oars. The coffin is covered with a cattle hide.
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A DNA analysis of the remains suggests that mummies were not newcomers to the region and were descended from Ice Age hunter gatherers.
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A DNA analysis of the remains suggests that mummies were not newcomers to the region and were descended from Ice Age hunter gatherers.
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