An ancient Egyptology team has found compelling evidence that the Egyptians were mummifying around 5,000 years ago.

We know that mummies usually date back to around 3700 – 3500 BC. They have been kept in the Turin city museum, Italy since 1901 and are still intact today. However, the analysis results show that the Egyptians were mummifying 1,500 years earlier.

An ancient Egyptology team led by Dr. Jana Jones of Macquarie University (Australia) used many advanced techniques, including chemical and fabric analysis techniques, radiocarbon dating methods to analyze and test a prehistoric Egyptian body.

This is the mummy of a man who dates back to around 3,600 BC, preserved in the Turin Museum (Italy) and is still in an intact state.

Previously, it was thought that the man’s body had dried naturally due to being buried in the H๏τ and dry desert sand, but new research confirms that the body was preserved.

The research results also provide convincing scientific evidence for the very early use of resin for embalming. The resin here is taken from a number of tree species, specifically pine resin, and is a preservative, mixed into the mixture used for embalming. Cloth was dipped in the melted resin mixture along with spices and then used to wrap the body. Pine resin and spices are believed to be the two main antibacterial substances to prevent insects and preserve soft tissues.

Digging deeper, archaeologists learned the basic principles that the ancient Egyptians used to preserve intact bodies. They would always leave the body intact, without any missing parts. For example, if the corpse was missing an arm or a leg – the ancients would install a prosthetic leg or arm to complete the parts.

Along with some other studies, this information tells us that the ancient Egyptians who lived about 1,500 years before the time of the Pharaohs had knowledge of the process of preserving the body and performed religious rituals related to the belief in the afterlife.