Around China: Archaeologists strip Xinjiang mummies to save ancient clothing (2)

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Laboratory tests confirmed the mummies were from the Western Han Dynasty period, dating back between 2,200 and 2,500 years.

Xu said the four mummified bodies were packed together over thousands of years of floods and mudslides, which made it difficult to remove their clothes.

Wang Ziqiang, archaeologist with the China National Silk Museum, said that as time went by, the clothes had to be taken off, or else they would decay with the mummies.

Wang said the clothes remained intact thanks to the climate and geographical features of Xinjiang.

Xinjiang is known for its dry climate and sandy landforms.

Ancient corpses from different dynasties dehydrated quickly and were therefore mummified naturally. The oldest mummy discovered so far dates back to 3,200 years ago.

He said the mummies had badly decayed into pieces, with only messy skulls and backbones left, and further damage would occur if protective measures were not taken.

"We have to separate the outfits from the mummies before there is nothing left," he said.

Archaeologists said that, in addition to preserving the clothing, the undressing work would help them learn more through future research about the clothing of the period, spinning and dyeing techniques, the culture of Turpan and the civilization of the ancient western regions.

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