Overview
- Researchers assembled data from up to 95 archaeological sites across the region, identifying heat exposure and soot on human remains consistent with pre‑burial drying.
- Many bodies were tightly bound in a compact crouched posture, with cut marks indicating manipulation to bend limbs or drain fluids and occasional removal of small tissue pieces.
- Radiocarbon results place several specimens beyond 9,000–10,000 years, with some reports near 14,000 years, though the oldest claimed ages require targeted confirmation.
- Infrared spectroscopy and X‑ray diffraction detected low‑temperature alterations, while largely intact skeletons suggest treatment intended to conserve rather than cremate.
- Independent experts note that some traces could reflect higher‑temperature burning, calling for additional direct dating and experimental taphonomic analyses to refine the interpretation.