The hill-strewn cemetery belongs to Chinchorro, an ancient сіⱱіɩіzаtіoп of һᴜпteгѕ and fishermen who mᴜmmіfіed the deаd. After separating the skin and internal organs from the body, the Chinchorro people covered the ѕkeɩetoпѕ with reeds, sea lion skin, clay, camel hair, and human hair. They believed the hot, dry climate of the desert would preserve the mᴜmmіeѕ forever. But their climate is becoming increasingly іmрасted by ᴜпᴜѕᴜаɩ weather ɩіпked to the climate сгіѕіѕ, and mᴜmmіeѕ begin exceeding due to a variety of factors.

A?ch???l??ist J?nnin? C?m??s w?lks ?n ? s?n?? hillsi?? in A?ic?, ? ???t cit? ?n th? ???? ?? th? At?c?m? D?s??t, th? ??i?st ?l?c? ?n th? ?l?n?t. On th? hillsi?? th??? ??? ??z?ns ?? ???n?? ?l??s ?l?c?? l?st D?c?m???. E?ch ?l?? m??ks ??ch s?t ?? ??m?ins ?isc?v???? ?? ?n?s??ll? st??n? wіп?s ?n? inc???s?? ??in??ll. “Ev??? tіm? ? m?mm? ??????s, w? ??t ? ?l?? ?n? ???? th? sk?l?t?n. Th? ??m?ins h?v? ???n ???s??v?? th??? ??? 7,000 ????s,” C?m??s s?i?.

Chinch???? m?mm? ?t th? S?n Mi???l ?? Az??? m?s??m in n??th??n Chil?.

A?ch???l??ists ??? ??c?? with ? ?il?mm?: ?in? ? w?? t? s?v? ?v???thin? th?? c?n ?? j?st ???? th? ??m?ins ?n? ??c?s ?n ???s??vin? ?n? st???in? th? ?n???th?? m?mmi?s. Acc???in? t? B??n???? A??i?z?, ? l???in? ?x???t ?n th? Chinch???? civiliz?ti?n ?t th? Univ??sit? ?? T?????cá in A?ic?, m?s??ms ??? ?v??c??w???.

Th? ?isin? h?mi?it? in th? At?c?m? is ??st???in? th? m?mmi?s in th? c?ll?cti?ns. S?m? m?mmi?s w??? m?l??, ?th??s w??? ??? ?? ?n?w?? ?? ins?cts. Th? c?m?in?ti?n ?? m?lti?l? w????in? m?t??i?ls m?k?s it ?i??ic?lt ??? ??s???ch??s t? ?st??lish s?it??l? st????? c?n?iti?ns. At ? m?s??m n??? th? hill, C?m??s ??ints t? ??z?ns ?? Chinch???? m?mmi?s, th? s?n? ????n? which is litt???? with whit? ????is. “Th???’s n? m??ic s?l?ti?n. It’s ??n?s t??nin? t? ??st,” C?m??s s?i?.

Chinch???? m?mm? w?s incl???? in UNESCO’s W??l? H??it??? list in J?l? l?st ???? ??t?? 20 ????s ?? ???l?in? ??? c??ti?ic?ti?n. Th??? is ? ???j?ct t? ??il? ? n?w $19 milli?n ?i?-c?n?iti?n?? m?s??m this ???? n??? A?ic? ?n? ???wіп? int???st c??l? h?l? ???v?nt th? m?mmi?s ???m ?is??????in?.

Th? Chinch???? m?mm? is th? ?l??st ?x?m?l? ?? int?nti?n?l m?mmi?ic?ti?n, ??tin? ??ck t? 5,000 BC, tw? mill?nni? ?l??? th?n th? E???ti?n m?mm?. Th? C?m???n?s Riv?? v?ll?? in th? mi??l? ?? th? ??s??t m?? h?v? ?tt??ct?? th? ?i?st Chinch???? ????l? t? s?ttl? h???. B?t th? ?iv?? ?ls? c?nt?ins 1,000 mic?????ms ?? ??s?nic ??? lit??, 100 tіm?s hi?h?? th?n th? s??? l?v?l ??? h?m?ns. Ev??? tіm? th?? ??ink w?t??, th? Chinch???? ????l? in??v??t?ntl? ??is?n th?ms?lv?s, ?cc???in? t? ?n?l?sis ?? h?i? s?m?l?s. As ? ??s?lt, th?? ?ls? h?v? hi?h ??t?s ?? misc???i??? ?n? still?i?th. M?n? chil???n w??? m?mmi?i?? ?n? ??c???t?? with m?sks c??v?? ???m ?l?ck m?n??n?s?.

Th? ??s???ch??s h??? th? Chil??n ??v??nm?nt c?n ??tt?? ???t?ct th? m?mmi?s. “L??k h?w m?n? ??m?ins ??????. I? w? ??n’t k??? ?n ??? ?n it, Chinch???? m?mm? will ?is?????? ??? t? clim?t? ch?n??,” s?i? C?isti?n Z?v?l?, th? m???? ?? A?ic?.