The Tarim Mummies

The Tarim mummies are a series of mummified human corpses discovered in the Tarim Basin in present day Xinjiang, China.

The Takla Makan desert in China

There are many mysteries surrounding these mummies, not the least of which is the ethnicity or racial origin of the mummies, who clearly seem to have reddish-brown hair and some of whom are wearing material similar to tartan.

One of the Tarim Mummies found in China, showing the reddish-brown hair and tartan material.

The bodies date from around 1800 BC, and are well preserved, perhaps even better preserved than many of the Egyptian mummies. The mummies represent an important find, and this discovery opens up many questions about the migration of different cultures and races throughout human history.