Mummification May Be Caused Unintentionally by Natural Conditions

Mummification is a natural process that can take place. This is most common in freezing temperatures, such as those found in glaciers; highly arid conditions, such as those found in deserts; or anaerobic environments, such as those found in bogs.

Because these conditions are unsuitable for bacteria to flourish, decomposition does not occur. Natural mummification can also occur as a result of unintentional chemical exposure, which dries the body and prevents bacteria from forming.

Mummies made of natural materials have been discovered all over the world. Natural mummification was used to create the oldest mummy ever discovered in North America, which was discovered near Fallon, Nevada. It was discovered wrapped in a Tule mat in a small burial and preserved by the cave's dry atmosphere and rarefied air. The individual was discovered in 1940 and was originally thought to be between 1,500 and 2,000 years old, but was later radiocarbon dated in the 1990s and found to be over 10,000 years old, according to Live Science.

Another well-known naturally preserved mummy is Ötzi the Iceman, who lived around 5,300 years ago and is the oldest known in Europe. Ötzi's body was preserved in the snow and ice after he was slain in what is now the Italian Alps, until travelers discovered his bones in 1991.