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The surprising origins of the Tarim Basin mummies

Genomic study reveals an indigenous Bronze Age population that was genetically isolated but culturally cosmopolitan

In a new study, an international team of researchers has determined the genetic origins of Asia’s most enigmatic mummies - the Tarim Basin mummies in western China. Once thought to be Indo-European speaking migrants from the West, the Bronze Age Tarim Basin mummies are revealed to be a local indigenous population with deep Asian roots and taste for far-flung cuisine.

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© Wenying Li, Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology