While most people know of the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification, the process can occur naturally. It’s rare, but every so often, a corpse will lay in the right conditions, and many years later, they’re found.

These naturally-occurring mummies have revealed numerous details about the lives these people led, and they are often thousands of years old. These ten mummies were found throughout the world, and they all had a story to tell.

Top 10 Remarkable Moments Involving Mummies

10 “Sleeping Beauty”

In 2018, a young woman’s body was found beneath a Russian reservoir, and it is believed she had been resting there for 2,000 years. The woman, who archaeologists have since dubbed “Sleeping Beauty,” was found with several interesting items, and she was wearing a silk skirt.

She held a pouch of pine nuts, and because her tomb was made entirely of stone, parts of her body didn’t decompose. Instead, it was mummified, leaving much of her corpse and her belongings for researchers to find.

Several high-value items were found within the tomb, including a beaded belt, a gemstone buckle, a Chinese-style mirror, and a make-up box. The scientists who worked on the site speculated that she might have been a young “Hun woman” who was likely a noblewoman.

Her remains were found along Yenisei River’s shoreline after a hydroelectric dam upriver caused a significant drop in water level. Archaeologist Dr. Marina Kilunovskaya, from St Petersburg’s Institute of History of Material Culture, explained that “The lower part of the body was especially well preserved. This is not a classic mummy—in this case, the burial was tightly closed with a stone lid, enabling a process of natural mummification.”^[1]

9 The Mummies Of Llullaillaco

Three children were found in a remarkably well-preserved mummified state atop the summit of Llullaillaco volcano in Argentina. The children have since been dubbed the “Maiden,” “Llullaillaco Boy,” and “Lightning Girl.” The Maiden was around 13-years-old while her companions were believed to be between four and five.

The children were the victims of human sacrifice and are around 500-years-old. What’s incredibly fascinating about these mummies is that evidence of their being drugged was found. This was done as part of a year-long series of ceremonies leading up to their sacrifice.

The discovery was made when scientists analyzed hair samples from the children. This revealed that they had been given coca leaves and beer. Additionally, their diet consisted of mostly vegetables, but shortly before their deaths, they ate the food of the elite.

The children’s bodies and clothing were incredibly well-preserved, thanks to the freezing temperatures and dry air found atop the mountain. While they aren’t the only Incan mummies found over the years, they are the most well-preserved.

This has helped archaeologists confirm historical accounts of human sacrifice by analyzing how the children were treated, how they died, and what they ate shortly before their deaths.^[2][3]

8 The Inuit Baby Of Qilakitsoq

In the 1980’s six women, a two-year-old boy, and a baby boy, were found when two brothers were hiking near the abandoned Inuit settlement, Qilakitsoq. They were found entirely by accident when they found a stack of rocks.

While the bodies were all mummified, the baby was, by far, the most interesting of the bodies. When he was first unearthed, it was believed to be a doll, but a closer look revealed the body to be that of a small child of around six-months-old.

An analysis of the body revealed that the child was buried alive — likely due to his mother’s death, leaving no one who could care for him. The bodies were found in two separate graves, which consisted of the corpses stacked atop one another, separated by animal skins.

The two-year-old boy was found to have Down’s Syndrome and was likely left to die of exposure due to his condition. This was a common practice among the Inuit at the time, as resources couldn’t be spent on anyone incapable of contributing food, clothing, or shelter.^[4]

7 Cashel Man

Bog bodies are corpses that have been discovered in peat bogs, which naturally mummify their bodies. The highly acidic water, low temperature, and minimal oxygen preserve bodies in various states. Some are skeletonized while others retain their skin and internal organs, though their bones are often partially dissolved.

Bog bodies have been found from a wide range of time periods across Europe, but the oldest one found to date is Cashel Man, who died around 4,000 years ago in 2000 B.C. The fleshed body showed signs of a violent demise, as his spine was shattered in two places, he had a broken arm, and was hit with an axe in his back several times.

Based on where he was found and the severity of his killing, Archaeologist Eamonn Kelly of the National Museum of Ireland believes that he was killed in the act of sacrifice. At the time of his death, it was common to sacrifice young men as a ritual connected with kingship.

Cashel Man was between 20 and 25-years old, and he was intentionally covered with peat following his death. He was found when a peat milling machine partially unearthed him in 2011 at Cashel bog.^[5][6]

6 The Ice Maiden

Between 1450 and 1480, a young girl of 12 to 15 was sacrificed as an offering to the Incan gods. Her body was found in 1995 atop Mount Ampato in southern Peru, where she was preserved via the freezing temperatures and dry air.

The body was entirely frozen when she was found, which preserved her body and her garments. Her skin, tissues, organs, blood, hair, and stomach contents were all well-preserved. This made it possible to analyze her in such a way as to offer up a rare glimpse into Incan culture during her lifetime.

A scan revealed that she ate a meal of vegetables about six to eight hours before her death. She was wrapped in a burial tapestry, and her head was adorned with a cap made from the feathers of a red macaw. She was fully clothed, and her garments suggest that she was from the capital city of Cusco.

An analysis of the body indicated she was killed by blunt trauma to the head, which was the normal means of sacrificing children at the time. You can see the Ice Maiden (also called “Momia Juanita”) at the Catholic University of Santa María’s Museum of Andean Sanctuaries in Arequipa, Peru, where she’s been displayed since 1996.^[7][8]

10 Intriguing Discoveries Found Inside Mummies

5 The Saltmen

Between 1993 and 2010, the remains of six men had been discovered in the Chehrabad salt mines of Iran. The men were killed when the mine shaft they were working in collapsed. Interestingly, the six men didn’t die at the same time. Three dated to sometime between 247 B.C. and 651 A.D. while the rest died sometime between 550 and 330 B.C.

The bodies were preserved, primarily due to the desiccating nature of the salt that entombed them. Their bodies were severely damaged by the collapses that killed them, but what remained was mummified and preserved. After testing the hair of a 1,700-year-old mummy, it was determined that one man had type B+ blood.

Another was found to have tapeworm eggs in his intestine. This suggests that the man ate raw or undercooked meat and is the oldest known evidence of an ancient intestinal parasite in Iran.

The bodies were found with three iron knives, a woolen half-trouser, a length of leather rope, pottery shards, a silver needle, a walnut, and a grindstone. The head and left shoe (with the leg inside) of Salt Man 1 is on display at the National Museum of Iran in Tehran.^[9][10]

4 Spirit Cave Man

The oldest human mummy found in North America was discovered in 1949 in Spirit Cave outside of Fallon, Nevada. Spirit Cave Man is believed to have died around 7430 B.C., making him the oldest naturally mummified corpse ever found at around 9,400 years old.

The body was found within the cave by employees working for the Nevada State Parks Commission while surveying potential archaeological sites at risk to guano mining. The body was wrapped in tule matting and was wearing moccasins. Before his death, which was likely due to a skull fracture or abscessed teeth, he was wrapped in a rabbit-skin blanket.

When the body was discovered, it was mistakenly identified as being between 1,500 and 2,000 years old due to how well the remains were preserved. It was deposited at the Nevada State Museum’s storage facility in Caston City, where it remained for half-a-century.^[11]

In 1997, the remains were analyzed using mass spectrometry, which indicated the body’s real age. By 2016, litigation resulted in the return of the remains to the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, which was found to be the ancestral family of Spirit Cave Man. Once reclaimed, the tribe reburied them in line with its customs.^[12]

3 Ginger

Mummification is often associated with ancient Egypt due to the advanced techniques developed by the civilization. That advancement took time, and before the process was fully developed, bodies were buried in such a way as to take advantage of the environment with the goal of preserving them.

A mummy found in 1896 is the first predynastic mummy found at Gebelein, Egypt. He is known as Gebelein Man, but due to the presence of red hair atop his head, he’s earned the nickname “Ginger.”

Ginger was between 18 and 21 at the time of his death (3351 to 3017 B.C.), which dates to the Late Predynastic period. His body was placed in the fetal position in a shallow grave, which kept it in contact with hot, dry sand. Sand in Egypt contains naturally occurring natron, allowing the absorption the body’s water, desiccating it.

This preserved him through natural mummification, though it’s possible he was buried in an effort to make this happen, as artificial mummification means were, as yet, undeveloped at the time.

An analysis of the body, which has been on display at the British Museum since 1900, indicated he had tattoos and was murdered. He was likely stabbed in the back by a flint or copper blade, measuring at least five inches in length.^[13][14]

2 Tollund Man

When he was found in 1950, Tollund Man’s features were so well preserved, he was believed to be a recent murder victim. In reality, he lived during the 4th century B.C. in Scandinavia. He is one of the most well-preserved bog bodies ever found.

Tollund Man was found in the Bjældskovdal peat bog under six feet (2 meters) of peat. He was found in the fetal position and was wearing a pointed sheepskin and wool cap, which was fastened under his chin. He was also wearing a hide belt and thong, but most interesting was the noose made of animal hide drawn tightly around his neck.

While much of Tollund Man’s body showed signs of decay despite his mummification, his head was remarkably undamaged. His facial features are striking, as few mummies are ever preserved well enough to make them out in such detail.

Tollund Man’s final meal consisted of porridge made from seeds and grains. He ate between 12 and 24 hours before his death by hanging, likely done for sacrificial purposes. He is on display at the Silkeborg Museum in Denmark, though only his head is original. The body wasn’t preserved in the 1950s, so it has been reconstructed for the museum’s display.^[15]

1 Ötzi

Ötzi “The Iceman” was found in the Ötzal Alps in 1991 and was dated between 3400 and 3100 B.C. Ötzi’s body has been preserved, thanks to the extreme cold, which helped scientists determine that he was likely murdered.

An arrowhead was found in his left shoulder, which would have proven fatal. Ötzi is the oldest natural human mummy ever found in Europe. Because he was so well preserved, he’s offered a great deal of insight into Chalcolithic Europe.

His stomach contents revealed the presence of ibex meat, which he likely dined on only hours before his death. His intestines revealed the presence of red deer, herb bread, and chamois meat. He also had a whipworm infestation and was sick months before his death.

Ötzi had 61 tattoos from head to foot at the time of his death. He was found with a cloak, coat, belt, leggings, a loincloth, and shoes — all made from different leathers. The complexity of the shoes, which were somewhat waterproof, suggests the existence of cobblers during the Copper Age.

Even more fascinating is Ötzi’a DNA, which revealed the existence of 19 genetic relatives via the presence of a rare mutation, G-L91. “The Iceman and those 19 share a common ancestor, who may have lived 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.”^[16][17]

10 Facts About Ancient Egyptian Mummies You Didn’t Know

The world is full of unnatural things that humans have created for better or worse reasons. We make plastic; we make Pepsi; we make poisons. Some of the unnatural substances we create make the world a better place, like medicines. Others, like your average chemical or nuclear weapon, are devastating. Good or bad, however, there are a number of things that it really seems like humans made on their own which actually do occur in nature without our help at all, even if it’s pretty rare. 

10. The Drug GHB Is Made In Your Brain

GHB, or gamma-hydroxybutyrate, has been a fairly well known party drug for some years now. It produces a sense of euphoria and overall good feelings, at least with careful dosing. It’s also used to treat conditions like narcolepsy and even alcoholism.  That said, one of the biggest dangers with GHB is that it can also cause extreme drowsiness, memory loss, unconsciousness and muscle control problems. For those reasons it has also been nefariously used as a date rape drug. 

Despite all the effects and dangers associated with GHB, it can also be lethal in high enough doses, it’s not just some lab creation from a mad scientist. Your body naturally produces GHB in small amounts. It’s produced in your brain through the synthesis of the neurotransmitter GABA. You can find it in your hypothalamus, thalamus and other portions of the brain where it still works as a depressant, just a natural one. 

9. MSG Occurs Naturally in Many Foods

For many years, no food additive was more maligned than monosodium glutamate. Most frequently associated with Chinese food, there was a long campaign against the flavor enhancers as being a dangerous, processed additive that could cause terrible health problems which included headaches and cancer. 

There’s no actual evidence that MSG causes any significant health issues. A lot of the MSG backlash may have actually been based on little more than racism, especially since there was even something called “Chinese restaurant syndrome” which allegedly gave people issues after eating foods prepared with MSG in Asian restaurants. 

What many people lamenting MSG likely never realized was that, despite the chemical-sounding name, it was still a natural product. MSG is found naturally in many foods ranging from cheese to tomatoes. It was initially derived from seaweed. 

The FDA lists MSG as generally safe to eat and has pointed out that, even with people who label themselves as sensitive to MSG, in clinical testing there are no differences between those who consume MSG and those who have a placebo. 

8. Carbonated Water Occurs In Some Springs

SodaStream hit the market a few years ago, giving people the option to make carbonated drinks right at home with just a bottle of water and whatever flavoring they wanted. They’ve also tried to push the idea that their product is healthy because it can give you plain, calorie-free sparkling water just as easily, no need for sugar or chemical flavorings. 

The average American drinks just under 43 gallons of soda per year, so there’s clearly a love of carbonated beverages out there. And while Coca-Cola and Pepsi are making a killing off of what they sell, carbonated water is by no means a product that was just concocted to make drinks more of a novelty. It happens in nature all on its own.

Carbonated water is what you get when you manage to combine CO2 and water. Out in the wild, when volcanic gasses dissolve naturally in water it creates the same fizz you’d get if you forced those gasses into the water with your SodaStream. The major difference is that, a naturally carbonated spring, would likely be very mineral rich as well. 

7. Nuclear Fission Reactors Can Occur in Nature

Of all the things that man has done in the world, it seems like splitting the atom and creating a fission reactor would have to be one of the most unnatural, and yet here we are. Make no mistake, this is incredibly rare and significantly different from what humans can do with a controlled reaction in a planned out nuclear power plant. That said, when you look at the nuts and bolts of it, a nuclear fission reaction can play out in the wild in a similar way to what happens in a reactor. 

Gabon, Africa is famous for once being home to naturally occurring fission reactors some two billion years ago. There were 17 of them in Gabon and their output was very small compared to a modern reactor, around 100 kilowatts. The conditions that allowed the reaction to occur were incredibly rare and precise and required uranium of the right kind to allow for spontaneous fission, plus precise conditions to hold but not interfere with such a reaction, and a moderator to slow down the neutrons. Despite the odds against all of those conditions being met, Gabon proved to have everything in the right place at the right time. The reactors likely ran for a million years, and the waste material managed to be safely stored in the earth.

6. Asphalt Forms Naturally in Tar Pits

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about paving? The US produces about 350 million metric tons of asphalt every year. Over 94% of America’s 2.6 million miles of road are paved, so there’s lots of need for the stuff. And, as luck would have it, it doesn’t need to be produced in a factory. Asphalt is produced in nature and people have been using it as far back as ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Places like Pitch Lake in Trinidad are natural lakes full of asphalt and tar. Ten million tons of the stuff have been mined from the lake since 1867. The asphalt is used all around the world for paving but mining has greatly decreased. This is due, in part, because asphalt is the most recycled product in America. Nearly 70 million tons of it was reclaimed in 2013 alone and almost all of it was recycled and reused. 

5. Antimatter is Made in Bananas

Few things sound more like science fiction than the concept of antimatter. It’s matter, but somehow the opposite, and if matter and antimatter collide, then both will be destroyed. Yes, the science is a lot more complex, but that’s pretty crazy stuff no matter how you slice it. And even more crazy is that antimatter is being on Earth, right this second, and maybe sometimes you even eat it because it’s made by bananas.

Bananas are known for being a good source of potassium but not all potassium is created equal. Potassium-40, an unstable isotope, degrades slowly over time and part of that degradation involves releasing antimatter in the form of positrons. A single banana will release a positron every 75 minutes, more or less. 

The positrons emitted are likely destroyed almost instantaneously when they hit a random electron, but there’s a chance that means they’re emitting photos as well, so there could be tiny, technically visible antimatter explosions around your banana bowl all the time. The numbers are extremely low, in case you’re worried, and can’t pose a threat. 

4. ElectroMagnetic Fields Occur in Oil Pipelines

We know that the Earth has a magnetic field and so do, you know, magnets. So the idea of a natural magnetic field on its own isn’t unusual or unexpected. That said, a natural electromagnetic field and electrical currents forming in oil pipelines does sound unusual. Despite that, it’s a natural phenomenon and sometimes an unintended consequence of how oil pipelines are made and laid out.

Some companies currently offer solutions to demagnetize pipeline as the problem can make welding nearly impossible. But already produced pipelines also have a problem of becoming magnetized and carrying current thanks to conditions like auroral electrojet in the ionosphere, a current that flows above the North Polar region. There’s an electrojet at the South Pole and around the equator, as well. During periods of moderate electromagnetic activity, a current of 50 amps was measured in the Alaskan pipeline. 

3. Eternal Flames Occur Naturally All Over the World

The concept of a universal flame is actually very common. They exist in countries all over the world, usually built and lit as a tribute or monument to something. In Canada, the Flame of Hope was lit in 1989 by Queen Elizabeth with the intention of burning until diabetes is cured. In 1993, Bill Clinton lit one at the United States Holocaust Museum. Belarus has one that was lit back in 1961.

While many of these flames have actually gone out accidentally or, sometimes, been snuffed out intentionally, they were all designed to keep burning so long as someone pays the gas bill. But nature has its own set of eternal flames all around the world that occur thanks to natural gas deposits. 

Erie County, New York has a famous eternal flame at Eternal Flame Falls. To be fair, the flame does go out sometimes since it’s right under a waterfall and people do need to relight it now and then. It’s also a bit of a mystery how that particular eternal flame even exists as the rock in the area isn’t hot enough to have produced the conditions needed, at least as far as we understand how these things work, which means something else produced the gas deposit somehow. 

2. Mechanical Gears Exist in Insects

A gear seems like a simple and utterly fabricated thing. We can trace gears back to the third century in Europe and even earlier in China and the innovation has allowed for some amazing inventions up to the present day including clocks and mills and far more complicated machines.

As remarkable yet seemingly simple as a gear it, it does seem wholly manufactured. You need to cut pieces to fit together in a way that allows for movement and function. It was surprising to learn that nature has created its own gears, something scientists reported in 2013.

A tiny insect called Issus coleoptratus is just three millimeters long and gets around by hopping about. The mechanism that allows them to jump is not the same as what you’d find in a grasshopper, though. Instead, the rear legs of this remarkable creature have naturally formed mechanical gears that allow the legs to lock and rotate as one, then propel the little creature forward. 

To succeed at jumping, the action needs to be precisely coordinated between both legs. The insect is able to launch both legs within 30 microseconds, or 30 millionths of a second. The bug’s brain is not even advanced enough to do that, so instead its skeleton does it automatically, providing the gears to make it happen as it needs to happen. 

1. Benzos/Valium Occur Naturally in Many Staple Crops

Benzodiazepine, sometimes called benzos, are depressant drugs used as sedatives. They can be used as sleeping pills or sedatives and sometimes they are prescribed for anxiety disorders as well. The drugs were hugely popular and, by 1977, benzodiazepines were the most prescribed drugs in the world. People were using them to treat alcohol withdrawal, as a surgical preparation, and for muscle spasms. 

The drugs were gradually replaced with more modern medications that were considered less harmful, at least at the time. Not that benzos no longer exist, they’re just far less popular. But you can also get a natural hit of the drugs and research indicates mammalian brains contain natural amounts of the drugs. 

Turns out, potatoes and wheat both produce substances that are extremely similar, chemically speaking, to benzos as well as others like diazepam, better known as Valium, and lorazepam, better known as Ativan.