Mummies, as the name implies, are mummies. Usually, after death, cells in the body will begin their autolysis process, and lysosomes in the cells will release various proteolytic enzymes, gradually degrading biological macromolecules into small molecules. In addition to this autolysis process, it will be naturally decomposed by various corruptions, which is a natural process. However, the mummy violated this natural process and did not rot. Instead, it is presented to people in the form of mummies. Mummies are characterized by: "the whole body is gloomy, the flesh is dry and close to the bones, and the abdomen is low." Classification 1. Artificial mummies are mummies, which are generally reported abroad. After death, they were treated: the mummy cut open the body cavity, took out the internal organs, watered the body with hot-melt rosin, and wrapped it with cloth soaked in rosin. There are rosin in the skull and mastoid cavity of the unearthed mummy. This should belong to artificial mummies. For example, after the death of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt, mummies were artificially dehydrated and treated with resin spices. The other is a mummy found in China's coffin. Mainly due to the topography of Gao Shuang cemetery, the groundwater level is low, and the coffin and grave are highly sealed, so the coffin does not leak, so it is not affected by groundwater and humidity. However, the process of corruption and oxidation in the coffin consumes the remaining oxygen, forming an anoxic environment; Coupled with the decomposition products and some substances of the corpse tissue, it is not conducive to the growth and reproduction of corrupt bacteria, and the corruption of the corpse gradually stops. The water of the corpse seeps out of the body and is absorbed by water-absorbing substances such as rush, charcoal and lime stored in the coffin or coffin, and the corpse gradually melts to form a mummy. Therefore, it can be considered that all mummies formed after artificial treatment such as antisepsis, organ removal, rosin pouring or putting water-absorbing substances in the coffin are called artificial mummies before burial. Second, natural mummies refer to those mummies that have not been artificially treated and are naturally formed due to the dehydration of the corpse caused by the dry burial environment. For example, the body discovered in Loulan, Xinjiang, was covered with coarse woolen cloth and sheepskin, with a layer of dry branches and sand on it, and there was no sealed coffin. Therefore, the body can be exposed to the air circulating outside. In the hot and dry desert, the water in the body evaporates rapidly, which is extremely unfavorable to the growth and reproduction of bacteria. Even organizations that have begun to corrupt will gradually slow down their corruption process. Under the electron microscope, a large number of bacteria or bacterial bud structures were observed in skin, cartilage, rhabdomyosarcoma, kidney, intestine and other tissues, which was enough to explain the process of bacterial reproduction in the deceased. The autolysis and decomposition interaction between these bacteria and human tissues has damaged some tissues and organs to some extent. However, due to the influence of dry and hot environment, the water content of the corpse decreased rapidly, and the growth of bacteria and the corruption of the corpse tissue were quickly suppressed, which is also an important reason for the preservation of Loulan ancient corpse. Another example is the body discovered in Hami, which is similar to the body discovered in Loulan. Its burial place is a remote oasis on the Gobi Desert. Low-lying, only 200 meters above sea level, surrounded by a Gobi desert, the climate is particularly dry, known as the "Turpan of Hami". The average annual rainfall in Hami County is only 34. 1mm, and the average annual humidity is 40% ~ 50%. It can be seen that the environment where the tomb is located is very dry. The tombs and burial rooms found in Hami's body are very simple, the top of the tomb is sealed with shallow soil, and the burial utensils are not sealed. These factors will lead to the contact between the body and the air circulating outside, and the water in the body will evaporate quickly in an extremely dry environment. At the same time, it also inhibited the reproduction of bacteria, and the corpse stopped rotting and was well preserved. Photo: At a press conference last week, German archaeologists announced that the body of a girl who was mistakenly thought to have died due to careless play was actually the oldest and best-preserved mummy in Germany [1]. Causes and Conditions Mummies require extremely special climatic conditions. In a particularly dry or airless place, it is difficult for bacteria and microorganisms to survive, so that the corpse will quickly dehydrate and become a "mummy". Although Mawangdui mummy is located in a humid environment, there is a lot of charcoal next to the corpse to dry it, and the coffin and grave are sealed tightly with lime, so it is difficult for external water vapor to enter. Xinjiang mummies are located in a dry and high-temperature desert, and the corpses can be dehydrated and dried in the natural state. The origin of Shaolin monk mummies is similar to Mawangdui mummies. However, it is reported that monks will eat some toxic substances before sitting (dying) to prevent the body from rotting after death, which is a bit like self-mutilation.