Andean Mummified Head
Dated 6'000 Years Old

Léo DUBAL
 Virtual Laboratory for Archaeometry 
 dubal @ archaeometry.org

Introduction

A well preserved naturally mummified human head has been found in 1936
 by Justiniano TORRES APARICIO, MD and folkmusic composer.
with two other mummies at the site of Inca Cueva #4, level 1A,
at 3680 m.o.s.l., in the Quebrada of Chulin (Prov.of Jujuy, Argentina)
A sample of temporal skin from the head of Chulina 
has been radiocarbon dated at the AMS Radiocarbon Laboratory
of the Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zürich.
The age of this paleoandean head is 5'260 ± 50 year BP, i.e., older than 
Ötzi (the paleoalpine mummy found in Ötztal), by 724 ± 53 year BP.
 

The sample of left temporal skin on millimetric paper (Photo: L. Dubal)

This sample was been carefully collected at the
 Museo J. TORRES APARICIO in Humahuaca (Prov. Jujuy, Argentina),
on the "Cabeza J.T.A.-240"

The naturally mummified human head labelled J.T.A.-240
in the Museum TORRES APARICIO (Photo: L. Dubal)

Let us remark that, the three mummies found by J. TORRES APARICIO
were  desiccated naturally, and therefore suitable to be radiocarbon dated.
(to the contrary, a radiocarbon dating of the embalmed 
Egyptians mummies would be meaningless).