Saturday, February 05, 2011

China's mummy goes missing

Mummies discovered in western China some years back were dated to 4,000 years B.P. They were remarkably preserved, but the stunning thing was that some had Caucasian features. To this day archaeologists debate where these people came from. The most famous of all was a woman, auburn hair still intact, who toured with an exhibit that went to major American museums. Now the "Beauty of Xiaohe" has been pulled back mid-tour by Chinese officials and sent home. The Chinese are not explaining, leaving Americans to speculate that someone decided the politics of Caucasian settlers in ancient China was politically touchy. The exhibition, minus its star, goes on.
COMMENT: There seems no reason for China to be so sensitive about a mysterious but not major detail of its rich history. It's not like anyone was claiming Western influence for ancient Chinese accomplishments in science, technology, and exploration.

No comments: