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The state of preservation of the male mummy which was brought to Las Vegas to be examined at the university of Nevada was relatively poor when compared to other mummies we have studied. In fact, we were amazed that any tissue remained when you consider the burial conditions – at the Chinese cemetery where he was found, all the other remains were skeletons.
The rate of decomposition of human bodies varies greatly and depends on factors such as soil type, time of year of burial, local insect populations, local weather patterns and underground water drainage. In this case, coffins adjacent to the mummy held only skeletons, yet the remains of this individual were partially preserved. This allowed us to unravel the mystery of who he was.
Examining the soft tissue, and his hair, we were able to determine that he was probably a miner, rather than, say, a railway worker. He had a broken upper arm bone. The break had healed but had not been set very well. Usually, healed fractures of long bones or ribs suggest that the individual had a difficult life, fraught with hazards. The Las Vegas mummy clearly led a life of labour.
This case also exemplifies the necessity of using every available clue. Although his trousers had pretty much disappeared, we found several denim jean rivets. The crotch rivets were of particular interest since the Levi company stopped putting these on jeans in the late 19th century (cowboys sitting near campfires complained of rivet burns in sensitive areas). Our mummy was wearing jeans at the time of burial, and we believe that he was Chinese because the cemetery held only Chinese; he was buried in a Chinese-style jacket; he had a very long thin ponytail, and his skeletal features appear to be Asian.
Mummy Road Show – introduction
Graphic version
Includes layout and images.