Xin Zhui, also known as Lady Dai, is a mummified woman from China’s Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) who is still soft to the touch, has natural hair, and has ligaments that still bend, much like a living person. She is more than 2,000 years old. She is regarded as the most expertly preserved human mummy in recorded history. This is her incredible tale.
The Shocking Discovery Of Xin Zhui, The “Lady Dai” Mummy
When workers were excavating close to an air raid shelter outside of Changsha in 1971, they almost literally stumbled upon Xin Zhui’s enormous tomb. More than 1,000 priceless artifacts, including make-up, toiletries, hundreds of pieces of lacquerware, and 162 carved wooden figures that represented her staff of servants, were kept in her funnel-shaped crypt. Even a meal was prepared for Xin Zhui to eat in the afterlife.
While the intricate structure was impressive and had remained intact for almost two thousand years, what really astounded researchers was Xin Zhui’s physical state.
When she was discovered, it was discovered that she had retained the skin of a living person, which was still supple and elastic to the touch. Her original hair, including that on her head and inside of her nostrils, as well as her eyebrows and eyelashes, were discovered to be in tact.
Baffled Researchers Begin Studying The World’s Best-Preserved Mummy
She died in 163 BC, so scientists were able to perform an autopsy, during which they found that her 2,000-year-old body was in comparable condition to someone who had just passed away.
But as soon as the oxygen in the air touched Xin Zhui’s body, her preserved corpse was compromised, and she started to deteriorate. As a result, the pictures of Xin Zhui that we currently possess do not do its initial discovery justice.
Researchers also discovered that she had all of her organs, and that type-A blood was still present in her veins. Her official cause of death—a heart attack—was revealed by the presence of clots in these veins.
Gallstones, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and liver disease were among the additional illnesses that were discovered throughout Xin Zhui’s body.
Pathologists even discovered 138 undigested melon seeds in Lady Dai’s stomach and intestines while examining her. It was safe to assume that the melon was her final meal, consumed just before the heart attack that ultimately claimed her life, as such seeds typically take an hour to digest.
How Is Xin Zhui’s Lady Dai Mummy So Well-Preserved?
Researchers give credit to Lady Dai’s elaborate and airtight tomb. Xin Zhui was buried almost 40 feet underground, inside the smallest of four pine box coffins, each one set inside the other (imagine a Matryoshka set, where the dead body of an ancient Chinese mummy is revealed once you reach the smallest doll).
Her body was discovered in 21 gallons of a “unknown liquid” that was tested and found to be mildly acidic and contain traces of magnesium while being wrapped in twenty layers of silk fabric.
Her eternal chamber was sealed with clay and packed with moisture-absorbing charcoal to keep out oxygen and bacteria that cause decay. A thick layer of paste-like soil covered the floor. After that, three more feet of clay were used to seal the top, keeping water from entering the building.
The search for immortality
The ancient Chinese had a fascination with the afterlife.
It was crucial for them to keep the body as intact as possible in order to enter the underworld.
After she passed away, the body of Xin Zhui was cleaned with wine and flagrant water, both of which have antibacterial properties that prevent the body from decomposing.
Twenty layers of clothing were tightly layered around the body. The corpse was buried in an airtight casket. A second airtight coffin was then placed inside the coffin. There were four coffins surrounding one another.
The Xin Zhui’s coffins were the equivalent of a Russian nesting doll.
The coffin was buried 12 meters (40 feet) underground, in a place with a constant, cool temperature. A layer of white clay and charcoal that was 3 feet thick (1 meter) served as the coffin’s protective covering.
The body was discovered floating in an unidentified translucent liquid by the scientists when they opened the innermost coffin.
Scientists were unable to determine what kind of liquid it was; all they knew about it was that it was acidic. However, the scientists who touched the substance endured months of hand rashes.
Who Was Xin Zhui Before She Became The Mummy We Know Today?
In contrast to her burial and death, we know relatively little about Xin Zhui’s life.
Li Cang (the Marquis of Dai), a prominent Han official, was married to Lady Dai, who passed away at the young age of 50 due to her penchant for excess. Her fatal cardiac arrest was thought to have been caused by a lifetime of obesity, a lack of exercise, and a lavish and too much diet.
She may still have the best-preserved corpse in history, though. The primary subject of their research into corpse preservation is Xin Zhui, who is currently kept in the Hunan Provincial Museum.
Atomic Tourism: In the 1950s, nuclear tests in Las Vegas served as a draw for tourists
Between 1950 and 1960, Las Vegas offered “Atomic Tourism” in which guests could watch atomic bombs being tested in the desert as a form of entertainment.
Marion Stokes recorded 30 years of television
Marion Stokes, a Philadelphia woman began taping whatever was on television in 1979 and didn’t stop until her death in 2012. The 71,000 VHS and Betamax tapes she made are the most complete collection preserving this era of TV. They are being digitized by the Internet Archive.
Hedy Lamarr, A Hollywood actress who also a mathematician and inventor
Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr was also a mathematician and the inventor of frequency hopping spread spectrum, a technology still used for bluetooth and wifi
The history of Flour sack clothing fashion
After Kansas mill owners found women reused flour sack materials into apparel in the 1920s and 1930s, they started applying patterned designs to give families with more fashionable patterns and material.
How European Rabbits Took over Australia
In 1859, wealthy settler Thomas Austin released 13 wild rabbits on his Australian estate. By 1920, their population grew to 10 billion.
Philippines, the largest supplier of Nurses in the World
Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of nurses, supplying roughly 25% of all overseas nurses worldwide.
Nearest Green, America's first known Black master distiller
Nathan "Nearest" Green was an African-American head stiller who is now more frequently referred to as a master distiller. He was renowned for imparting his distilling knowledge to Jack Daniel, the creator of Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distiller, after Jack Daniel was freed from slavery following the American Civil War.
The incredible story of Julia "Butterfly" Hill and her legacy
American environmental activist Julia “Butterfly” Hill lived in a 1500-year-old California Redwood tree for 738 days to prevent it from being cut down by the Pacific Lumber Company. The Simpson’s episode “Lisa the Tree Hugger” was inspired by Hill’s story.
How Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece
A Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece but people weren’t interested so he put armed guards in front of shipments of potatoes so people would think they were important. People later started stealing these potatoes a lot which spread the crop to all of Greece.
Keith Sapsford: The Story of 14-Year-Old Stowaway
The final image of 14-year-old Australian Keith Sapsford, who aspired to travel the world. In February 1970, he sneaked into the wheel-well of a plane flying from Sydney to Tokyo. It opened mid-air & fell out. When a photographer was testing a new lens, he captured this moment on film and was surprised when it developed.
Thomas Baker's heroic act that earned him the "Medal of Honor" was 8 bullets until death
Thomas Baker instructed his team to leave him with a pistol and eight bullets propped up against a tree after he was injured. Later, American troops discovered the now-deceased Baker in the same location, lying next to eight dead Japanese soldiers and carrying an empty pistol.
Roller Coasters were First Invented to Distract People from sin
Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin. In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson didn’t like that Americans were going to places like saloons and brothels and created the first roller coaster on Coney Island to persuade them to go there instead.
Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident: Enemy became friends
During WWII, a German pilot spotted an American pilot’s crippled plane in the sky. Tailing it, he noticed that gunner was dead, crew injured, and they posed no threat. Instead of destroying the plane, he led it to safety. 40 years later, the two pilots reunited.
The 1814 London beer flood
In 1814, there was a beer flood in London when a tank containing more than 300,000 gallons ruptured in which 8 people drowned.
A Brief History of the PlayStation Gaming Console
Sony's PlayStation was never meant to be an actual product. Instead, it was intended to be a CD-ROM console that would support Nintendo games. However, when Nintendo backed out of the deal at the last minute, Sony went ahead and launched what soon became one of the most successful gaming consoles of all time.
The unbroken seal on King Tutankhamun's tomb until 1922
The unbroken seal of Tutankhamun's tomb before it was opened in 1923, it was unbroken for over 3000 years.
Top 10 Greatest and shocking Archaeological Discoveries of All Time
While we're all locked at home, there's no better way to escape to another time and place than to learn about amazing archeological sites and discoveries from around the world. Here are the 10 greatest and shocking archaeological discoveries —and don't be shocked if they inspire future trip plans whenever it's safe to do so again.
Martin Couney, Saved Thousands of Premature Babies Wasn’t a Doctor at All
Martin Couney never qualified as a medical doctor. However, in the 1900s, he saved thousands of premature babies by exhibiting them in incubators at his Coney Island sideshow. Over the course of his career, he is said to have saved about 6,500 babies that had previously been written off by mainstream medicine.
The 440-pound bear named Wojtek and his World War II battle against the Nazis
Polish troops raised an orphaned bear cub during WWII. He enjoyed drinking beer, and was trained to salute. He became officially enlisted as a member of the forces, and helped carry artillery during battle.
What Was the Beast of Gévaudan?
Between 1764 and 1767, a mysterious animal called the Beast of Gévaudan terrorized the French village called Gévaudan. It attacked and killed about 100 adults and children. While most believe it was a wolf, some say it may have been a wolf-dog hybrid, hyena or even a lion, but without any genetic evidence, the beast will remain a mystery forever.
The Forgotten Story of Semipalatinsk and the Soviet Nuclear Experiments
Between 1949 and 1989, the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan became the primary location for Soviet nuclear weapons tests, exposing millions of unsuspecting villagers to radioactive fallout. Known as the “Polygon of Suffering,” this remote desert witnessed 456 nuclear detonations that caused widespread health crises, birth defects, and generational genetic damage. This article narrates the chilling legacy of Semipalatinsk, unveiling the human cost of Cold War arms development and the ongoing struggle for healing and recognition in Kazakhstan.
The Littlest Skyscraper: How J.D. McMahon’s 480-Inch Con Fooled Investors in 1919
In 1919, J.D. McMahon convinced investors to fund a 480-foot skyscraper, but he labeled the plans as 480 inches, building a 40-foot structure instead. After taking $200,000, he won in court since the plans matched what he built.
The touching story of David Vetter (bubble boy), the 'boy who lived in a bubble
David Vetter lived his whole 12 years in sterile “bubble”. He was “outside” for 20 second after being removed from his mother’s womb. He never touched any human.
During the 1996 Olympic bombing, Richard Jewell falsely accused of committing the crime after saving dozens of people
Richard Jewell, an American security guard, discovered a bomb during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and assisted in the evacuation, but was later wrongfully accused and faced public scrutiny. He was cleared, but it had a lasting impact on him until his death in 2007 at the age of 44.
The Tragic Story Of Mary Ann Bevan, The ‘Ugliest Woman In The World’
After the death of her husband, Mary Ann Bevan had no income to support herself and her children. She then decided to enter a contest where she won the title of “ugliest woman” and was later hired by a circus. She endured this ridicule from the world to provide for her family.
