{"id":77194,"date":"2025-10-29T10:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T15:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/?p=77194"},"modified":"2026-03-13T15:47:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T20:47:30","slug":"dna-mummies-genes-and-screams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;211799&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80845&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;160886&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;817265&#8243;]<em>Genes and Screams is a seasonal series linking genetic genealogy with history\u2019s spookiest figures. Discover how DNA sheds light on mummies, vampires, and witches across time. You can read the rest of the series here:<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Chapter Two: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/genes-and-screams-vampires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vampires<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Chapter Three: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/genes-and-screams-witches\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Witches<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By: Courtney Eberhard<\/p>\n<h2>From Egypt to the Americas, explore eerie DNA connections to mummies you may share in your family tree this Halloween season.<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Welcome to spooky season<\/strong>; a time for some to prepare for Halloween, and others (like me) to use Halloween as an excuse to fill blog posts with <strong>spooky humor and science<\/strong>. This season, I will highlight a different Halloween creature, tying them to our real-world database, research, and discoveries.<\/p>\n<p>And since Brendan Fraser is making a well-deserved comeback (yes, <em>that<\/em> star of <em>The Mummy<\/em>), it feels like the perfect time to dig into the <strong>real mummies of history<\/strong> and see how modern <strong>DNA testing reveals genetic links between ancient remains and living descendants today<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>During one of my late-night scrolls, my feed was already full of Halloween posts. You know the ones\u2014<strong>year-round spooky friends<\/strong> who start planning costumes before the pumpkins even hit the shelves. They post about skeletons, witches, monsters&#8230; and yes, mummies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The mummy costume is a classic.<\/strong> Cheap, iconic, and surprisingly close to reality. With just a roll of toilet paper, a lot of tape, and total acceptance that your costume will disintegrate in seconds, you\u2019re essentially reenacting an <strong>ancient preservation ritual<\/strong> (except with low quality textiles). Because mummies aren\u2019t just movie monsters. <strong>They\u2019re real<\/strong>, and <strong>their DNA still speaks<\/strong> through modern science.<\/p>\n<h2>Can You Be Related to a Real Mummy?<\/h2>\n<p>Short answer? Yes! <strong>If you\u2019ve tested your DNA, you might share a haplogroup with an actual mummy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It sounds like the setup for a Halloween joke, but the science is real. <strong>Mummies are preserved human remains<\/strong>, and thanks to advances in <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/what-is-adna\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ancient DNA analysis<\/a>, researchers can extract and sequence the <strong>genetic material<\/strong> that\u2019s survived for thousands of years. By comparing that data to the global <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/y-dna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/mt-dna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA<\/a> databases (like ours at FamilyTreeDNA), scientists can trace direct paternal and maternal lineages that <strong>connect living testers to ancient individuals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>So, when you browse your <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Discover\u2122 haplogroup reports<\/a> and see a match to a historical haplogroup\u2014like those belonging to <strong>King Tut<\/strong>, <strong>Ramesses III<\/strong>, or even the <strong>Spirit Cave Mummy<\/strong>\u2014you\u2019re not just looking at names in a database. You\u2019re peeking into a 9,000-year-old family tree where <em>you and a real mummy share a distant ancestor<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3>Do Mummies Have DNA?<\/h3>\n<p>Absolutely. While time, climate, and burial conditions can damage genetic material, fragments often remain preserved in <strong>bones, teeth, and soft tissue<\/strong>. These fragments allow scientists to reconstruct partial or full genomes\u2014<strong>unwrapping ancient ancestry and migration patterns once thought lost to time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In short: mummies <strong>can\u2019t come back to life<\/strong> (sorry, Hollywood), but their <strong>DNA can revive their legacies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>What Have DNA Tests Revealed About Mummies?<\/h2>\n<p>So, now that we\u2019ve established that <strong>mummies have DNA<\/strong> (and that you might even share some of it), let\u2019s unwrap what <strong>DNA testing has actually revealed<\/strong> about these ancient individuals. From the tombs of Egypt to the caves of the Americas, <strong>haplogroup analysis<\/strong> has turned centuries-old mysteries into traceable <strong>genetic connections<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Each discovery tells a different story. Some about royal bloodlines, others about the earliest ancestors of modern populations. Either way, the past isn\u2019t as distant as it seems when its DNA is still found in living testers today.<\/p>\n<h3>DNA Links Between Ancient Egypt and Modern Testers<\/h3>\n<p>Few civilizations capture the imagination like <strong>ancient Egypt<\/strong>, where monuments, mummies, and mysteries have endured for thousands of years. But beyond the golden tombs and hieroglyphs, <strong>DNA analysis is revealing the genetic legacies of Egypt\u2019s pharaohs and nobles<\/strong>, tracing how their paternal and maternal lines connect to people living today.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to advances in <strong>Y-DNA and mtDNA sequencing<\/strong>, researchers can now read the genetic signatures preserved within these royal remains\u2014offering insight into dynastic relationships, population migrations, and the complex heritage of one of the world\u2019s earliest civilizations.<\/p>\n<p>The following mummies represent some of the most studied individuals in history, their genomes serving as <strong>time capsules of ancestry<\/strong> that bridge the ancient Nile to the modern world.<\/p>\n<h3>King Tut, Yuya, and Thuya \u2014 Royal Roots Written in DNA<\/h3>\n<p>Long before the discovery of King Tutankhamun\u2019s glittering tomb in 1922, his story began generations earlier\u2014with <strong>Yuya and Thuya<\/strong>, two of ancient Egypt\u2019s most influential nobles. Their descendants would define the <strong>18th Dynasty<\/strong>, shaping one of history\u2019s most storied royal bloodlines.<\/p>\n<h5>Yuya and Thuya: The Power Couple of the 18th Dynasty<\/h5>\n<p>Yuya and his wife Thuya lived during Egypt\u2019s 18th Dynasty, a period of wealth, artistry, and religious transformation. <strong>Yuya, from the city of Akhmin, served as a trusted adviser to Pharaoh Amenhotep III<\/strong>, holding prestigious titles such as <em>King\u2019s Lieutenant<\/em>, <em>Master of the Horse<\/em>, and <em>Father-of-the-God<\/em>\u2014a title reflecting his role as Amenhotep\u2019s father-in-law. In Akhmin, Yuya also served as <em>Prophet of Min<\/em>, the local fertility god, and <em>Superintendent of Cattle<\/em>, overseeing the herds dedicated to temple offerings.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80997&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;382147&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;175462&#8243;]<strong>Thuya<\/strong>, believed to be a descendant of <strong>Queen Ahmose-Nefertari<\/strong>, held positions of remarkable influence in Egypt\u2019s interconnected religious and governmental life. She was a <em>Singer of Hathor<\/em>, <em>Chief of the Entertainers of both Amun and Min<\/em>, and <em>Superintendent of the Harem<\/em> of these gods. She likely died around <strong>1375 BCE<\/strong>, in her early to mid-50s, having lived a life of devotion, authority, and prestige rarely matched by women of her era.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80998&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;395723&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;214118&#8243;]When their tomb was discovered in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Valley-of-the-Kings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Valley of the Kings<\/a> in 1905, archaeologists were stunned. Though robbed in antiquity, the burial remained one of the most spectacular ever found before Tutankhamun\u2019s discovery. Their mummies were <a href=\"https:\/\/egypt-museum.com\/the-mummy-of-thuya\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">extraordinarily well preserved<\/a>, their faces almost lifelike\u2014offering an unprecedented glimpse of what two powerful Egyptians from the 14th century BCE truly looked like.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;80999&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;943355&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81000&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;183048&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81001&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;135983&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;271659&#8243;]Genetic testing has identified Yuya\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/G-P15\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup as G-P15<\/a> and both Yuya and Thuya\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/K\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup as K<\/a>, a lineage found widely across North Africa, the Near East, and the Mediterranean. Their DNA provides a tangible link between Egypt\u2019s elite and the broader population movements of the ancient world.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81002&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;208920&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81003&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;309705&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;865601&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h5>King Tutankhamun: The Descendant Who Became a Legend<\/h5>\n<p>Their great-grandson, <strong>Tutankhamun<\/strong>, ascended the throne around <strong>1332 BCE<\/strong> during a time of religious upheaval. Born <em>Tutankhaten<\/em>, he inherited the aftermath of his father <strong>Akhenaten\u2019s monotheistic revolution<\/strong>\u2014the brief and controversial worship of the Aten. As pharaoh, Tutankhamun restored Egypt\u2019s traditional polytheistic religion, reestablished the cult of <strong>Amun at Thebes<\/strong>, and moved the royal court from <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amarna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amarna<\/a> back to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Memphis,_Egypt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Memphis<\/a>. His reign, though short, became one of the greatest <strong>restoration periods<\/strong> in Egyptian history, celebrated on the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Restoration_Stela\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Restoration Stela<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81004&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;205838&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;156633&#8243;]Tutankhamun renewed diplomatic relations abroad, led military campaigns, and was one of the few <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amenhotep_called_Huy#Stela_of_Huy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pharaohs to be worshiped as a deity<\/a> during his lifetime. Although his tomb and mortuary temple were unfinished at the time of his death at nineteen, what remained was extraordinary.<\/p>\n<p>When Howard Carter and his team discovered his nearly intact tomb in 1922, it became a global sensation. Inside lay more than 5,000 artifacts\u2014including the pharaoh\u2019s world-famous golden mask\u2014and the <strong>remarkably preserved mummy of the boy-king himself<\/strong>. While tales of a \u201cpharaoh\u2019s curse\u201d captured the world\u2019s imagination, modern science captured something far more enduring: <strong>his DNA<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81005&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;257454&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;983926&#8243;]Analysis revealed that Tutankhamun inherited his paternal <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/R-M343\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup R-M343<\/a> and his maternal <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/K\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup K<\/a>\u2014the same maternal line as his great-grandmother Thuya. These <strong>results confirm the close familial relationships within Egypt\u2019s royal house<\/strong> and reveal the genetic continuity that defined the 18th Dynasty.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81006&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;123586&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;989935&#8243;]Today, with the updated Y-DNA and mtDNA Trees of Humankind, these royal lineages can be explored in <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FamilyTreeDNA\u2019s Discover Haplogroup Reports<\/a>. Yuya and Tutankhamun appear in the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/introducing-familytreedna-discover\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA Reports<\/a>, while Yuya, Thuya, and Tutankhamun are featured in the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/mtdna-discover-haplogroup-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA Reports<\/a>\u2014allowing modern testers to see how their own paternal and maternal lines connect to Egypt\u2019s most renowned dynasty.<\/p>\n<h4>Ramesses III \u2014 Haplogroup E-P2: Shadows of a Pharaoh\u2019s DNA<\/h4>\n<p>If your Y-DNA belongs to <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/E-P2\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">haplogroup E-P2<\/a>, your paternal line traces back to the royal courts of <a href=\"https:\/\/egyptatours.com\/ramesses-iii-family-tree\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Usermaatre Meryamun Ramesses III<\/a>, the second pharaoh of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Twentieth_Dynasty_of_Egypt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Egypt\u2019s Twentieth Dynasty<\/a>. Born around 1217 BCE, Ramesses III ruled for 32 years (c. 1186\u20131155 BCE) and is remembered as the <strong>last pharaoh of the New Kingdom<\/strong> to wield substantial power.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81007&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;119821&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;112902&#8243;]A son of <strong>Setnakhte<\/strong> and <strong>Tiy-Merenese<\/strong>, Ramesses III secured his throne during a time of political unrest and restored stability through military campaigns and monumental works like <a href=\"https:\/\/discoveringegypt.com\/pyramids-temples-of-egypt\/madinat-habu-temple\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Medinet Habu<\/a>, his mortuary temple at Thebes. But even at the height of his reign, turmoil brewed inside the palace walls.<\/p>\n<p>In 1155 BCE, one of his wives, <strong>Queen Tiye<\/strong>, conspired to place her son <strong>Pentawer<\/strong> on the throne instead of the chosen heir <strong>Ramesses Amenherkhepshef<\/strong> (later Ramesses IV). The infamous <strong>Harem Conspiracy<\/strong>, preserved in ancient trial papyri, ended in tragedy. Forensic study of both mummies later confirmed their familial link and revealed violent deaths\u2014Ramesses III\u2019s throat was cut, and his son\u2019s burial suggests a forced, dishonored end.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81008&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;919990&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81009&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;253283&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;271312&#8243;]Modern DNA testing has placed Ramesses III within <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/E-P2\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">haplogroup E-P2<\/a>, a major Y-chromosome lineage that today appears widely across Africa and the Near East. His result was part of <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/ydna-haplogroup-e-split\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a broader reclassification of the E haplogroup following new research by FamilyTreeDNA scientists<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81010&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;205488&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;108602&#8243;]More than 3,000 years later, the same Y-DNA branch that once ruled Egypt endures in living men around the world\u2014a reminder that even in tales of betrayal and dynasty, family still connects us through DNA.<\/p>\n<h4>The Tomb of the Two Brothers \u2014 Haplogroups H-Z19008 (Y-DNA) and M1a1 (mtDNA): Ancestry Entombed<br \/>\nin DNA<\/h4>\n<p>Nestled in Deir Rifeh, Egypt, the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tomb_of_Two_Brothers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tomb of the Two Brothers<\/a> offers one of the most fascinating glimpses into the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Twelfth_Dynasty_of_Egypt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">12th Dynasty<\/a> of the Middle Kingdom (c. 1985\u20131795 BCE). Discovered in 1907 by workmen under Flinders Petrie and Ernest Mackay, the chamber held two high-status priests\u2014<strong>Nakht-Ankh<\/strong> and <strong>Khnum-Nakht<\/strong>\u2014whose ornate coffins and burial goods now reside in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.museum.manchester.ac.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Manchester Museum<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81011&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;876308&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81012&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;685347&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;154884&#8243;]The small chamber sat within the courtyard of a larger governor\u2019s tomb, suggesting the pair\u2019s noble connections. Each man was buried in a nested set of wooden coffins, intricately decorated with palace-fa\u00e7ade motifs and hieroglyphic inscriptions naming their mother, <strong>Khnum-aa<\/strong>. Titles on their coffins identify Nakht-Ankh as \u201c<em>Son of a Governor<\/em>\u201d and Khnum-Nakht as \u201c<em>Wab-Priest of Khnum, Lord of Shashotep<\/em>.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81013&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;623342&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;134537&#8243;]When the mummies were unwrapped in 1908, differences in their skeletal features led some scholars to doubt their brotherhood. More than a century later, <strong>ancient DNA sequencing finally settled the question<\/strong>. In 2018, <a href=\"https:\/\/research.manchester.ac.uk\/en\/publications\/the-kinship-of-two-12th-dynasty-mummies-revealed-by-ancient-dna-s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">researchers from the University of Manchester extracted DNA from the brothers\u2019 teeth<\/a> and sequenced both their mitochondrial and Y-chromosome fragments. The study revealed that both men shared the <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/M1a1\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup M1a1<\/a>, confirming a common mother\u2014but their Y-chromosome sequences differed, indicating that they had different fathers.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81014&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;207554&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;105262&#8243;]That same paper placed Nakht-Ankh\u2019s Y-DNA within <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/H-Z19008\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">haplogroup H-Z19008<\/a>, refining our understanding of his paternal lineage. Together, these findings from the University of Manchester represent <strong>the first successful typing of both mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA in Egyptian mummies<\/strong>\u2014a groundbreaking moment in the study of kinship and identity in the ancient world.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81015&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;114012&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;159190&#8243;]Morphological analysis further highlighted their individuality: Nakht-Ankh displayed features typical of northern Mediterranean ancestry, while Khnum-Nakht exhibited traits more common in African populations\u2014underscoring Egypt\u2019s long-recognized diversity during the Middle Kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Nakht-Ankh\u2019s <strong>paternal lineage (H-Z19008)<\/strong> and both brothers\u2019 <strong>maternal lineage (M1a1)<\/strong> appear in FamilyTreeDNA\u2019s Discover Reports, inviting modern testers to explore how their own DNA might trace back to these extraordinary men whose family story was literally written into the walls of their tomb\u2014and preserved in their genes.<\/p>\n<h4>Takabuti \u2014 Haplogroup H4a1 (mtDNA): The Belfast Mummy\u2019s Enduring Mystery<\/h4>\n<p>In <strong>1834<\/strong>, a beautifully wrapped <strong>Egyptian mummy<\/strong> arrived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, captivating local audiences and scholars alike. The following year, she became one of the first mummified individuals ever <strong>unwrapped on the island of Ireland<\/strong>, revealing the face of a woman who had <strong>lived more than 2,600 years earlier<\/strong>. Her name, <strong>Takabuti<\/strong>, was identified through hieroglyphs on her coffin\u2014an ordinary woman whose story would become anything but.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81016&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;123367&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;122719&#8243;]Takabuti lived around <strong>660 BCE<\/strong>, during <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Twenty-fifth_Dynasty_of_Egypt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Egypt\u2019s 25th Dynasty<\/a>, a period marked by political transition and Nubian influence. She was a married woman of high status, likely the mistress of a great house in Thebes, as indicated by inscriptions on her coffin. Her carefully preserved remains eventually became one of the <strong>Ulster Museum\u2019s most iconic residents<\/strong>, studied for nearly two centuries.<\/p>\n<p>Modern research has transformed what we know about her. Between 2006 and 2020, a collaborative project led by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalmuseumsni.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Museums NI, Queen\u2019s University Belfast<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcae.manchester.ac.uk\/research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">University of Manchester\u2019s KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology<\/a> launched a multi-phase study known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qub.ac.uk\/sites\/communityarchaeology\/OurProjects\/TakabutiProject\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>The Takabuti Project<\/em><\/a>. Their findings culminated in the book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/j.ctv1k531d4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>The Life and Times of Takabuti in Ancient Egypt: Investigating the Belfast Mummy<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But the most remarkable discovery came from her DNA. In 2020, scientists published \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC7550590\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The first reported case of the rare mitochondrial haplotype H4a1 in ancient Egypt<\/a>\u201d (Drosou et al., 2020), revealing that Takabuti belonged to <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/H4a1\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup H4a1<\/a>\u2014a lineage rare in both modern and ancient populations. This haplogroup has appeared sporadically in regions such as <strong>southern Iberia, the Canary Islands, Lebanon, and Bronze Age Europe<\/strong>, but had never before been identified in Egypt.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81017&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;188383&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;552232&#8243;]The finding suggested complex patterns of ancient movement and interaction between <strong>North Africa and the Mediterranean<\/strong>, centuries before the Greek or Roman presence in Egypt. Takabuti\u2019s story now stands as both a testament to early museum curiosity and a reminder that ancestry often crosses borders we never imagined.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Takabuti still rests in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulstermuseum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ulster Museum<\/a>, where modern analysis continues to shed new light on her life, death, and the unexpected diversity of ancient Egypt\u2019s genetic landscape.<\/p>\n<h3>Ancient North American Mummies: Preserved by Time and Earth<\/h3>\n<p>From the scorching deserts of Nevada to the rugged mountains of northern Mexico, the first mummies of North America were not created by human hands\u2014but by nature itself. In dry caves and high plateaus, <strong>arid air and mineral-rich soil halted decay<\/strong>, preserving bodies that would one day help unlock the continent\u2019s oldest genetic stories.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Egypt\u2019s ritual burials, <strong>these mummies were naturally preserved<\/strong>, their survival owed to climate rather than ceremony. Yet through modern DNA analysis, their remains have become just as revealing, <strong>connecting ancient individuals to living descendants<\/strong> and tracing migrations that shaped the earliest chapters of the Americas.<\/p>\n<p>Both the <strong>Spirit Cave Mummy of Nevada<\/strong> and <strong>Momias de M\u00e9xico 6 from the Sierra Tarahumara<\/strong> share not only preservation by aridity, but <strong>ancestry through the Q-haplogroup lineages<\/strong>\u2014a paternal branch tracing back over 15,000 years to the first peoples who crossed from Siberia into the New World. Together, they reveal how environment and lineage worked hand in hand to preserve stories once thought lost to time.<\/p>\n<h4>Spirit Cave Mummy \u2014 Haplogroup Q-Y166185: The Oldest Mummy Ever Found<\/h4>\n<p>In the summer of 1940, husband-and-wife archaeologists <strong>Sydney and Georgia Wheeler<\/strong> explored a series of caves in Churchill County, Nevada, searching for evidence of early human life near the receding shores of prehistoric <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lake_Lahontan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Lake Lahontan<\/strong><\/a>. Among their discoveries was a remarkably preserved individual later known as the <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/Q-Y166185\/ancient\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Spirit Cave Mummy<\/strong><\/a>. At the time, the remains were believed to be around 2,000 years old and were carefully stored at the Nevada State Museum.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81018&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;780200&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;162015&#8243;]More than fifty years later, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.onlinenevada.org\/sites\/default\/files\/DatingSpiritCave_Kirner_1997.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">scientists re-examined the mummy<\/a> using <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mass_spectrometry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accelerator mass spectrometry<\/a> (AMS) radiocarbon dating<\/strong> on samples of bone and hair. The results were groundbreaking: <strong>the Spirit Cave Mummy was more than 9,400 years old<\/strong>, making it <strong>the oldest mummy ever discovered in North America<\/strong>, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20051217070758\/http:\/\/www.archaeology.org\/9609\/newsbriefs\/nevada.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Archaeological Institute of America (1996)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The mummy\u2019s remarkable preservation was due to <strong>natural mummification from the heat and aridity of the cave<\/strong>. Later DNA analysis identified the individual\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/Q-Y166185\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup as Q-Y166185<\/a>, revealing a deep genetic connection to the <strong>earliest ancestors of modern Native American populations<\/strong>. This discovery reshaped scientific understanding of <strong>migration and settlement patterns across the Americas<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81019&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;650338&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;405456&#8243;]The story didn\u2019t end there. Following decades of discussion over cultural identity, the <strong>Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe<\/strong> sought recognition of the individual as their ancestor. In 2016, after DNA confirmed the connection, the remains were <strong>repatriated and reburied according to tribal tradition<\/strong>\u2014a rare moment where science and cultural respect met in harmony.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 10,000 years later, the Spirit Cave Mummy reminds us that <strong>ancient DNA can reveal connections that time alone could never erase<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h4>Momias de M\u00e9xico 6 \u2014 Haplogroup Q-CTS10359: Threads Between Worlds<\/h4>\n<p>High in the <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/W1MxJpHi77LZGNRH6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sierra Tarahumara mountains<\/a> of <strong>Chihuahua, Mexico<\/strong>, the individual known as <strong>Momias de M\u00e9xico 6 (MOM6)<\/strong> offers a rare glimpse into the ancestry of ancient Mexico. While the exact details of his original burial are unknown, his remains were later preserved and curated in the Museo Nacional de Antropolog\u00eda in Mexico City as part of the Momias de M\u00e9xico collection.<\/p>\n<p>In 2015, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aab3884\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">researchers led by Maanasa Raghavan<\/a> included MOM6 in a groundbreaking genetic study, confirming that his tissue was <strong>authentic pre-Columbian mummy material<\/strong>. DNA extracted from a tooth revealed connections that reach back thousands of years, linking him to some of the earliest populations of the Americas.<\/p>\n<p>A later <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.add6142\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2022 study by Viridiana Villa-Islas and colleagues<\/a> found that MOM6 carried <strong>Mesoamerican and Aridoamerican ancestry<\/strong>. <em>Mesoamerica<\/em> refers to the agricultural civilizations that thrived in central and southern Mexico\u2014such as the <strong>Maya<\/strong>, <strong>Zapotec<\/strong>, and <strong>Mexica (Aztec)<\/strong>. <em>Aridoamerica<\/em> encompassed the <strong>desert cultures<\/strong> of <em>northern Mexico<\/em> and the <em>U.S. Southwest<\/em>, known for their resilience and nomadic traditions. This genetic mix <strong>reflects how ancient peoples traded, traveled, and built relationships<\/strong> across these vast cultural frontiers.<\/p>\n<p>When compared to modern populations, MOM6 clustered most closely with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pur%C3%A9pecha\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pur\u00e9pecha<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nahuas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nahua<\/a> communities from Jalisco, <strong>suggesting ancestral roots in central-west Mexico despite his northern resting place<\/strong>. His paternal lineage, <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/Q-CTS10359\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup Q-CTS10359<\/a>, traces back <strong>more than 15,000 years<\/strong> to the first migrations from Siberia into the Americas, a lineage still widespread among Indigenous peoples today.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81020&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;867411&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;131287&#8243;]Though MOM6\u2019s story is missing many pieces, his DNA preserves a rare genetic snapshot of <strong>Mexico\u2019s deep diversity<\/strong> and shines a light on the bridge between the desert cultures of the north and the temple cities of the south.<\/p>\n<p>And while MOM6 himself isn\u2019t on public display, travelers can still explore Mexico\u2019s mummified history at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guanajuatocapital.gob.mx\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato<\/a>, home to one of the world\u2019s largest and most haunting collections of naturally preserved remains.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81021&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;190660&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;686743&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3>Mummies Found in Peru and the Andes: Echoes in Thin Air<\/h3>\n<p>From the high peaks of the Andes to the arid deserts along Peru\u2019s northern coast, South America holds some of the world\u2019s most breathtaking examples of ancient preservation. Here, <strong>thin air, cold temperatures, and ritual devotion<\/strong> combined to create natural and ceremonial mummies whose DNA still speaks across millennia.<br \/>\nUnlike the elaborate burials of Egypt, many Andean mummies were preserved by the mountains themselves\u2014<strong>frozen by altitude or wrapped in desert sands<\/strong>. Each one offers a window into the beliefs, power, and ancestry of pre-Columbian civilizations that flourished long before European contact.<br \/>\nIn this section, we\u2019ll look at two of the region\u2019s most remarkable discoveries: the <strong>Aconcagua Mummy<\/strong>, a young Inca boy sacrificed high in the Argentine Andes, and the <strong>Se\u00f1ora de Cao<\/strong>, a noblewoman from ancient Peru whose tattoos and DNA revealed the influence\u2014and complexity\u2014of women in Moche society.<\/p>\n<h4>The Aconcagua Mummy \u2014 Haplogroups Q-Y166275 (Y) and C1b (mtDNA): Frozen in Devotion<\/h4>\n<p>In 1985, a group of mountaineers scaling <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/ErtN4W2z41WCBUpu7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mount Aconcagua<\/a> in Argentina stumbled upon something extraordinary\u2014a small body, frozen at an altitude of <strong>5,300 meters (17,400 feet)<\/strong> near the base of the Pir\u00e1mide peak. <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4642457\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">When archaeologists returned to excavate the site<\/a>, they uncovered a remarkably preserved seven-year-old boy from the Inca civilization, wrapped in 18 layers of fine textiles and surrounded by six small figurines.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81022&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;100917&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;174274&#8243;]The child was a victim of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Capacocha\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">capacocha<\/a>\u2014<strong>a ritual sacrifice practiced by the Inca<\/strong> roughly 500 years ago to honor their gods during times of crisis or major imperial events. Children of exceptional health and beauty were chosen from across the vast empire, brought to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cusco#Inca_period\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cusco<\/a> for ceremonies, and then carried to mountaintop shrines to become eternal messengers to the divine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Preserved by altitude and ice rather than time and tomb<\/strong>, the Aconcagua Mummy remains one of the most haunting archaeological discoveries in the Andes. His burial, situated near the empire\u2019s southernmost frontier, marked the outer edge of Inca expansion into what is now Argentina.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aav2621\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Genetic analysis of tissue samples<\/a> has revealed his <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/Q-Y166275\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup Q-Y166275<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/C1b\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup C1b<\/a>, <strong>both lineages tracing to central Peru<\/strong> and still found among modern <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Quechuan_languages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quechuan-speaking populations<\/a>, including the Choppca people. His DNA supports historical records suggesting he was brought from Peru to the Andes for the capacocha ceremony\u2014<strong>a journey of hundreds of miles<\/strong> undertaken in the name of faith and empire.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81023&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;574516&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;138012&#8243;]This young boy\u2019s frozen form tells a story both heartbreaking and illuminating: a glimpse into how the Inca connected the physical and spiritual worlds, and how DNA continues to bridge the distance between the living and the long departed.<\/p>\n<h4>La Se\u00f1ora de Cao \u2014 Haplogroup D (mtDNA): The Tattooed Elite of the Moche<\/h4>\n<p>In 2006, archaeologists led by <strong>R\u00e9gulo Franco Jord\u00e1n<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elbrujo.pe\/estudiantes\/descubridor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">uncovered a stunning discovery<\/a> within the <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/VMymyKb4rPsyoovV9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Huaca Cao Viejo temple<\/a> at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elbrujo.pe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">El Brujo Archaeological Complex<\/a> in northern Peru. Wrapped in <strong>25 layers of fine cotton<\/strong> and adorned with gold ornaments, crowns, and ceremonial weapons, lay the remains of a young woman whose tattoos of snakes, spiders, and lunar creatures shimmered faintly beneath her skin. She became known as <strong>La Se\u00f1ora de Cao<\/strong>\u2014the Lady of Cao\u2014and her discovery forever changed what we know about power, gender, and divinity in ancient Peru.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81024&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;174251&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;828290&#8243;]Dating to around <strong>440-540 CE<\/strong>, the Lady of Cao belonged to the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Moche_culture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Moche civilization<\/a>, a culture that flourished along Peru\u2019s northern coast between the 4th and 10th centuries CE. Her elaborate burial, <strong>complete with regalia typically reserved for male rulers<\/strong>, revealed her as one of the first confirmed female leaders in pre-Columbian South America. Her tattoos\u2014crafted with remarkable precision\u2014<strong>depict animals sacred to the Moche worldview<\/strong> and symbolize fertility, protection, and lunar power.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81025&#8243; caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;131401&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;200583&#8243;]Bioanthropological studies show <strong>she stood just under one and a half meters tall (just under five feet)<\/strong> and died in her mid-twenties, likely from complications during pregnancy or childbirth. Despite her youth, her insignia\u2014diadems, nose rings, and war clubs\u2014mirror those seen in Moche iconography of elite rulers, suggesting <strong>she held both political and spiritual authority<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81026&#8243; caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;884265&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;447896&#8243;]Recent research has deepened her story. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2416321121\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">In 2024, John Quilter and colleagues analyzed DNA<\/a> from six elite burials found alongside the Lady of Cao. The study revealed that <strong>all six individuals were biologically related<\/strong>, supporting the theory that kinship was central to maintaining power among Moche elites. The Lady herself was interred with a sacrificed juvenile\u2014<strong>possibly her niece<\/strong>\u2014and several relatives buried nearby, including <strong>at least one sibling and a grandparent<\/strong>. This blending of family and ritual underscores how deeply the Moche linked bloodlines, sacrifice, and divine legitimacy.<\/p>\n<p>Her mitochondrial DNA belongs to <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/D1ai1\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">haplogroup D<\/a>, a lineage <strong>widely found among Indigenous peoples of the Americas<\/strong>. This connects her to living descendants across the continent, transforming her from an isolated archaeological wonder into part of a broader genetic story.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81027&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;557539&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;119645&#8243;]Today, La Se\u00f1ora de Cao rests at the <strong>Museo Cao<\/strong>, her body preserved under glass beside a lifelike reconstruction of her face. Visitors stand before her not just as a ruler of the past, but as a symbol of resilience, leadership, and the enduring power of women in history.<\/p>\n<h3>Frozen in Time: European Mummies and Ancient DNA (Europe)<\/h3>\n<p>Europe\u2019s most famous mummy isn\u2019t wrapped in linen or sealed in a tomb\u2014he\u2019s frozen in ice.<\/p>\n<p>In the heart of the Alps, natural preservation rather than ritual mummification has kept one Copper Age man astonishingly intact for more than 5,000 years. Known today as <strong>\u00d6tzi the Iceman<\/strong>, his discovery revealed a remarkably complete glimpse into prehistoric European life, diet, and DNA.<\/p>\n<h4>\u00d6tzi the Iceman \u2014 Haplogroups G-L166 (Y) and K1d&#8217;k (mtDNA): Secrets Beneath the Ice<\/h4>\n<p>In <strong>September 1991<\/strong>, two hikers, Helmut and Erika Simon, discovered what they thought was the body of a lost mountaineer near the <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Ev2EhR1BMFUXEUx27\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tisenjoch Pass<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%96tztal_Alps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00d6tztal Alps<\/a>, <strong>straddling the border of Austria and Italy<\/strong>. What they had actually found was one of the world\u2019s best-preserved mummies\u2014\u00d6tzi, a man who had <strong>lain frozen in the ice for more than 5,300 years<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81028&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;759470&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;202230&#8243;]\u00d6tzi\u2019s body, clothing, and tools were nearly intact, preserved by the glacial cold of the <strong>Copper Age<\/strong>. Researchers recovered his axe, bow, quiver, and even the remnants of his last meal. <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20071015063145\/http:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2003\/10\/1030_031030_icemandeath.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">An arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder<\/a> revealed the true cause of death: <strong>a fatal wound that shattered his scapula and likely caused him to bleed to death<\/strong>, making his death one of history\u2019s oldest unsolved murders.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/ncomms1701\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Genetic sequencing conducted in 2012<\/a> revealed that \u00d6tzi carried <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/G-L166\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup G-L166<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/K1d'k\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup K1d&#8217;k<\/a>, lineages still found today in Europe and around the Tyrrhenian Sea\u2014particularly among populations in Sardinia and Corsica. His genome also provided astonishing insights into his health and appearance. He had:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>brown eyes<\/li>\n<li>blood type O<\/li>\n<li>lactose intolerance<\/li>\n<li>a genetic predisposition to heart disease.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81029&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;580238&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;207289&#8243;]Researchers even identified fragments of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, making him <strong>the earliest known case of Lyme disease in humans<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond genetics, his discovery transformed the study of prehistoric Europe. Every item he carried, from birch-bark containers to a copper axe, spoke to <strong>a sophisticated and resourceful society<\/strong> at the dawn of metallurgy. Today, \u00d6tzi rests in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iceman.it\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology<\/a> in Bolzano, Italy, where he continues to reveal secrets frozen in time.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81030&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;213541&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;831915&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3>Ancient Mummies of Oceania and Asia<\/h3>\n<p>From the sun-bleached cliffs of Queensland to the frozen steppes of Siberia, the story of mummification spans far beyond Egypt\u2019s sands. In these regions, vastly different environments, and equally distinct cultures, found their own ways to preserve the dead.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>Oceania<\/strong>, Indigenous Aboriginal Australians like <strong>King Ng:tja<\/strong> practiced ceremonial preservation that honored ancestry and spiritual connection to the land. Thousands of miles north in <strong>Asia<\/strong>, the <strong>Tashtyk people<\/strong> of southern Siberia created intricate mummified effigies, blending artistry, ritual, and migration. Together, these discoveries reveal that across continents, humanity has always sought to keep its ancestors close\u2014whether through sacred ceremony or the silent work of ice and time.<\/p>\n<h4>King Ng:tja \u2014 Y-DNA Haplogroup S-Y543772 | mtDNA Haplogroup P12b1f: The Aboriginal King Who Came Home<\/h4>\n<p>Among the red earth and rainforest canopies of Queensland\u2019s Atherton Tablelands, the story of <strong>King Ng:tja<\/strong> (also known as <strong>Nacha<\/strong>, <strong>Naicha<\/strong>, or <strong>Barry Clarke<\/strong>) stands as both a scientific discovery and a moral reckoning. A revered leader of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ngajanji\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ngadjon-Jii<\/a> people, <strong>King Ng:tja passed away in 1903<\/strong>. Following the sacred funerary traditions of his community, his body was ceremonially mummified.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81031&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;70&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;141072&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;384507&#8243;]A year later, his peace was broken. <strong>In 1905, Herman Klaatsch<\/strong>, a German-born anthropologist, journeyed across northern Australia to study Indigenous remains. His methods, common for the colonial era but deeply unethical by today\u2019s standards, <strong>included the removal of King Ng:tja\u2019s mummified body<\/strong> \u2014 bound in a crouched position and wrapped according to Ngadjon-Jii custom. The mummy was taken first to Sydney\u2019s Australian Museum, then shipped to Berlin, where <strong>it was displayed for decades<\/strong> at the Berlin Society for Anthropology, Ethnology, and Prehistory.<\/p>\n<p>After more than a century abroad, justice finally came. In <strong>2017<\/strong>, King Ng:tja\u2019s remains were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2017-05-02\/indigenous-ancestor-remains-returned-to-queensland\/8479888\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">repatriated to Australia<\/a> \u2014 the first known return of a mummified body to its Indigenous descendants. His family and community held a <strong>smoking ceremony<\/strong> at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.museum.qld.gov.au\/tropics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Queesnland Museum Tropics in Townsville<\/a> restoring the dignity and cultural connection that had been severed for generations.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>2024<\/strong>, King Ng:tja\u2019s name resurfaced not in scandal, but in science. His remains were included in the study \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/annalsofglobalhealth.org\/articles\/10.5334\/aogh.4366\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Genetic Predisposition of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Ancient Human Remains<\/a>\u201d (Wurst et al., 2024), where his DNA revealed the ancient <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/S-Y543772\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup S-Y543772<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/P12b1f\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA haplogroup P12b1f<\/a> \u2014 both uniquely Australian Aboriginal lineages. These findings affirmed what Indigenous knowledge has always held true: that <strong>Aboriginal Australians are among the world\u2019s oldest continuous cultures<\/strong>, with genetic roots reaching back over <strong>50,000 years<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81032&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;229596&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81033&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;832408&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;105959&#8243;]Today, King Ng:tja\u2019s story bridges worlds \u2014 science and spirit, colonial harm and cultural healing. His journey home reminds us that even when history\u2019s silence feels heavy, DNA can still speak truth across centuries.<\/p>\n<h4>Oglakhty Mummy 9609 \u2014 Y-DNA Haplogroup R-Y39884 | mtDNA I4a1: Faces of the Tashtyk People<\/h4>\n<p>Beneath the frozen steppes of southern Siberia, in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Minusinsk_Hollow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Minusinsk Basin<\/a>, archaeologists uncovered a world both haunting and beautiful: the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oglakhty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oglakhty cemetery<\/a>, a burial ground belonging to the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tashtyk_culture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tashtyk culture<\/a>\u2014a mysterious post-Scythian people who flourished between the <strong>2nd and 4th centuries CE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Here, the dead were treated with remarkable care. Some were <strong>mummified and laid within life-size leather and grass mannequins<\/strong>; others were cremated, their ashes placed inside <strong>painted effigies with human faces<\/strong>. Many wore finely woven textiles or masks of plaster and gypsum\u2014creations so lifelike they seem to watch the living across centuries.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81035&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;50&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;573621&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;140591&#8243;]In 2022, researchers performed the first ancient-DNA analysis of these mummies (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchsquare.com\/article\/rs-1993191\/v1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nedoluzhko et al., 2022<\/a>). Among them, <strong>Individual 9609<\/strong> revealed <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/y-dna\/R-Y39884\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA haplogroup R-Y39884<\/a>, a branch of R1a common among Eurasian steppe populations, and <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/mtdna\/I4a1\/tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA I4a1<\/a>, a rare lineage with European connections. Together, these results reflected what the Tashtyk graves already suggested: this was a culture born of contact\u2014<strong>where the Indo-European west and Siberian east intertwined<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81036&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;116699&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;81037&#8243; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; lbox_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; lbox_social=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;201361&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;151770&#8243;]Archaeological evidence from Oglakhty shows that the Tashtyk people lived in <strong>small, kin-based groups<\/strong>, combining <strong>pastoralism, hunting, and limited agriculture<\/strong>. Their burial customs\u2014at once intimate and theatrical\u2014hint at a worldview where life and death coexisted. The arid, sheltered conditions of the Minusinsk Basin <strong>preserved these remains in astonishing detail<\/strong>, from the delicate stitching of garments to the painted eyelashes on funerary masks.<\/p>\n<p>Through DNA, these ancient artisans have rejoined the human story. Their genomes <strong>bridge Europe and Central Asia<\/strong>, showing how migration, trade, and artistry converged in Siberia\u2019s heartland. Even now, under the frozen soil of the Yenisei River valley, their silent faces remind us that ancestry often transcends the borders we draw today.<\/p>\n<h2>How Are Mummies Preserved and How Does DNA Survive?<\/h2>\n<p>Not all mummies are made the same way. Some, like Egypt\u2019s royal burials, were <strong>deliberately preserved through ritual embalming<\/strong>, where organs were removed, the body was dried with natron, and wrapped in layers of linen. Others, like the <strong>Spirit Cave Mummy<\/strong> or <strong>\u00d6tzi the Iceman<\/strong>, were <strong>preserved by nature itself<\/strong> when intense heat, cold, or dryness stopped decay in its tracks. Whether deliberate or accidental, mummification depends on one thing above all: an environment harsh enough to silence the microbes that would normally return us to dust.<\/p>\n<p>Even after thousands of years, those same conditions can protect <strong>tiny fragments of ancient DNA<\/strong>. While FamilyTreeDNA doesn\u2019t sequence these remains directly, our scientists <strong>analyze the genetic data recovered<\/strong>. By placing those results alongside living testers in our database, we continue to grow a single, interconnected tree, <strong>rooted in the present but reaching deep into the ancient past<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Are Mummies Dangerous or Cursed?<\/h2>\n<p>For all the talk of \u201cmummy\u2019s curses,\u201d the truth is far less deadly\u2014and far more interesting. <strong>Real mummies aren\u2019t zombies waiting to rise from the tomb<\/strong>; they\u2019re time capsules of ancient life. <strong>The only thing that \u201ccomes back to life\u201d is their DNA<\/strong>, reawakened through modern genetic analysis that helps us understand who they were and how their lineages connect to ours today.<\/p>\n<p>Want to see which ancient line you might connect to? Take a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/y-dna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Y-DNA<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familytreedna.com\/products\/mt-dna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mtDNA<\/a> test and explore your results in the <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.familytreedna.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Discover haplogroup reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About Mummies and DNA<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q: Do mummies still have DNA?<\/strong><br \/>\nA: Yes \u2014 in some cases. When conditions like extreme dryness, cold, or intentional embalming prevent decay, tiny fragments of DNA can survive for thousands of years. Scientists can analyze this ancient genetic material to study ancestry, migration, and population history.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What is the oldest mummy with DNA?<\/strong><br \/>\nA: The Spirit Cave Mummy from Nevada\u2014dated to around 9,400 years old\u2014is one of the oldest known naturally preserved remains with recoverable DNA. Its genetic profile helped confirm early population connections between ancient and modern Indigenous peoples of the Americas.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Can you share a haplogroup with a mummy?<\/strong><br \/>\nA: Absolutely. If your Y-DNA or mtDNA haplogroup matches one identified in an ancient individual, you share a direct paternal or maternal ancestor who lived thousands of years ago.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Are mummies fossils?<\/strong><br \/>\nA: No. Fossils form when organic material is replaced by minerals over millions of years, leaving behind stone-like remains. Mummies are preserved bodies, often with skin, hair, and soft tissue intact\u2014kept from decaying by intentional embalming or natural conditions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: How long can mummies last?<\/strong><br \/>\nA: Under the right conditions, mummies can survive for thousands of years. Some, like Egypt\u2019s royal mummies or the Spirit Cave Mummy in Nevada, remain remarkably intact thanks to dry air, stable temperatures, and protection from bacteria.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What makes mummies important to science?<\/strong><br \/>\nA: Mummies preserve more than bones\u2014they hold ancient DNA, artifacts, and cultural clues that help researchers understand how people lived, traveled, and evolved. Each mummy connects us more deeply to human history through both genetics and archaeology.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_separator sep_color=&#8221;,Default&#8221;][uncode_author_profile user_id=&#8221;14&#8243; avatar_size=&#8221;250&#8243; heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h3&#8243; social=&#8221;&#8221; display_button=&#8221;yes&#8221; button_content=&#8221;Read More From Courtney&#8221; hover_fx=&#8221;full-colored&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;408600&#8243; button_color_type=&#8221;uncode-solid&#8221; button_color_solid=&#8221;#ff6900&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Real mummies walk among your DNA results. Explore how genetic testing uncovers links to ancient remains in our Genes and Screams series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":81038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192,1195],"tags":[1186,1188,1197],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.2 (Yoast SEO v21.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"See if you\u2019re related to ancient mummies with DNA testing. Discover genetic connections to history in our Genes and Screams series.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Real Mummies in Your Family Tree | Genes and Screams: Spooky Tales from the Hallotree\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Take a look at real mummies and how they influence our genetics and spooky traditions as part of our Halloween series, Genes and Screams.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FamilyTreeDNA Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FamilyTreeDNA\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-29T15:00:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-13T20:47:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Genes-and-Screams-Spooky-Tales-from-the-Hallotree-Blog-Cover-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Courtney Eberhard\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"The Real Mummies in Your Family Tree | Genes and Screams: Spooky Tales from the Hallotree\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Take a look at real mummies and how they influence our genetics and spooky traditions as part of our Halloween series, Genes and Screams.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Genes-and-Screams-Spooky-Tales-from-the-Hallotree-Blog-Cover-1.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@FamilyTreeDNA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@FamilyTreeDNA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Courtney Eberhard\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"26 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Courtney Eberhard\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/person\/77e645ef0b2fd33647941554ebd28a15\"},\"headline\":\"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-29T15:00:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-13T20:47:30+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\"},\"wordCount\":6860,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"Ancient DNA\",\"Discover\",\"Genes and Screams\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Discover\u2122\",\"Ancient DNA\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\",\"name\":\"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-29T15:00:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-13T20:47:30+00:00\",\"description\":\"See if you\u2019re related to ancient mummies with DNA testing. Discover genetic connections to history in our Genes and Screams series.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/\",\"name\":\"FamilyTreeDNA Blog\",\"description\":\"All things FamilyTreeDNA and genealogy.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"FamilyTreeDNA\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/ftdna_primary_v_logo_2clr.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/ftdna_primary_v_logo_2clr.png\",\"width\":1728,\"height\":864,\"caption\":\"FamilyTreeDNA\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FamilyTreeDNA\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FamilyTreeDNA\",\"http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/familytreedna\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dna-findings\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCGXMVPJ5TBwcIvvRt3XWpDw\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/person\/77e645ef0b2fd33647941554ebd28a15\",\"name\":\"Courtney Eberhard\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/67656db7ed069471725ea71a1c57a877?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/67656db7ed069471725ea71a1c57a877?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Courtney Eberhard\"},\"description\":\"Senior Marketing Specialist at FamilyTreeDNA Courtney Eberhard is driven by a profound passion for genealogy, fueled by her personal journey as an adoptee with roots in the LDS church. Through research with FamilyTreeDNA, she has also been able to uncover her son\u2019s father\u2019s indigenous roots in Mexico and provide context for his origins. In her spare time, she finds joy in connecting with her family and friends during cookouts, cheering for the Houston Astros, and cherishing her role as a dedicated full-time parent.\",\"jobTitle\":\"Senior Marketing Specialist\",\"worksFor\":\"FamilyTreeDNA\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/author\/courtney-eberhardgenebygene-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell","description":"See if you\u2019re related to ancient mummies with DNA testing. Discover genetic connections to history in our Genes and Screams series.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Real Mummies in Your Family Tree | Genes and Screams: Spooky Tales from the Hallotree","og_description":"Take a look at real mummies and how they influence our genetics and spooky traditions as part of our Halloween series, Genes and Screams.","og_url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/","og_site_name":"FamilyTreeDNA Blog","article_publisher":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FamilyTreeDNA\/","article_published_time":"2025-10-29T15:00:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-13T20:47:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Genes-and-Screams-Spooky-Tales-from-the-Hallotree-Blog-Cover-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Courtney Eberhard","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"The Real Mummies in Your Family Tree | Genes and Screams: Spooky Tales from the Hallotree","twitter_description":"Take a look at real mummies and how they influence our genetics and spooky traditions as part of our Halloween series, Genes and Screams.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Genes-and-Screams-Spooky-Tales-from-the-Hallotree-Blog-Cover-1.png","twitter_creator":"@FamilyTreeDNA","twitter_site":"@FamilyTreeDNA","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Courtney Eberhard","Est. reading time":"26 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/"},"author":{"name":"Courtney Eberhard","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/person\/77e645ef0b2fd33647941554ebd28a15"},"headline":"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell","datePublished":"2025-10-29T15:00:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-13T20:47:30+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/"},"wordCount":6860,"commentCount":2,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#organization"},"keywords":["Ancient DNA","Discover","Genes and Screams"],"articleSection":["Discover\u2122","Ancient DNA"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/","url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/","name":"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-10-29T15:00:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-13T20:47:30+00:00","description":"See if you\u2019re related to ancient mummies with DNA testing. Discover genetic connections to history in our Genes and Screams series.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/dna-mummies-genes-and-screams\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Are You Related to Real Mummies? DNA Can Tell"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/","name":"FamilyTreeDNA Blog","description":"All things FamilyTreeDNA and genealogy.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#organization","name":"FamilyTreeDNA","url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/ftdna_primary_v_logo_2clr.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/ftdna_primary_v_logo_2clr.png","width":1728,"height":864,"caption":"FamilyTreeDNA"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FamilyTreeDNA\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/FamilyTreeDNA","http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/familytreedna\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dna-findings\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCGXMVPJ5TBwcIvvRt3XWpDw"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/person\/77e645ef0b2fd33647941554ebd28a15","name":"Courtney Eberhard","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/67656db7ed069471725ea71a1c57a877?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/67656db7ed069471725ea71a1c57a877?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Courtney Eberhard"},"description":"Senior Marketing Specialist at FamilyTreeDNA Courtney Eberhard is driven by a profound passion for genealogy, fueled by her personal journey as an adoptee with roots in the LDS church. Through research with FamilyTreeDNA, she has also been able to uncover her son\u2019s father\u2019s indigenous roots in Mexico and provide context for his origins. In her spare time, she finds joy in connecting with her family and friends during cookouts, cheering for the Houston Astros, and cherishing her role as a dedicated full-time parent.","jobTitle":"Senior Marketing Specialist","worksFor":"FamilyTreeDNA","url":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/author\/courtney-eberhardgenebygene-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77194"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77194"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81640,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77194\/revisions\/81640"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.familytreedna.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}