The Houston Museum of Natural Science will be continuing the “Secrets of the Silk Road” exhibit currently being held at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California.
From August 27 to January 2 2011, visitors of the Houston Museum of Natural Science will be able to view the exhibit, which includes three Tarim mummies. 150 ancient artifacts from institutions in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region will also be on display as well, reavling surprising details about the people who lived along the ancient Silk Road.
The display of the Tarim mummies marks the first time they have been shown in America. The mummies date back to as far as almost 4,000 years ago, and were originally found well-preserved in the dry climate of China’s western region. Yet what has surprised both scholars and the public is how many of the mummies have European-like physical features. The discovered mummies and artifacts have gone on to tell archaeologists and historians how both Western and Eastern cultures were interacting with one another in this region millennia ago.
