Colombia is a land of myths, legends and wonders, with one of the most impenetrable mysteries being that of the mummies of San Bernardo. Located in the Cundinamarca departement, 100 km south of Bogota, the village of San Bernardo is famous for the unexplained phenomenon that has been occurring for the last decades : dead bodies mummify naturally.
Far from dating back to ancient civilizations, these mummies are relatively recent, and remain to this day the most incredible and enigmatic occurrence in Colombia.
The San Bernardo mummies
The first mention of mummified bodies in the village of San Bernardo goes back to the 1950s. After the local authorities decided to build a new cemetery, exhumed bodies showed unusual characteristics; the corpses, far from being decomposed, were well-preserved. In San Bernardo, the phenomenon is extremely common: since the first attested cases, dozens and dozens of bodies have been observed with similar characteristics.
The occurrence immediately caught the attention of religious authorities. Indeed, in Catholicism, the incorruptibility of one’s body following death is a sign of sanctity and holiness. In fact, the body of Reverend José Arquimedes Castro, who initiated the construction of the new cemetery, was also found mummified.
Theories behind the mummification process
The high frequency of mummification cases has quickly ruled out supernatural or divine intervention theories. Rather, scientists started to study the characteristics of the village substrata to try to answer the mystery. The first interesting characteristics of the San Bernardo mummies is that they are unrelated. Whether it is age, sex, cause of death, or even location inside the cemetery, all the mummies present different features.
The appearance of the mummies is fascinating. While some are better preserved than others, all look similar, resembling clay or papier-mâché statues, with shades of color ranging from beige to ochre.
These elements have led specialists to favor a natura explanation linking all these mummies. Mummification phenomena can be favored by extreme climates, whether hot or cold, as well as by the composition of the soils. For instance, the famous mummies of Guanajuato, in Mexico, are the result of the significant soil content of heavy metals and gases, which prohibits the decomposition of the bodies.
While San Bernardo’s climate is temperate and humid, scientists speculate that the village’s subterranean temperature might either be very cold or very hot. This, in addition to the fact that the corpses are not directly in contact with the ground but placed in vaults, could favour mummification.
However, no study has been conducted so far, and these speculations remain theoretical. Another theory suggests the role of the inhabitants’ diet in the exceptional preservation of their bodies. Because of its important agricultural harvest and production, San Bernardo locals consume a lot of fruits and vegetables.
Some believe that their significant consumption of vegetables like the chachafruto, (a kind of tree bean), pumpkins, squash or chayote is behind the mummification of their deceased relatives.
The real explanation behind Colombia’s mummies remains unanswered. For locals, this incredible phenomenon is no other than God’s blessing or manifestation. Regardless, as long as no scientific study is conducted, the mystery of San Bernardo’s mummies will continue to be the source of all kinds of theories and legends.
Colombia’s mummies museum
The inhabitants of San Bernardo have built a dedicated mausoleum to conserve the mummified corpses. There, the body of Reverend José Arquimedes Castro, alongside dozens of other villagers, is kept and displayed as a perpetual testimony to the village’s mysterious and miraculous phenomenon.
This site also operates as a museum. Open to the public, it tells the story of the mysterious mummies of San Bernardo, including biographies of the deceased provided by their relatives. It is open every day from 8 AM to 5 PM.