Philippines Rich Igorot's Macabre Mummy Burial 1910s Real Photo Postcard

The Igorot people, indigenous to the Cordillera Central region of northern Luzon in the Philippines, have historically practiced unique mortuary rituals. Among these was the elaborate tradition of preserving the deceased through a process of smoking and mummification. This postcard captures a "smoked burial" of a "rich Igorote," indicating a person of status undergoing a preservation process that could last for weeks, often involving the body being placed in a seated position as seen here, and smoked for an indicated 24 days.

This prolonged ritual served not only to preserve the body but also allowed the community extended time to mourn, perform ceremonial rites, and interact with the deceased, reflecting deeply held beliefs about ancestral veneration and the journey of the soul. Postcards such as this emerged primarily in the early 20th century, often documenting indigenous customs as subjects of anthropological curiosity and colonial study during the American colonial period in the Philippines.