# What language did the Bronze Age Tarim people speak? · Tarim Basin mummies (Xiaohe) > Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E3ST5JQ5/what-language-did-the-bronze-age-tarim-people-speak Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:56+00:00 --- **0** # What language did the Bronze Age Tarim people speak? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [Where did the people buried in the earliest Tarim Basin cemeteries come from?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E32C1HN0/where-did-the-people-buried-in-the-earliest-tarim-basin)·3 answers·0·0 following **Three answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. ## Why it matters The mummies were long tied to the Tocharian languages recorded in the basin about AD 500-1000. The 2021 authors leave open whether the Tarim founders spoke a form of proto-Tocharian, while proposing that Afanasievo migrants may have brought Tocharian to Dzungaria⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D90DSHP05J1/the-genomic-origins-of-the-bronze-age-tarim-basin-mummies). ## Answers 3 [**An early form of Tocharian, adopted from neighbours or spoken from the start.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tarim-mummies/answers/ANS0D90EACR756H/an-early-form-of-tocharian-adopted-from-neighbours-or-spoken) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 against Still possible [**An unrelated local language, now lost, later replaced.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tarim-mummies/answers/ANS0D90EAWC3N06/an-unrelated-local-language-now-lost-later-replaced) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tarim-mummies/answers/ANS0D90EBC04ZD2/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2002[Di Cosmo puts forward: an early form of Tocharian, adopted from neighbours or spoken from the start.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D90DW7M0BWK/review-of-the-tarim-mummies-ancient-china-and-the-mystery-of) 1. 2021[Zhang et al. puts forward: an unrelated local language, now lost, later replaced.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D90DSHP05J1/the-genomic-origins-of-the-bronze-age-tarim-basin-mummies) 1. 2021[Zhang et al.: no genetic link to Afanasievo, the group usually tied to Tocharian, in the founders.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D90DSHP05J1/the-genomic-origins-of-the-bronze-age-tarim-basin-mummies)Against: An early form of Tocharian, adopted from neighbours or spoken from the start. 1. 2021[Zhang et al.: the founders were a genetically isolated local population.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D90DSHP05J1/the-genomic-origins-of-the-bronze-age-tarim-basin-mummies)For: An unrelated local language, now lost, later replaced. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E3ST5JQ5/what-language-did-the-bronze-age-tarim-people-speak%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E3ST5JQ5/what-language-did-the-bronze-age-tarim-people-speak%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E3ST5JQ5/what-language-did-the-bronze-age-tarim-people-speak%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E3ST5JQ5/what-language-did-the-bronze-age-tarim-people-speak%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E3ST5JQ5/what-language-did-the-bronze-age-tarim-people-speak%23add-source) Where it fits Tarim Basin mummies (Xiaohe) [**Where did the people buried in the earliest Tarim Basin cemeteries come from?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tarim-mummies/questions/QST0D90E32C1HN0/where-did-the-people-buried-in-the-earliest-tarim-basin)Key question · They descended from an old, isolated local population of mainly Ancient North Eurasian ancestry. **What language did the Bronze Age Tarim people speak?** You're here · 3 answers, inconclusive [ Ask a question under this one ]