An unusual substance found on the necklace of a 3,500-year-old mummy has rewritten part of human history.

Archaeologists say the bizarre jewellery is adorned with what is thought to be the world's oldest cheese. It was found on a body entombed in an ancient burial site in Xinjiang in northwestern China.

Throughout history, humans have been buried with treasures and times of great cultural significance. And archaeologists say the Chinese “cheese necklaces” are a thrilling piece of ancient history that offers an insight into the region’s dairy-producing past during the Bronze Age.

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