Centuries old mummified monk found meditating in Mongolia

The perfectly preserved mummified remains of a meditating Mongolian monk have been discovered in the Songinokhairkhan province.

The body of the male mummy was found sitting in the lotus position and is believed to date back to the 1800s.

It was found in the Songinokhairkhan province earlier this week, according to a report in Mongolia's Morning Newspaper.

"The mummified body sits in a lotus position, as if still meditating. Experts that only had time to carry basic visual test say they believe the body can be about 200 years old.

"So far there is no information as to where the body was found. The only details we learned was that it was covered with a cattle skin."

Experts are currently analysing the remains at the Ulaanbaatar National Centre of Forensic Expertise.

It has been speculated the mummy could be the remains of Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov, a Buddhist monk and teacher born in 1852.