Post mortems on mummified animals from ancient Egypt
Scientists have used 3D scanning technology to carry out a digital “post-mortem” examination on three mummified animals from ancient Egypt, more than 2,000 years after their deaths.
Researchers from Swansea University have analysed the remains of a cat, a bird and a snake, in “extraordinary detail, right down to their smallest bones and teeth”.
They say the findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, provide insights into the animal mummification process as well shedding light on the conditions in which the animals were kept and their possible causes of death, without causing damage to the specimens.
While previous investigationshadidentifiedwhichanimals they were, not much was known about what was inside the mummies.
Study author Dr Carolyn Graves-brown, from the Egypt Centre at Swansea University, said: “Our findings have uncovered new insights into animal mummification, religion and human-animal relationships in ancient Egypt.”
Ancient Egyptians created animal mummies for various reasons – some were household pets buried alongside their deceased owners, while others were intended as food offerings to humans in the afterlife.
But the most common animal mummies were created to serve as sacred offerings to the gods. Scientists believe there may be up to 70 million mummified animals buried in underground catacombs across Egypt.
The researchers, led by Professor
Richard Johnston of Swansea University, used an advanced form of imaging technique, known was X-ray micro CT scanning, to generate 3D images of the animals.
Based on an analysis of the teeth and skeleton, the researchers believe the mummified feline was a kitten less than five months old.
They also found gaps between the neck bones, which, according to the team, indicates the kitten may have had its neck broken at the time of death or during the mummification process to keep the head in an upright position.
The tightly-coiled mummified snake was identified as a juvenile Egyptian cobra, which may have died from spine damage “consistent with tail capture and whipping methods”.