An array of mummified animals from ancient Egypt
Mummified animals are the most abundantly found type of artefact in ancient Egypt: millions have been found. For the wealthy, mummification was occasionally available for pets, but most of these mummified animals were offerings to the gods. Animals associated with deities were frequently mummified in Egypt’s later periods. For example, the cat was associated with Bastet, the crocodile Sobek, and the ibis, Thoth.
The mummification technique used for animals was essentially the same as used for humans, and some of the mummies included a papyrus with a request to a god. The mummies shown this post are of the following animals: a cat (dated to 750-400 BC), snake (664-332 BC), shrew (30 BC-100 AD), dog (305 BC-395 AD, +it’s x-ray), an ibis (30 BC-1st century AD), and a crocodile (1st century AD).
All artefacts courtesy of & located at the Brooklyn Museum: via their online collections: 37.1988E, 37.1358Ea-c, 14.653, 05.308 & 14.668.
