Egypt's animal mummy 'scandal' revealed

Published: 11 May 2015

Source: Rebecca Morelle, Science Correspondent, BBC News

Link:  http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32656743

Science field: Science and Environment

Summary

A scanning project at Manchester Museum and the University of Manchester has revealed that about a third of the bundles of cloth are empty inside.

Researchers believe there was a huge appetite for these religious offerings, and demand for the mummies may have outstripped supply.

The project has been followed by the BBC's Horizon programme. The research team has been conducting the largest scanning project of its kind.

More than 800 mummies, ranging from cats and birds to crocodiles, have been analyzed using X-rays and CT scans. About a third of those scanned contain complete animals, which have been remarkably well preserved. Another third contain partial remains; but the rest have been empty.

Glossary

-          Bundle: a number of things that have been fastened or are held together.

-          Eggshell: the hard outside covering of an egg.

-          Linen: strong cloth made from the fibres of the flax plant.

-          Pad sth out: If you pad out a speech or piece of writing, you add unnecessary words or information to make it longer or to hide the fact that you are not saying anything very important.

-          Worshipped: to have or show a strong feeling of respect and admiration for God or a god.

-          Barter: to exchange goods for other things rather than for money.

Review

The Ancient Egyptians didn't just mummify their dead human ancestors; they also mummified animals.

The researchers believe that despite the fact that animals were mass-bred, the mummy makers probably struggled to keep up with the demand. However, they do not think that the partial or empty mummies were a scam, and the pilgrims may have known they were not burying a complete creature.

Wirtten By Alba Pazos