CAIRO: It has recently been discovered that ancient Egyptians placed food in the mouths or stomachs of animal mummies, signifying that animals were treated equally to humans in death, and perhaps also in life. In a study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the mummies of the sacred ibis birds are the first known examples of food placed directly in animal mummies. The primary organs were also removed, as was the practice for humans. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians wished to preserve these organs for continued function in the afterlife. “That the birds received treatment for their own continued provision in the afterlife suggests that the afterlife welfare of the birds was important to the priests performing the embalming ritual on them,” lead author Andrew Wade told Discovery News. “Certainly, in this sense, there appears to be some degree of equality between humans and animals in death,” added Wade, a University of Western Ontario anthropologist. “If that is the case, then the birds may have been deserving of a greater respect in life.” Recently excavated mummified sacred ibis were analyzed by Wade and his team. Numerous snails were found in its bill, inserted by the people who prepared the body. Another mummy was found to contain wheat. Wade said that temple-raised birds were likely fed grain, which again implies that the bird was probably sent off into the afterlife with food for its spiritual journey. But on the flip side, Wade said all of the birds from the study had broken necks and were likely deliberately killed, probably as a sacrifice to the god Thoth. Overall, life for non-human animals in ancient Egypt was probably similar to that for humans. Some lived in luxury, but others may have been viewed more as tools to achieve certain goals. The sacred ibis went extinct in Egypt sometime in the mid to late 19th century, probably due to urban encroachment and habitat destruction. The bird still exists in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been introduced to Europe and the United States. A new Franco-Egyptian endeavor is ongoing to reintroduce this species to Egypt, with at least two colonies now established in Luxor and Aswan. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/2RGz2 Tags: Ancient Egypt, Mummies Section: Animals, Egypt, Heritage, Latest News
