Scientists: one-third of the ancient mummies of animals empty inside – BBC Russian

• 11 May 2015

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According to scientists, the ancient Egyptians mummified animals to 70 million

British scientists have claimed that, according to their data, about a third of Egyptian mummies of animals – empty inside.

In particular, researchers at Manchester University and the Museum reported that after scanning about 800 animal mummies they found that 30% of them – it’s just a folding fabric, outlines resembling animals and empty inside.

The reason researchers believe a large demand in ancient Egypt mummy on animals – birds, cats and even crocodiles, and manufacturers in mummies a time to keep up with demand, it was necessary to make counterfeiting.

At the same time, as noted in the report of the scientists, the third part of the fabric-wrapped mummies – it’s really well-preserved remains of animals, another third – is only part of some of the animals, and in the last third of bundles of cloth, there was nothing at all .

70 million mummies

Archaeologists in Egypt discovered 30 large catacombs, from floor to ceiling millions slaughtered animal mummies. Each one is dedicated to the burial of animals – for example, dogs, cats, crocodiles, ibises, monkeys.

According to scientists, the ancient Egyptians mummified animals to 70 million.

“The scale of the mummification of animals between about 800 BC and the Roman period was a giant, “- says Dr. Campbell Price from Manchester Museum.

However, it was found that it is often the most beautifully wrapped mummy do not contain animal remains inside.

According to Dr. Lydia McKnight of the University of Manchester, and killing animals grown on a commercial scale.

“With so many graves of animals were killed when they were very young. In addition that probably had some special program of their breeding, “- says Lydia McKnight.

But even with this approach, manufacturers mummies it was difficult to meet the huge demand for mummy.

” We believe that mummification is often used not the animals themselves, and their particles, or something to do with their lives – such as pieces of eggshell or residues nests. They had a special significance for the Egyptians, because they were in close proximity to animals, although they were not actually dead bodies of animals, “- says Lydia McKnight.

For this reason, according to scientists, empty inside the mummy can not be considered a scam or forgery – manufacturers have used everything they could find.