The mystery of the empty Egyptian mummies – BBC

Rebecca Morelle BBC

• May 11, 2015

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Only a third of the mummies containing the full skeleton. Others are filled with materials such as clay, twigs or eggshells.

Scientists say it is “a scandal”: almost a third of which were thought to be Egyptian animal mummies are empty <. /> p>

Now, a draft Scan the Manchester Museum and the University of Manchester, UK, revealed that many of the “mummies” are bundles of cloth empty inside.

Researchers believe that as in ancient Egypt was a big appetite for these religious offerings, demand might have exceeded supply.

The scanning project is the largest of its kind that has never before been carried out.

So far, more than 800 animals-from mummified cats and birds to crocodiles were analyzed using X-ray radiography and computed tomography scanners (CT)

In pictures:. and mums are inside

Fills alternative

CT images revealed the content of the mummies.

A third of the mummies scanned contain complete animals, researchers are remarkably well preserved.

Another contains only animal parts. And a third part, they say, are empty.

We always knew that not all animal mummies contained what was expected, but we found that about a third contains no animal element

Lidija McKnight, an Egyptologist at the University of Manchester

“There have been some surprises,” said Lidija McKnight, an Egyptologist at the University of Manchester.

“We always knew that not all animal mummies contained what was expected but found that about a third contains no animal element. “

Instead, he explained, the rags are filled with other things.

” Basically organic material such as mud , sticks and reeds, which would have been scattered in the workshops of the embalmers, and also things like shell eggs and feathers that are associated with animals “

See also:. Reveal the secrets of health Egyptian mummies

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