Eminent professors gave fascinating lectures which included Animal mummies: from beliefs to practice.
Talks will focused on the mummies themselves and the use of modern technologies to understand the practice of mummifying animals, as well as the concept and the people behind the practice. Animal mummies offer a unique window into life, beliefs and religious practices in ancient Egypt. The millions of animal mummies found across Egypt attest to this well-established tradition, intended to create a connection with the divine. Most gods could be associated with one or more animals and cats, ibises, snakes, shrews, crocodiles and many other species could be mummified. The sheer scale had significant cultural and social ramifications, which probably impacted at times both the local and national economies.
Despite an extensive body of research, many aspects of this practice remain relatively unknown. In particular there is not much information on how it varied over time and by region, as well as the cultural and social significance of the practice. This colloquium aims to bring together the latest research on animal mummies, from religious beliefs to practical techniques, using ancient textual sources, scientific analyses and archaeological work.
The Annual Egyptological Colloquium was accompanied by the Annual Distinguished Lecture in Egyptology, given by Dr Salima Ikram on 31 October. The lecture was followed by a reception.
