| To the ancient Egyptians, animals were created | | | | Dog, cats, monkeys, and birds were also a part |
| by the gods and given rights equal to that of | | | | of the nuclear family. So devoted were these |
| mankind. They saw animals not as their subjects, | | | | ancient people to their pets, that upon the pet's |
| but rather as independent beings, and treated | | | | passing, they would often carry out the same |
| them with respect. [A] | | | | rites and rituals as they would for any other |
| The Nile served as a source of food and was the | | | | family member. Pets and sacred animals were |
| most important factor to the agriculture of the | | | | mummified and put in special cemeteries. Animals |
| region. Fish were plentiful and could be eaten | | | | that belonged to the Pharaoh's royal family were |
| roasted, boiled, salted, preserved, or simply dried | | | | mummified and buried with them so they could |
| in the sun. Because the Nile would flood annually, it | | | | continue in the afterlife together. The following |
| revitalized the land with water and fertile silt, | | | | inscription for a well-loved dog was found in a |
| enriching the soil to grow wheat, fruits, and | | | | tomb dating from the 5th or 6th dynasty: |
| vegetables. Additionally, it provided thick grasses | | | | "The dog which was the guard of His Majesty. |
| on which animals would graze. | | | | Abuwtiyuw is his name. His Majesty ordered that |
| The people of ancient Egypt were mainly | | | | he be buried, that he be given a coffin from the |
| pescarian, meaning they would often eat fish. The | | | | royal treasury, fine linen in great quantity, incense. |
| Nile supplied many types of fish, including: catfish, | | | | His Majesty gave perfumed ointment and |
| mullet, tilapia, sturgeon, eel, carp, and perch, which | | | | [ordered] that a tomb be built for him by the |
| were all an important source of nourishment. | | | | gang of masons. His Majesty did this for him in |
| Along the Nile, there were restrictions on the | | | | order that he might be honored". [1] |
| types of fish that could be eaten because of their | | | | For many years, animal mummies have been |
| connections with the gods. The Pharaoh and other | | | | overlooked while research went on regarding |
| priests would abstain from eating fish altogether | | | | human mummies and other treasures found in the |
| because it was forbidden by one of their deities | | | | tombs. The study of this previously neglected |
| as a food reserved for peasants. | | | | area of Egyptology has finally changed, thanks to |
| Bread was their main staple, made from wheat | | | | the work of Dr. Salima Ikram, one of the leading |
| and barley. From time to time, they supplemented | | | | experts in Egyptian funerary archaeology. Dr. |
| their diet with antelope, which they hunted. | | | | Ikram is the founder and co-director of the |
| Occasionally they ate pork and goat, which were | | | | Animal Mummy Project at the Cairo Museum. This |
| raised on farms. | | | | project has shed new light on the past, revealing |
| The Egyptians also raised sheep, cattle, geese and | | | | the techniques of mummification and the reasons |
| ducks. These animals not only provided them with | | | | for it. Regarding the latter, Dr. Ikram tells us four |
| food, drink, leather and skins, but also helped with | | | | reasons why animals were mummified. |
| their daily lives. Oxen and cattle were used for | | | | 1. They were mummified because they were |
| plowing the fields, and other animals were used | | | | sacred. |
| for trampling seeds into the soil, and eating | | | | 2. They were mummified to please the animal |
| unwanted grain. | | | | deities (i.e. as offerings to the gods). |
| Birds were of extreme importance to the ancient | | | | 3. The ancient Egyptians believed that the afterlife |
| Egyptians as well. Along the Nile, the bird-life | | | | included animals. Therefore, they wanted their |
| included the falcon, kite, goose, crane, heron, | | | | pets to continue with them in the afterlife. |
| pigeon, ibis, vulture and owl. Numerous birds were | | | | 4. A certain number of animals were mummified |
| actually kept in sacred flocks and some were | | | | in order to provide food for eternity. |
| elevated in status to become temple animals. | | | | These ancient tombs are time capsules filled with |
| From the vast collection of ancient Egyptian | | | | ancient treasures, many of which we are still |
| artwork, evidence exists of several species of | | | | deciphering and trying to understand. Some of the |
| birds that are now extinct. | | | | tomb findings have been items made of animal |
| Beekeeping began in Egypt around 2500 BC in the | | | | products, which were used in many ways. Bone |
| Fifth Dynasty. Egyptians loved honey and they | | | | was plentiful and the ancient Egyptians fashioned it |
| would take great pains to cultivate it. They not | | | | into jewelry and arrowheads. Glue was made |
| only kept bees, but they also actively went out | | | | from animal hide and from sinews. Feathers were |
| and searched for the honey of wild bees. They | | | | used as ornaments. Twisted animal gut and |
| would use bee wax for embalming, offerings to | | | | sinews were used in the making of stringed |
| the gods, medicines, makeup, and as a bonding | | | | instruments. Ivory usually came from Nile hippos |
| agent. They named the honeybee after the | | | | and were used for carving combs and jewelry. |
| bull-like god named Apis because they believed it | | | | Egyptian burials often included sculpted clay and |
| had similar characteristics. (The historian Herodotus | | | | carved wooden figures, tools, and utensils in |
| described this bull as being black, with a white | | | | hopes they would service the dead in the afterlife. |
| diamond on its forehead and two white hairs on | | | | These were often part of a larger diorama or |
| its tail.) | | | | miniature three-dimensional scene. Because so |
| Horses were introduced much later into Egyptian | | | | many of these elaborate models have been found |
| society - around 1500 BC. They were a status | | | | in the tombs of the royal families, we've learned a |
| symbol for the owners and were mainly used to | | | | great deal about the customs of these people. |
| carry chariots into battle and for ceremonial | | | | For example, there are miniature models of |
| occasions. Horses were rarely ridden and if so, | | | | butcher shops, scenes of counting and inspecting |
| only by royalty. They were well cared for and | | | | cattle, and scenes of plowing the fields. There are |
| given individual names. Donkeys were the main | | | | wonderfully detailed wall paintings and reliefs |
| beasts of burden. They were used as pack | | | | decorating the tombs, giving us further |
| animals and for carrying heavy bundles of grain | | | | information about daily life in Ancient Egypt. It is |
| from the field to the threshing floor. Female | | | | interesting to note that much of this remained |
| donkeys, which produced higher-protein and | | | | hidden for 4,000 to 5,000 years. |
| sweeter milk than cows, were kept as dairy | | | | As Robert Fulford has written, "...Because the |
| animals. | | | | tombs were hidden so well, many of them |
| Hunting was seen as a symbol of mastery over | | | | remained intact until about 200 years ago, when |
| animal forces. Egyptians believed it was their role | | | | the modern world began discovering them and |
| to conquer the land. Dogs, resembling greyhounds, | | | | prying them open, one after another, in |
| would help them while hunting. There is evidence | | | | wonderment and excitement and gratitude. And |
| from the tomb paintings that the ancient | | | | so our own civilization, through the collaboration of |
| Egyptians sometimes took along cheetahs they | | | | grave-robbers, scholars and art lovers, has come |
| had tamed. | | | | to know far more about Egypt than would |
| The hunters knew their animals well. They studied | | | | otherwise be possible". [2] |
| their characteristics, including their diet and mating | | | | _____ [A] [B] [C] |
| habits. This knowledge brought about a great | | | | [1] Giza Digital Library: Giza Bibliography of George |
| respect for the animals and aided them in the | | | | A. Reisner (1867-1942) Reisner, George A. "The |
| hunt. Oftentimes, they would hunt great cats, | | | | Dog Which was Honored by the King of Upper |
| which were not always killed. [C] Smaller jungle | | | | and Lower Egypt." Bulletin of the Museum of Fine |
| mammals and wild cats, such as the cheetah, | | | | Arts, Boston 34, No. 206 (December 1936), pp. |
| were often kept as family pets. Ramses the | | | | 96-99. |
| Great is said to have had a pet lion. | | | | |