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Researchers at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences examined 131 skulls of mummified Egyptian cats held at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Their analysis, reported by Archaeology Magazine, shows that these animals suffered from diseases, infections and sometimes fatal injuries. The cat mummies come from the Beni Hassan cemetery in central Egypt and had been removed from their burials in the 19th century.
An exceptional collection held in Vienna
The skulls studied come from feline mummies removed from their burial site in the 19th century, in the Beni Hassan cemetery in central Egypt. These remains, now held at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, form a set of 131 specimens, large enough to allow a statistical study of the health of these animals.
This type of collection is valuable for zooarchaeology, the discipline that studies animal remains from archaeological contexts. Animal mummies, very numerous in ancient Egypt, offer indirect insight into the relationships between humans and animals, whether pets, sacred animals or offerings made to the gods. Skulls, better preserved than the rest of the skeleton, lend themselves particularly well to detailed examination of teeth, eye sockets and traces of injury.
The study was led by Wim Van Neer, a zooarchaeologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, and his colleagues. It is based on direct examination of the specimens, supplemented by an analysis of the lesions visible on each skull. The work was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, according to Archaeology Magazine.
Dental disease, infections and nutritional stress
The examination of the skulls reveals a notable presence of pathologies. Twenty-six cats show periodontitis, a serious inflammation of the tissues surrounding the teeth, and twenty-four have lost teeth. Pitting, or superficial cavities, is visible on thirty-five skulls, showing that the alteration affected a large part of the sample.
Nineteen specimens also show perforations in the eye sockets, the cavities that house the eyes. According to the researchers, these lesions are consistent with infections or nutritional stress, meaning insufficient or unbalanced diet during the animal's growth. These clues allow the general health of the cats to be sketched, well beyond their appearance as mummies.
These observations suggest that many animals did not live in favorable health conditions. The teeth and eye sockets, fragile parts of the skull, bear the trace of chronic diseases that may have weakened the animals for several months before their death.
Injuries and traces of violence
Fourteen skulls show trauma, including fractures and puncture wounds. Some injuries could have been caused by a sharp metal instrument or by a blunt impact, meaning one without a cutting edge. Some puncture wounds could also result from bites or blows inflicted by other cats.
Injuries showing signs of healing could correspond to punishments or fights between animals. They show that some cats survived attacks before dying later. Conversely, fatal lesions could have been inflicted during the first stage of the mummification process, according to the authors of the study.
Distinguishing human violence, a dispute between animals and an accidental injury remains difficult. This is why the researchers put forward several hypotheses rather than a single interpretation, depending on the shape and healing state of each lesion.
Questions about breeding conditions
Van Neer and his colleagues conclude that the animals may have been kept in conditions of close confinement. This density would have favored the spread of disease and conflicts between individuals, which would explain the extent of the traces found on the skulls.
These results fit into the context of religious practices linked to mummified animals, notably the production of cat mummies and other species intended to be offered to the gods. They suggest that part of this breeding could have been organized on a large scale, to the detriment of animal welfare.
This reading remains a hypothesis based on the lesions observed. It nevertheless sheds new light on the lesser-known side of Egyptian religion, where popular piety could rest on animals raised to be sacrificed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the cat mummies studied come from?
The skulls come from the Beni Hassan cemetery in central Egypt. They were removed from their burials in the 19th century and are now held at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. They are 131 skulls of mummified cats.
Which diseases were identified in these cats?
The researchers recorded periodontitis in twenty-six cats and tooth loss in twenty-four. Perforations in the eye sockets, consistent with infections or nutritional stress, are also among the lesions observed.
Were the cats victims of violence?
Fourteen skulls show fractures or wounds. Some injuries could come from blows or bites between cats, others from punishments or fights, and fatal lesions could have occurred during mummification.
Why are these cats found in such poor condition?
According to the researchers, the animals were probably raised in conditions of close confinement. This density would have favored the spread of disease and conflict, explaining the traces found on the skulls.
Sources
- Health of Mummified Egyptian Cats Evaluated — Archaeology Magazine
Original summary written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, checked automatically, then translated from the French original. Information and quotations belong to their authors. Read the French original.
