Mummified Dog
This mummy of a dog was discovered besides the mummy of a baboon within Tomb KV50, near King Amenhotep II’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
Edward R. Ayrton unearthed Tomb KV50, within the Valley of the Kings, in 1906 while excavating on behalf of Theodore M. Davis. The tomb is part of the “Animal Tombs” grouping, which also includes Tombs KV51 and KV52.
Pets were frequently represented on Egyptian tombstones, expressing their owners’ devotion for the creatures. Egyptians thought that mummification was required to gain admission to the afterlife, therefore mummifying these pets would assure their immortality.
Pets in Ancient Egypt
The most popular Egyptian pets were cats, dogs, mongooses, monkeys, gazelles, and birds. Many Egyptians adored their pets, and the traditional way of mourning the loss of a beloved pet included wailing and shaving one’s brow.
More than seventy names translated in inscriptions identifying the mummified remains of pet dogs show that Ancient Egyptian canines were given names similar to those used today.
Prince Thutmose of the Eighteenth Dynasty was also buried with a favourite animal: his pet cat, which was mummified and placed in a stone coffin in his tomb.
When the grave of a Theban priestess named Maatkare Mutemhat was uncovered, a little, mummified bundle lay at her feet, which was initially thought to be her baby. This perplexed researchers because Maatkare Mutemhat was a High Priestess who had made a rigorous vow of chastity. If this was her child, it would imply that she had violated her oath as High Priestess at some point, bringing a plethora of other concerns about her past. Finally, in 1968, an X-ray was performed on the little mummy, which was actually discovered to be an adult African green monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops). Makare’s half sister, Esemkhet, was found buried alongside a mummified gazelle, presumed to be her pet.
Another Egyptian, Hapymen, had his favourite dog mummified, wrapped in cloth, and placed by his coffin.
Unfortunately, the identity of the owner of the dog and baboon featured within this article is unknown. However, due to the burial place being near to the Tomb of Amenhotep II, it has been proposed they were both pets of the royal family.
