Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?

Wednesday, December 11, 2019
A mummified bird from ancient Egyptian
(credit to pinterest)

The bird was part of worship to a god, namely Thoth. After sacrificing to God Thoth, ancient Egyptian mummified the birds and buried them in the ancient catacombs or burial grounds.

God Thoth is a god represented by human body with Ibis bird head. Thoth was god of:
- magic
- justice
- wisdom
- the moon
- writing
- mathematics and measurement
- knowledge

Interestingly, Ibis was believed as god symbols of:
- power
- identity
- attributes


Modern African sacred ibis
(credit to Science Source)

What wonder me was the number of mummified birds: millions. However, the number was collected for about 600 years, from 665 BC to 250 AD.

Million mummified are found in two areas, they are:
- 4 millions from catacombs of Tuna el Gebel
- 1.75 millions from burial of Saqqara.

Million birds were mostly collected from wild species, and small number was from reared (farmed) population.

Based on DNA study, scientists proved recently that wild birds were the most source of mummified sacred Ibis. This finding has answered the long time question: where the bird come from.

Moreover, ancient mummified birds relate to modern species, African sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus). The birds are indigenous of Middle East and Africa.

Unfortunately, the birds had been extincted in Egypt, the last observed of bird was in 1891. The extinction was mainly due to habitat destruction and human hunting.

Luckily, African sacred Ibis is found elsewhere in Africa, and quite abundance in the sub Saharan and South Africa.

38 comments:

  1. So interesting... I wasn't at all familiar with these type of birds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      A mummified bird from ancient Egyptian
      (credit to pinterest)

      Delete
  2. You really put a lot of thought and work into this post, it’s amazing! Thank you for sharing this interesting information. Love the photos, they're beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      The bird was part of worship to a god, namely Thoth. After sacrificing to God Thoth, ancient Egyptian mummified the birds and buried them in the ancient catacombs or burial grounds.

      Delete
  3. I thought David Blaine was the god of magic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think so...

      Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      God Thoth is a god represented by human body with Ibis bird head. Thoth was god of:
      - magic
      - justice
      - wisdom
      - the moon
      - writing
      - mathematics and measurement
      - knowledge

      Delete
    2. Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?

      Delete
  4. Penting ut sains, karena dari mummi kita belajar masa lalu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Interestingly, Ibis was believed as god symbols of:
      - power
      - identity
      - attributes

      Delete
  5. Wow, I haven't seen those before, but I heard about it, interesting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Modern African sacred ibis
      (credit to Science Source)

      Delete
  6. Thank you, don't know that before.
    Have a nice thursday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      What wonder me was the number of mummified birds: millions. However, the number was collected for about 600 years, from 665 BC to 250 AD.

      Delete
  7. Interesting. Sounds like the Egyptians were worse for the bird population than the hat industry of the 19th and early 20th centuries who used feathers to decorate hats...

    www.thepulpitandthepen.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think so....

      Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Million mummified are found in two areas, they are:

      - 4 millions from catacombs of Tuna el Gebel

      - 1.75 millions from burial of Saqqara.

      Delete
  8. Enjoyed the travel back in time. Thank you, Tanza:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Million birds were mostly collected from wild species, and small number was from reared (farmed) population.

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Based on DNA study, scientists proved recently that wild birds were the most source of mummified sacred Ibis. This finding has answered the long time question: where the bird come from.

      Delete
  10. I didn't know the Egyptians treated the birds that way ...
    thank you for sharing ☺
    greetings
    Lili

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Moreover, ancient mummified birds relate to modern species, African sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus). The birds are indigenous of Middle East and Africa.


      Delete
  11. The traditions and beliefs of ancient Egypt are so fascinating. It is amazing how so much of their culture has been preserved for us to learn from.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, indeed...

      Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Unfortunately, the birds had been extincted in Egypt, the last observed of bird was in 1891. The extinction was mainly due to habitat destruction and human hunting.

      Delete
  12. Very interesting post. I always learn something from your blog. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Luckily, African sacred Ibis is found elsewhere in Africa, and quite abundance in the sub Saharan and South Africa.

      Delete
  13. What a beautiful bird! I've only seen scarlet ibises before, also lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I see....

      Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      A mummified bird from ancient Egyptian
      (credit to pinterest)

      Delete
  14. Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      The bird was part of worship to a god, namely Thoth. After sacrificing to God Thoth, ancient Egyptian mummified the birds and buried them in the ancient catacombs or burial grounds.

      Delete
    2. Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?

      Delete
  15. I have read about this, it's very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      God Thoth is a god represented by human body with Ibis bird head. Thoth was god of:
      - magic
      - justice
      - wisdom
      - the moon
      - writing
      - mathematics and measurement
      - knowledge

      Delete
  16. like always full pack of great information. I love birds :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Interestingly, Ibis was believed as god symbols of:
      - power
      - identity
      - attributes

      Delete
  17. Replies
    1. Thank you to visit:
      Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?
      -
      Modern African sacred ibis
      (credit to Science Source)


      Delete
    2. Why Ancient Egyptian Mummified Million Birds?

      Delete