SAN ANTONIO, TX.- The San Antonio Museum of Art is presenting Egyptian Animal Mummies: Science Explores an Ancient Religion. The exhibition focuses on the creation of animal mummies, their role in ancient Egyptian religion, and their burial. Recently conserved for this exhibition, the mummies include a cat, three crocodiles, two ibises, and three falcons.

In collaboration with the San Antonio Zoo and the Radiology Department at University of Texas Health San Antonio, the mummies underwent modern scientific methods of examination including X-ray imaging and CT scanning, which made it possible to understand and analyze the contents of the mummies without unwrapping them. These tests and their results are being featured in the exhibition.

“Not everyone knows there was a practice of mummifying animals,” said Sarah Schellinger, PhD, Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow of Ancient Art. “But in fact, the practice was so popular that some of the animals became scarce, which led to the creation of fake mummies.”

Ancient Egyptians mummified animals for different reasons: a beloved pet might be mummified so it could accompany its owner to the afterlife; other animals were buried as food for the dead.

The animal mummies in the Museum’s collection are classified as “votive mummies.” The animals were raised by temple priests who then made them into mummies as offerings to the deities to whom the animals were sacred. For example, the ibis was sacred to Thoth (the god of wisdom), the crocodile to Sobek (the god of fertility and rebirth), and the cat to Bastet (the goddess of protection).

A dynamic series of educational public programs will complement the exhibition. The highlight will be a lecture by Salima Ikram, PhD, Distinguished University Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, on April 17, 2018. Dr. Ikram is the world’s leading expert on animal mummies.

This exhibition is free with general Museum admission