The University of Manchester and the Manchester Museum have teamed up to analyze at least 800 animal mummies using scanning equipment, including X-rays and CT scanning, to find one very mind-boggling practice among the ancient Egyptians.

One-third of the specimens contain well-preserved complete animals, while the other third contain partial remains. The last third, which has baffled some experts, were just stuffed with linen parcels and other items, such as bundles of cloth filled sticks and mud, likely lying around the home of the creator of the mummies.

Archaeologists have discovered more than 30 Egyptian burial sites for mummified animals, with some enclosing millions of samples. Tens of millions of animals associated with mythical gods were mummified and were guarded in spectacular places in ancient Egypt. Some highly regarded animals were encased in tombs of pharaohs to eternally rest in their king's company. Other mummified animals had their individual distinct burial grounds, where they were entombed in coffins as decoratively designed as those of royal family members.

Researchers believe that up to 70 million animals could have been mummified by the ancient Egyptians.

During that time, there was a huge demand for mummified animals since they were part of religious offerings, unlike human mummies. Millions of specimens have been excavated in Egypt in several catacombs encasing supposedly mythical creatures, such as monkeys, dogs and cats.

One valid explanation for the lost animal mummies is that religious offerings were so sacred and rampant that there were no more animals available for mummification. Simply put, demand may have been much greater than the supply, according to the experts.

Aside from their use as offerings for the dead, animals were also often mummified for two other reasons. Some experts say they could have served as food for the souls of the departed. Moreover, it is also speculated that they may have been mummified to allow their souls to pass on into the afterlife. This was said to be the case for animals who were loved as pets during their lifetimes.

Archaeologists believe that the creators of the mummies possibly struggled to meet the demand, but that did not mean the mummies were forgeries.

The demand was so huge that animals were mass-bred explicitly for the industry, but many embalmers still had to make do with what was available.

Dr. Lidija McKnight, an Egyptologist from the University of Manchester, confirmed this could not have implied it was fraud and that embalmers who commissioned the animal mummies could have known in advance that they would be hollow.

"We think they were mummifying pieces of animals that were lying around, or materials associated with the animals during their lifetime—so nest material or eggshells. They were special because they had been in close proximity with the animals—even though they weren't the animals themselves. And often the most beautifully wrapped mummies don't contain the animal remains themselves," Dr. McKnight added.

Photo: SpeckledOwl | Flickr