British Museum unwraps secrets of Egyptian animal mummies using scans

Exhibit planned to throw a spotlight on the 70 million animals mummified and buried at dozens of sites in ancient Egypt

The British Museum's extensive collection includes cats, crocodiles, bulls, ibises, snakes, shrews and fish. Photo: The Trustees of the British Museum

The British Museum is digitally unwrapping the secrets of its roughly 500 ancient Egyptian animal mummies using high tech scans ahead of a promised blockbuster exhibition of its collection in the main hall in late 2026.

Estimates suggest that up to 70 million animals were mummified and buried in dozens of sites across Egypt, with almost every species alive at the time discovered to have been wrapped in the same way humans were. It is believed to have been a huge industry in ancient Egypt, which bred millions of animals just to mummify them.

Curators at the British Museum have embarked on a detailed study of its extensive collection, which includes cats, crocodiles, bulls, ibises, snakes, shrews and fish to learn more about the tradition – and crucially see what remains are stored beneath the wrapping.

All animals are being studied via X-ray, with the best-preserved going on to be subjected to detailed CT scanning to reveal what is under the wrappings for the first time.

A scan of a four-metre crocodile revealed a pile of stones, which the reptile uses to help with digestion, as well as the front leg of a cow.

“This fits very well with the idea of that crocodile being a manifestation of God and living in a temple because if you look at offering tables to gods usually you have the foreleg of a cow,” Marie Vandenbeusch, a curator in the British Museum’s Egypt and Sudan department, who is leading the research project, told The Times.

“This crocodile was just living its life around the temple, died naturally and was then mummified.”

Researchers are also using other techniques, including chemical analysis, to find out how, when, where and why they were mummified and how they can be best cared for now and in the future.

Egypt’s millions of mummified animals suggest the practice was a well-established tradition, but many aspects remain under researched, according to the museum’s experts.

“We have no idea what is going on,” said Ms Vandenbeusch.“But at another level it is really about the people behind it,” she added.

“The big picture is why all those animals were bred, killed and mummified and what is the reasoning behind that and how did it impact the Egyptian society. There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered.”

The team wants to know when animals were mummied and the changes that occurred over time, as well as the conditions the animals were kept and killed in, mummification techniques and the cultural significance of the tradition.

Some of the mummified animals are believed to have been family pets, or even to provide food in the afterlife, researchers believe. Wealthy and royal ancient Egyptians were also known to keep zoos of more exotic animals like leopards, lions elephants, which may have been part of “royal menageries”.

X-rays have already revealed surprises. “I know that some labels need to be changed,” said Ms Vandenbeusch. “What is inside is not what it says on the label.”

The information will be used for an exhibition planned for the autumn of 2026.