In Pictures: Mummies of Ancient Lion Cubs, Crocodiles, and More Found in Saqqarah
In an unlikely find, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities unveiled a newly-unearthed cache of animal mummies at the step of the Step Pyramid of Dsojer in Saqqarah, just south of Cairo and close to the vast necropolis where other mummies and artifacts have been uncovered earlier this year.
Minister of Antiquities, Khaled Al-Anany, revealed that the mummies were of animals sacred to the ancient Egyptians. The cache included mummified remains of lion cubs, crocodiles, birds, and cats.
“We are finding here hundreds of objects,” said the minister in a statement. “All of them are very interesting from the Egyptological point of view to know better this area.”
Mostafa Waziri, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that frequently, archaeologists come across the mummified remains of cats; however, it’s extremely rare to find mummified lions, let alone cubs.
Both lions and cats were revered in ancient Egypt as the Egyptians believed they were manifestations of the Goddess Bastet. The first-ever lion mummy was found in 2004, also in Saqqarah.
Here are some of the most interesting picture from this recent find:
