Mummies of animals nearly 3,000 years old

In the ancient Egyptian world, many animals were also mummified, wrapped in linen and brought into small coffins, and were considered to be sacrifices in religious rituals or incarnations of gods.

According to the ancient Egyptian conception, animals were often embalmed and buried with their owners when they died, being able to serve as parables or companions in the afterlife.In the picture is the mummy of an antelope buried in the tomb of the master, around 945 BC.

The mummification of animal corpses carries many spiritual elements according to ancient Egyptian conception.In the era of Egyptian dynasties, some animals were embalmed because they were considered to be incarnations of the gods.

The male sheep is embalmed and wrapped in a golden paint.This is one of 7 intact animal mummies being kept at the Egyptian Museum.According to experts, the sheep embodies the creation god Khnum, is raised in the temple and cared for until death.

Animals are also embalmed when they are pets of a member of the royal family.The hunting dog after mummification (photo) is defined as a pharaoh.

Inside a wooden coffin shaped like a cat, about 40cm tall, was the mummy of a small cat.A mummy-covered mummy and a brown paint mask are among the animal mummies often used in rituals.

X-ray images show the cat's mummy inside.

The shell outside the mummy of a ibis bird.Decorative figures along the crust are images of gods and hieroglyphs.

According to scientists, animal mummies can provide a lot of research information about the life and death of ancient Egyptians.In the picture is a mummy of baboons.

An antelope is wrapped with layers of cloth after mummification

Some animals were mummified to sacrifice rituals when burying the dead.The best meat parts of some animals such as cows, ducks, geese, doves, will be salted then wrapped in layers of cloth and put into coffins.