The Dog Catacomb

In Saqqare, Egypt There is a Dog Catacomb. Only information found on it was that in 1897 Jacques De Morgan published a map of the necropolis of Saqqara. Paul Nicholson used the map plan Jacques made and found that the catacomb was a mass grave of thousands of mummified dogs and animal remains. They were offereings to Anubis the Jackal Headed god of the dead. The animals died for their owners so they would I suppose get on Anubis's good side. Many of the animals lived a long life while others were only a few months old before being put to death.One animal bone specialist says many of the mummified animals were dogs but since Anubis had characteristics of a large canine or a "super canid" there is a possiblity that not only dogs were sacrificed but also jackals, foxes and hyenas.

Saluki was found in the Valley of the Kings.

Animals were mummified for other reasons than just to be given as an offering to please their gods. They were mummified and buried with the owner, if that owner was wealthy; so their pet would share an afterlife with them. Also animals were mummified because they were like living representations of their gods. Every animal seemed to have their chance to be mummified. Dogs as I mentioned before and cats, shrews, rams, gazelle, crocodiles, monkeys, Ibises, hawks, fish, scarab beetles including their dung, lions, donkeys and bulls. Since sometimes they mummified animals for symbolizing their gods they would have seperate temples for each animal/god and have pilgramages  and bring their mummy offerings according to the temple and type of animal. They believed their pets would whisper to their gods in their favor.

 

Baboon Mummy, Ibis Mummy, and Cat mummies.         

    The animals were wrapped in linen and decorated with painted designs like in the image of the cat mummies.

Here are some videos that I found interesting.
 















3 videos below.

Animal Mummification
Animal Cult
 Scanning mummies