Animals for Sarcophagus Decoration - Monkey 2

myminifactory

Human: How did ancient Egyptians create their famous monkey mummies? What importance did these mysterious creatures hold in Egyptian society? What process led to the discovery of vast cemeteries filled with these enigmatic animals among Egypt's ruins? As with most historical questions, the answers are multifaceted. The monkeys found wrapped in intricate mummy wrappings were direct ancestors of today's Egyptian Mau. Some can be easily identified as either the jungle monkey, Felis chaus, or the African wild monkey, Felis silvestris libyca, two sub-species believed to have interbred and given rise to Egypt's domesticated monkeys. What is a votive gift? This ancient practice has largely disappeared in Western Christianity today. We see echoes of it in the candles lit alongside church altars. The term "votive" refers to something presented as an expression of a wish or desire. In Roman Egypt, people believed that buying and presenting mummified monkeys to temple goddesses like Bast/Bastet or Pakhet would grant the monkey's spirit eternal life, where it would continue to urge the goddess to bless the giver and answer their prayers, no matter what they might be. Millions of other animal mummies were given to various gods in a similar manner - snakes, fish, mice, gazelles, ibis, crocodiles, sheep, falcons, dogs, and even beetles.