HUMAN MUMMIES VS. ANIMAL MUMMIES IN ANCIENT EGYPT: ASSESSING THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN THEIR PRODUCTION

Mummification was a principal part of ancient Egyptian culture and religion. Human mummification was carried out to preserve the body of the deceased, while animal mummification served different purposes that can be divided into four categories: pet mummies, victual mummies, sacred mummies, votive mummies and fake mummies. This study examines the similarities and differences between the two practices, especially in the materials, methods, and meanings involved, in order to understand how both practices reflected ancient Egyptian beliefs about life, death, and the divine relationship between humans, animals, and gods. Both required processes such as cleansing, drying the body with natron, applying oils and resins, and wrapping in linen, but they differed in purpose, treatment, and ritual use. Human mummification began as a privilege for kings and high-status persons before becoming more widely applied to larger parts of the population, showing changes in social structure and belief. Animal mummification, on the other hand, was linked to temple rituals and mass production of votive animal mummies. Contrasting human and animal mummification, these two forms highlight how the Egyptians understood life, death, and the divine, and how their ideas of preservation extended from people to animals within the same spiritual world.