8 Million Puppy Farmed Dogs

[Steve]

http://www.neatorama.com/2011/03/30/egypti...mummified-dogs/

In a labyrinth of tunnels beneath the Egyptian desert lies a truly remarkable catacomb containing the mummified remains of dogs and jackals. Now, since this is Egypt, mummies aren’t exactly unusual – what made the Dog Catacomb so different is that it contains an immense amount of mummified puppies:

They estimate the catacombs contain the remains of 8 million animals. Given the sheer numbers of animals, it is likely they were bred by the thousands in puppy farms around the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, according to the researchers. The Dog Catacombs are located at Saqqara, the burial ground for the ancient capital Memphis.

"Our findings indicate a rather different view of the relationship between people and the animals they worshipped than that normally associated with the ancient Egyptians, since many animals were killed and mummified when only a matter of hours or days old," Nicholson said. "These animals were not strictly ’sacrificial.’ Rather, the dedication of an animal mummy was regarded as a pious act, with the animal acting as intermediary between the donor and the gods."

[White Shepherd mom]

That would have been a very interesting find.

Would it not be possible to think that these animals were perhaps used by trainee mummifiers (what's the correct term??) to practice their trade? I can't imagine that 8 million animals were mummified for religious purposes only?

Sad to find evidence of puppy farming going so far back in time.

I still find Egyptian history fascinating though.

[Kirislin]

they had millions of cats too and early last century they used to be first used as ballast in sailing ships and then once in England ground up and used as fertilser.

[shortstep]

http://www.neatorama.com/2011/03/30/egypti...mummified-dogs/

In a labyrinth of tunnels beneath the Egyptian desert lies a truly remarkable catacomb containing the mummified remains of dogs and jackals. Now, since this is Egypt, mummies aren’t exactly unusual – what made the Dog Catacomb so different is that it contains an immense amount of mummified puppies:

They estimate the catacombs contain the remains of 8 million animals. Given the sheer numbers of animals, it is likely they were bred by the thousands in puppy farms around the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, according to the researchers. The Dog Catacombs are located at Saqqara, the burial ground for the ancient capital Memphis.

"Our findings indicate a rather different view of the relationship between people and the animals they worshipped than that normally associated with the ancient Egyptians, since many animals were killed and mummified when only a matter of hours or days old," Nicholson said. "These animals were not strictly ’sacrificial.’ Rather, the dedication of an animal mummy was regarded as a pious act, with the animal acting as intermediary between the donor and the gods."

Thanks for posting this.

I remember seeing a TV show that some of these animal mummies are also fakes, there is no animal inside, they said fraud was common. They said that this was very big business. Animal breeding, mummification, sales, and likely fees for internment, prayers or priest frees.

[espinay2]

Interesting. Without knowing more about it, it does sound like it could be the result of a practice of religious 'offering' - a bit like going to church and lighting a candle or offering food or flowers to the gods or ancestors. In this case a puppy was provided and mummified as part of the 'prayer' process - something that facilitated the prayer getting to the 'right place'. Supplying them for this purpose was probably big business if this were the case.

Edited April 2, 2011 by espinay2

[Marion 01]

I love Egyptian history, but not that part. Just goes to show, looks like nothing much about the human/dog/animal relationship has changed with the passage of time, seems like where ever we care to look over the centuries, animals have suffered at the hands of "humans". Thank goodness there are still those of us who would move heaven and earth for our four legged friends.

Marion01