The animal mummy cults of the Late and Graeco-Roman periods in Egypt have long fascinated and puzzled both Egyptologists and the general public, and particularly the widespread mummification of cats.
While radiographic scans of mummies, excavations of animal mummy cemeteries, and mummification experiments have contributed to our understanding of this religious phenomenon, no consensus yet exists in Egyptology around its meaning.
As part of her PhD thesis on cat-human relationships in the past, Ingeborg Marie Hornkjøl have revisited the topic of cats in Late Period Egypt and thus the animal mummy cults, studying instead the iconography related to cats and cat mummies. In her presentation, she will present how the iconography and symbology of the mummies and related material sheds light on the cat mummy cults, and the cat’s role in Late Period Egyptian religion.