Menagerie of mummies unwraps ancient Egypt

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6989
New Scientist article about a new collection of animal mummies being studied by the Natural History Museum in London, UK. X-ray analysis of the skeletons of some of the animals, particularly cats, suggests that they were deliberately killed in order to be used in religious activities. Other cats, however, were considered to be pets due to the elaborate nature of the mummification they received. The mummified animals are drawn from many collections and include crocodiles, falcons, baboons and cats. The collection will also go on display at the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum in Hertfordshire, UK, from 14 February in an exhibition called Animal Mummies of Ancient Egypt.