Scientists in the UK believe that the Egyptians sold empty mummies under the guise of real ones. This is indicated by the scan results.
Scientists from the University of Manchester scanned 800 animal mummies and concluded that 30% of them are not at all. According to researchers, we are dealing with ordinary bundles of cloth, which are similar to animals only in their outlines.
The probable reason for this is the fact that in Ancient Egypt, animal mummies were highly valued, which became fertile ground for manufacturers of fakes. However, a number of experts believe that this is not necessarily a matter of deception. Perhaps such (hollow) items were also part of the ritual. The demand for mummies, according to scientists, could not always be satisfied, and therefore the Egyptians went to such costs.
In about a third of all cases, scientists have found the remains of real animals. Another third of the finds contained some parts of living creatures. Finally, the remaining third, as already mentioned, turned out to be a fake. Experts believe that the total number of animals mummified by the Egyptians could reach 70 million. In fact, in ancient Egypt there was a whole industry for breeding and killing animals for mummification.