Produced by: Tarun Mishra
A recent study suggests that ancient Egyptians worshipped and even sacrificed crocodiles as part of their religious practices, shedding light on a long-standing mystery.
The analysis, detailed in the journal Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, focused on a 2.2-meter-long mummified crocodile housed at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Credit: Erica Ruth Neubauer/Shutterstock.com
Researchers conducted scans on the mummified crocodile, revealing an undigested fish and a fish hook in its belly, indicating it was caught from the wild and promptly sacrificed.
Not all crocodiles were sacrificed; some were revered as "cult animals" and worshipped as avatars of Sobek, the ancient Egyptian deity of the Nile and the primordial swamp.
One prominent example is Suchus, revered at the Crocodilopolis cult center, receiving royal treatment including a dedicated pond, lavish diet of bread, meat, and wine, and adorned with precious metals and jewels.
Researchers are intrigued by how Egyptians obtained crocodiles. Discoveries at Medinet Madi suggest ancient hatcheries, possibly indicating captive breeding.
According to Greek historian Herodotus, crocodiles were lured to Nile banks using the sound of beating pigs, a unique method for capturing these revered creatures.
The findings provide profound insights into ancient Egyptian religious practices, illustrating their deep reverence for crocodiles as divine symbols in their belief system.