Ibis Mummy
        
      
      
              
                    
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
        
      
      
              
          The ideal votive animal mummy, as shown in the X-ray here, contains one animal wrapped in the linen package. Yet without an X-ray or CT scan, it is impossible to know whether an additional animal, or no animal at all, was included in the wrappings.
Egyptians of the first millennium b.c.e. believed that they could appeal to the god Thoth to intercede in human affairs. Ibis mummies allowed such a petitioner to send a message to the god.
        
                  
              
      
      
              
          MEDIUM
          Animal remains (female glossy ibis), linen        
      
      
              
          DATES
          30 B.C.E.– 100 C.E.        
      
      
              
          PERIOD
          Early Roman Period        
      
              
          DIMENSIONS
          4 3/4 × 3 5/8 × 12 3/4 × 14 1/2 in. (12.1 × 9.2 × 32.4 × 36.8 cm)
as mounted: 7 7/8 × 5 1/2 × 16 3/4 in. (20 × 14 × 42.5 cm)          	
 (show scale)
	
         
      
      
      
      
              
      
      
        ACCESSION NUMBER
        14.652      
              
          CREDIT LINE
          Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund        
      
      
      
              
      
      
        MUSEUM LOCATION
                  This item is not on view
              
              
          CAPTION
           Ibis Mummy, 30 B.C.E.– 100 C.E. Animal remains (female glossy ibis), linen, 4 3/4 × 3 5/8 × 12 3/4 × 14 1/2 in. (12.1 × 9.2 × 32.4 × 36.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund, 14.652. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er), 14.652_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)        
      
      
      
              
          IMAGE
          overall, 14.652_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph (Gavin Ashworth, photographer), 2012          
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          RIGHTS STATEMENT
          
            Creative Commons-BY          
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      What is the ibis mummy
          
      
      Hi! An ibis is a type of water bird with a long, curved beak. The ancient Egyptians  associated them with Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing.
          
      
      There were certain temples where the priests bred the birds specifically to be mummified and sold to the public for making donations to the god.
          
      
      Thank you!!
          
      
      
        
        What did the ibis symbolize something that made them so popular?
      
          
      
      Their long beak resembled the reed pens used by scribes, which is how they came to be associated with the god Thoth.