A mummified crocodile thought to be around 3,000 years old has been found with its deadly last meal lodged in its stomach.
The seven-foot reptile was X-rayed by scientists in Manchester after being discovered in Birmingham.
The ancient beast is believed to have been mummified by Egyptians when animals played an important role in the mythology of their culture.
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During a full body scan of the fascinating remains, scientists discovered a baited hook in the creature’s stomach, as reported by What’s The Jam.
And experts believe this could be what caused its death.
“The presence of the hook and the fish suggests that the crocodile died soon after ingesting them due to the lack of degradation by the digestive enzymes,” Lidija Mcknight, lead author and research fellow with The University of Manchester, said.
“The apparent short time span between the ingestion of the fish and the death of the crocodile also suggest that it was deliberately caught in the wild.
“And processed for mummification as an offering to the crocodile god Sobek shortly afterwards.
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“But it is still difficult to say the exact timelines of events leading to the crocodile’s death.
“There are no obvious signs which suggest cause of death.
“It could be that the crocodile swallowed the baited hook and was captured or that the action of swallowing it caused its death.
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“There are a lot of questions for which we can really only offer possible scenarios.”
The ancient Egyptian reptile is thought to be between 3,000 and 2,000-years-old.
The croc is currently being kept at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, known by its identification number 2005.335.
But it is not clear how the mummy ended up in Birmingham, or exactly where it was originally discovered.
For the study, McKnight and colleagues used 3D radiography to examine the crocodile.
Ancient Egyptian animal mummies are often wrapped in linen bandages, making the contents hard to see.
But this crocodile mummy had been unwrapped at some point in history, making its physical body clearly visible.
McKnight said: “Sadly, we do not know where the mummy originated and we have no details to explain how it came to be in Birmingham.
“But this is not unusual for mummified animal remains.
“Healthy crocodiles were associated with fertility and plentiful agriculture.
“The Egyptians also believed you could protect yourself from danger by wearing clothing made from the skin of the animal.”
The latest study was conducted as part of the Ancient Egyptian Animal Bio Bank project, which aims to research collections of mummified animal material held in museums worldwide.
McKnight added: “By studying multiple collections, we hope to gain a better understanding of the wider practice of animal mummification in ancient Egypt.
“The study revealed surprising details about the life and post-mortem treatment of the animal.
“Crocodile mummy 2005.335 was a unique opportunity to apply scientific analysis to a large animal mummy.
“Mummies have long been a source of fascination for museum visitors of all ages.
“Our work provides a unique opportunity to connect visitors to the story of this animal.”
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