Food+Mummies

Food Mummies


 * Other Names:**

Victual Mummies

Food mummies have been found, buried with the dead so that the deceased could enjoy them in the afterlife. Bread, l egs of beef, ribs, steaks, roasts, fish, fowl, and even an oxtail for soup have been discovered, all dried in natron, wrapped in linen, and placed on pottery dishes. Sometimes food was buried in individual sycamore-wood "coffinets," shaped to the form and dimensions of the food. Food mummies were buried with animals as well, especially pets.

Poultry has been found precooked or ready to roast - plucked and with the head, feet, and wingtips removed. The internal organs (liver, gizzards, etc.) were removed, wrapped separately, and then replaced into the body cavity should they be needed for gravy. Fish were cooked, cleaned, and dressed, with the heads removed. For Queen Isitmkheb an entire calf was jointed, prepared, and buried in her tomb for her use in the afterlife.

Tutankhamen had no less than 116 baskets of fruit, 40 jars of wine, loaves and cakes, jars of honey, almonds, and spices, bowls of peas, onions, lentils, and garlic, and several joints of roast beef, and ducks.

The tomb of the scribe Kha and his wife were supplied with dried beef, loaves of bread, jars of wine, vessels containing flour, milk, fat, and salt, plucked and salted fowl, dried fish, a bowl of shredded vegetables with dressing, bunches of garlic and onions, bowls of persea fruits, dates, mashed carob, raisins, a selection of spices such as juniper berries, and a basket of dung for the kitchen fire.

In the tomb of an elderly woman buried at Sakkara, a full dinner was carefully preserved and set out on the floor of her tomb. The menu was as follows: loaves of bread, barley porridge, roast fish, pigeon stew, roast quail, cooked kidneys, leg and ribs of beef, stewed figs, jujube berries, honey cakes, cheese, and wine.

Mummy