Funerary Sacrifice of Animals in the Egyptian Predynastic Period

Animal burials, whether buried with human remains or alone, are frequent discoveries in Egypt yet it can be difficult to reconstruct their religious and cultural significance. This study examines animals in human graves, possibly intended as food offerings, but the emphasis is on independent Predynastic animal burials because these provide greater archaeological evidence for animal cults and possible sacrifice. Flores examines the geographic distribution of the burials and the types of animal represented, including goats, dogs and, in more elite tombs, donkeys, birds, bulls and lions. Throughout, comparisons are made between cultures from Upper and Lower Egypt.