Primatologists made use of genetic analysis to know where ancient baboon mummies found in Egypt originated from.
Mysterious Mummification of Baboons in Ancient Egypt
Several deities in ancient Egypt had animal portrayals. For one, Thoth, the deity for wisdom and learning, was portrayed through a hamadryas baboon. These animals, which may have been held as captives in ancient Egypt, were mummified to serve as votive offerings when they died.
These offerings served as clear links between the people and their deities. However, the origins of the animals, how they were brought to Egypt, and the reason behind their status of divinity have been long-standing subjects of discussions among scholars.
At present, there are no wild baboons in Egypt. There is also no proof that shows that these creatures dwelled there in the past. Now, a new interdisciplinary project involving Egyptologists, anthropologists, and Egyptologists sheds light on the matter.
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Origins of Ancient Baboon Mummifies
To determine where the baboons geographically originated from, the team of biologist Gisela Kopp from the University of Konstanz utilized genetic analyses. The region of animal origins could be pointed out with the assistance of the animal mummies' mitochondrial genome, as baboon distribution in Africa and genetic diversity are well-studied subjects.
Kopp explains that they have comparative samples taken from nearly all areas where baboons dwell today. These were further supplemented with around a hundred specimens that are 150 years old from a museum collection. It is possible to compare samples with far time periods because the genetic variant location of baboon populations has remained consistent over the years.
Anthropologist Nathaniel Dominy, who is from Dartmouth College and who is a collaborator of the study, used stable isotopes for identifying the mummified baboons' own geographic locations. The approach, which covers using chemical signatures, can be used for distinguishing the birth place and growing place of animals. This earlier 2020 study was able to identify that the baboons' originated from the Horn of Africa.
With genetic analysis, which offers better geographic precision and which can pinpoint where the animals and their predecessors originally came from, the location was further narrowed down to Eritrea and other regions that neighbor it.
The comparative sample that was found to resemble the mummy specimen's genetic variant was found to originate from Eritrea's coastal region. This was where the Adulis port could have been located in ancient times.
The specimen of mummies that were used by the team was taken back in 1905 in the Valley of Monkeys. It is currently kept in Lyon's Musée des Confluences. Estimations project that the mummy dates back to around B.C.E. 800 to 500. This was long before the Adulis reached its peak as a port and trading center.
Historical texts also note that the baboons' originated from Punt, which is a legendary region where luxurious goods were imported for centuries. However, the exact area in Punt remains unknown and has left Egyptologists puzzled.
Now, the project made it possible to connect Adulis to Punt. Gisela Kopp explains that though the specimen chronologically aligns with the last known Punt expeditions, geographical estimations show that it fits Adulis, which was known to be a trading center, even for primates. The researchers hypothesize that both Adulis and Punt are two different names for the same area that were used in different time periods.
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