Fragments of Crocodile Skulls Found in Ancient Egyptian Tombs

LUXOR, EGYPT—Science in Poland reports that fragments from nine crocodile heads were recovered from two tombs located near the Temple of Hatshepsut in the North Asasif necropolis. The skulls, which belonged to young and adult crocodiles, had been discarded by an explorer more than 100 years ago. “This is a unique discovery, because until now no graves containing crocodiles were known in Egypt,” said Patryk Chudzik of the University of Warsaw. The heads had not been mummified, Churdzik explained, although crocodile mummies have been found in temples. One of the tombs belonged to Cheti, an official during the reign of Mentuhotep II, who ruled from about 2051 to 2000 B.C. The other tomb is thought to have belonged to a vizier who served the same pharaoh. The crocodile heads may have been intended to assist the deceased in the afterlife, Chudzik said, and likely offered the protection of Sobek, an ancient Egyptian deity depicted as a crocodile or a man with a crocodile head. As Sobek-Ra, the god was also a powerful solar deity, he added. To read about ancient Egyptian animal mummies, go to "Messengers to the Gods."