Researchers Blasted Ancient Egyptian Lizard Coffins With Neutrons

Researchers Blasted Ancient Egyptian Lizard Coffins With Neutrons

Six animal coffins from Egypt — impressively still sealed after about 2,500 years — have been opened virtually by a team of researchers using a unique imaging technology.

The coffins contained lizard remains, the scientists found, as well as textiles that may have once wrapped the small bodies and lead, which may have had magical connotations. The coffins’ insides were revealed using neutron tomography after several failed attempts to see inside the coffins with X-ray imaging. The team’s research is published today in Nature.

“The animal bones are consistent with small lizards extant in North Africa, which are often represented as figured atop the coffins,” said Daniel O’Flynn, an X-ray imaging scientist at the British Museum and the study’s lead author, in an email to Gizmodo. “This is the first time that such sealed boxes have been inspected with neutrons to confirm lizard remains inside.”

Scanning coffins and sarcophagi is a useful way to non-invasively learn about Egyptian mummification processes and cultural beliefs. In 2021, scans revealed mummies that had undergone a unique ‘mud ritual’ before their entombment, and earlier this year, researchers used scans to identify a trove of golden amulets hidden in the wrappings of a 2,300-year-old mummy.

Neutron imaging is a useful alternative to X-rays, the researchers wrote, because of its ability to image organic material while X-rays are attenuated by elements with greater atomic numbers.

EA27584, decorated with two lizard figures and containing a bone (pointed out bottom right, by arrow.) (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)
EA27584, decorated with two lizard figures and containing a bone (pointed out bottom right by arrow.) (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)

Three of the boxes came from the ancient city of Naukratis, two were found in Tell el-Yehudiyeh, and the provenance of two is unknown. All six boxes arrived at the British Museum in the latter half of the 19th century.

The boxes are made of copper and topped with animal figures, including lizards, eels, and cobras. Some figures were a hodgepodge of eels and cobras, with human heads. Boxes adorned with eels and lizards were associated with Atum, the solar and creator deity.

The lizard remains were found to be of the genus Mesalina, a group of sand and desert lizards common in northern Africa. One specimen was specifically identified as M. rubropunctata, the red-spotted lizard. The lizard figure topping one votive box was decorated with spots and stripes, which are common in the genus.

Three of the boxes contained lead, which the researchers believe was put in the box while molten. A void in the lead in one box suggested something may have once been inside it, the researchers wrote.

“This may have served a practical purpose of repairs or for weight distribution, or may have been included due to its status in ancient Egypt as a magical material, as previous research has proposed that lead was used in the protection of mummified remains as well as in love charms and curses,” O’Flynn said.

Click through for images of the petite coffins and their contents.

Human-headed cobra figure

A box topped with a human-headed eel-cobra figure. (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)
A box topped with a human-headed eel-cobra figure. (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)

This votive box is decorated with an elaborate eel-cobra figure. The human head on the figure is wearing the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. The findspot of this box is unknown.

That’s a box, alright

EA27584, decorated with two lizard figures and containing a bone (pointed out bottom right, by arrow.) (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)
EA27584, decorated with two lizard figures and containing a bone (pointed out bottom right, by arrow.) (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)

Images of the coffin (left) and its neutron-tomography equivalents show how researchers can see the contents without physically opening it.

The lizard figure box from the side

A side view of the insides of one lizard figure box. (Gif: The Trustees of the British Museum)
A side view of the insides of one lizard figure box. (Gif: The Trustees of the British Museum)

In this animated gif, you can see the side view of the same box from the previous slide. External features like the lizard shape and a notch (possibly for hanging the box) can be seen at top.

Eel box

A votive box decorated with an eel figure. (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)
A votive box decorated with an eel figure. (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)

This box was found at Naukratis and is capped with an eel figure. It also has two loops cast into it, suggesting it could have been suspended.

Another human-headed eel-cobra

A second box with a human-headed eel-cobra figure. (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)
A second box with a human-headed eel-cobra figure. (Image: The Trustees of the British Museum)

A second box, provenance unknown, topped with a human-headed eel-cobra.


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.

At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.