Walking into an exhibit that dedicates itself to the long-deceased animals that once walked through the ancient sands of Egypt, one might expect to be bored by its detailed displays. One might think that the captions for each piece would be overly explained or utterly tedious. One might believe that the exhibit would focus solely on the animals that are typically known to be Egyptian, like the scarab, the jackal, or the thin, dark haired, and bejeweled cat that seems to be synonymous with Egypt in popular culture. If those are the things that one anticipates, walking into “Soulful Creatures”, they would be sorely mistaken.

Each piece in this exhibit has a dedicated caption, explaining practically everything there is to know about each mummy. Often, the writing describes where the piece was found, the significance of the mummification, and how scientists came to know what exact animal lies beneath each protective shell, without ever having to breach the shell. The curator took great pains to explain the religious motivations behind mummifying the creatures. Some mummies were meant to serve as a “thank you” to the gods, while others were the culture’s way of sending prayers. A mummified jackal might have been a token of goodwill to Anubis by those who feared his judgement in the afterlife. An animal laid to rest in a certain way might have served as a message to the entombed Osiris.

Even overlooking the care that the curator took to show the reasoning behind the mummification, the exhibit also explores how it was carried out. The entrance to the exhibit- or the exit, depending on which way one enters- is a specially made video dedicated to explaining how scientists discovered the fossils. Hindered by a desire to prevent harm to the mummies, scientists resorted to utilizing Computerized Tomography (CT) scans to see inside the shells of these mummies. The video clearly explains how the scan worked, what it revealed about each mummy, and what that might have said about ancient Egyptian culture.

It is those scans that allowed us to see exactly what lies inside each fossil. Rather than simply being cats, scarabs, and jackals, scientists discovered a wide array of animals. From baby crocodiles to several species of birds to oxen- Egyptians seem to have mummified anything they ever came across! In fact, in sharp contrast to what scientists expected, the scans revealed that some of the fossils were completely empty of any organic substances. Apparently, Egyptians did not just mummify animals and humans- they occasionally mummified nothing at all. The ramifications behind that discovery have led researchers and historians to question details that we once thought were undeniably a fundamental part of the ancient Egyptian religion. The mummies found in “Soulful Creatures” are among those that truly managed to make a difference within even the historical community.

When all is said and done, “Soulful Creatures” is a unique exhibit that does an excellent job of relaying information. Whether one is interested in ancient Egypt, art, science, early polytheistic religion, or ancient animals, it is an excellent showcase that can truly give anyone a vast array of knowledge into the lives of the people and animals in ancient Egypt.