Bundled for the Beyond: Material Analysis of a Canine Mummy Bundle for Contextualizing and Conserving Legacy Objects

Legacy collections and objects with little context are often untapped opportunities for both museums and museum studies students. The purpose of this study is to display how students can utilize object research to engage in experiential learning and develop their skillset in scientific methodologies and disseminating findings, while also offering museums the opportunity to develop relationships with research facilities and benefit from student research findings. This study demonstrates the utility of student research by investigating an Egyptian canid mummy bundle, dating to the Late Period or early Ptolemaic Period, received by the Museum of Anthropology at Utah State University in 2018 with limited provenance or confirmation of its authenticity. The goal of this case study is to better understand the materials, methods, and cultural significance of zooarchaeological mummification and to situate this artifact within a broader historical and religious framework. Objectives are fourfold: (1) to identify the contents of the mummy bundle, (2) to date the mummy bundle and establish chronological context, (3) to identify the textiles and construction methods used in the mummification process, and (4) to contextualize canid mummification within ancient Egyptian religious and societal practices. To achieve these goals, we must utilize a multi-method approach that includes micro-CT scanning to identify the bundle contents and state of preservation, and radiocarbon dating for three distinct layers of the textile from the bundle. We must also conduct scanning electron microscopy to analyze the microstructure of the textiles and mass spectrometry to identify organic compounds applied to the textile. The information we can gather from these analyses offers valuable insights into Egyptian funerary and mortuary traditions 6 and the role of animals in religious contexts.