The Rennes Museum of Fine Arts has recently unveiled a fascinating discovery about the contents of an ancient Egyptian cat mummy, thanks to an innovative virtual reality project.

The cat mummy in question is part of the extensive Egyptology collection at the Rennes Museum of Fine Arts, which has its roots in the 18th-century cabinet of curiosities of President Christophe-Paul de Robien. The mummy was deposited in the museum by the Louvre in 1923, with the aim of providing an educational representation of the complex and diverse Egyptian civilization.

The virtual reality project began in 2017 when the museum contacted a team of experts to create 3D images of two of its artifacts: a Mesoamerican statuette and the cat mummy. What started as a scientific effort transformed into an interdisciplinary collaboration involving archaeologists, computer scientists, and virtual reality specialists from the University of Rennes 1 and the Institute for Research in Computer Science and Random Systems (IRISA).

The Egyptian cat mummy from the Rennes Museum
The Egyptian cat mummy from the Rennes Museum. Credit: Rennes Museum of Fine Arts / INRAP

The first step was to create a transparent 3D print of the mummy, based on a CT scan. Surprisingly, it was discovered that the mummy contained several specimens and that, instead of a cat’s skull, there was a ball of threads. This finding is significant as it documents the actual contents of the mummy and raises questions about the authenticity of certain animal mummies, a topic that has long intrigued archaeologists. Previous studies have shown that many Egyptian animal mummies are empty or contain mixed remains.

Following the success of the 3D printing, the museum decided to go further. Together with its collaborators, it developed a virtual reality application that allows visitors to explore the interior of the mummy and understand the scientific process behind its analysis. This application immerses the user in a virtual archaeological laboratory, where they can perform X-rays and CT scans to examine the bones and other elements inside the mummy.

Jean-Roch Bouiller, the museum’s director, expressed his enthusiasm for the project despite his initial reservations about virtual reality. He highlighted that the application provides an immersive experience that allows visitors to better understand the work of archaeologists and the importance of non-invasive technologies in the study of ancient artifacts.

Content of the cat mummy
Content of the cat mummy. Credit: Rennes Museum of Fine Arts / INRAP

Théophane Nicolas, one of the project leaders, emphasized the potential of these technologies for both research and cultural mediation. Similar applications have been used in other projects, such as the virtual reconstruction of the Jeu de Paume room of the Pelican in Rennes and the exploration of a World War II shelter in Fleury-sur-Orne. These experiences demonstrate how virtual reality can offer new ways to explore and understand our cultural heritage.



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