Innovation No. 57 of 77 in the book
The Pet Cemetery
Animals mummified and buried with care
- When
- c. 2280 BCE
- Dynasty
- 6th Dynasty
- Era
- Old Kingdom
The first pet given an honored burial appears in Egypt around 2280 BCE, in the late Old Kingdom: a royal guard dog named Abuwtiyu.
By the king’s own order he was buried with a coffin, fine linen and incense, ‘that he might be honored’ — the oldest recorded pet funeral in history, its inscription found at Giza.
Egyptians grieved their animals and laid them to rest like family, eventually mummifying beloved pets by the thousand.
The pet cemetery, and the pet funeral, began on the Nile.
The earliest documented cemetery set aside for pets is at the Roman-Egyptian Red Sea port of Berenike, first and second centuries CE, where nearly 600 animals — mostly cats, dogs and monkeys — were buried in individual graves rather than pits. None shows signs of sacrifice, which separates them from the millions of votive animal mummies. Many were elderly, toothless, or carried healed fractures, so they had been nursed through illness and old age.
Frequently Asked Questions
How were the Berenike animals buried?
With evident care — tucked under woven mats, placed inside pottery amphorae, several still wearing bronze and iron collars. These are graves furnished for individuals, not deposits.
What does the Abuwtiyuw stela actually say?
It records a pharaoh's decree, around 2280 BCE, that his palace guard dog be buried with noble honours: a coffin from the royal treasury, fine linen and quantities of incense, so that the animal would be honoured.