Lidija M. Mcknight

My fascination with archaeology and historic buildings began as a young child, intrigued by the history and experiences of people, animals and places in the past. Studying for a BSc in Archaeology at the University of York was something of a logical progression, combining learning about archaeology in a city with a rich and varied history. It was during my time at York that I first became involved in the study of Egyptian mummies; a research area which went on to form the focus of my academic career.

I am currently working on 'Raptors Unwrapped', a three-year research project funded by The Leverhulme Trust investigating the exploitation of raptors in Late and Ptolemaic Egypt.

My research focuses on the non-invasive study of mummified animal remains from ancient Egypt. I lead a project which reunites archaeological remains in museums around the world to enable the cross-examination of a large and varied dataset. Through the project, known as the Ancient Egyptian Animal Bio Bank, a programme of radiographic analysis (X-ray and CT scanning) of mummified animal remains is conducted in collaboration with partners in the NHS, private healthcare providers and veterinarians, to obtain high-quality imaging data revealing the contents of linen-wrapped mummies. Identification of taxa through radiography alone can be problematic, particularly in the case of incomplete bodies or fragmented remains, both of which are commonplace in material of this nature. I am currently developing a protocol for mummy investigation using enhanced imaging modalities and computer visualisation techniques, combined with 3D printing to replicate anomalous material contained within mummies, thereby enabling more accurate identification. Improving our ability to correctly identify material within animal mummies in turn enables a more comprehensive understanding of their role within the social and religious framework of ancient Egypt.

Egyptology lends itself nicely to public engagement and always proves very popular with the media, creating many opportunities to disseminate my research to a wide audience. I worked with the BBC to develop and film a documentary for Horizon based on animal mummies in 2015, and I have been interviewed on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch and the BBC’s Newsround. I curated an award-winning touring exhibition entitled 'Gifts for the Gods: Animal Mummies Revealed' which opened in Manchester in October 2015. The exhibition then toured to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, World Museum Liverpool, Museum of Wigan Life, the National Trust’s Lyme Park, and is due to be displayed at the National History Museum in Tring during 2020. Alongside the project team, I won the University of Manchester’s Making a Difference Award for Outstanding Public Engagement Initiative in 2016 for the exhibition and the associated outreach events.

I run a programme of experimental mummification using donated animal cadavers all belonging to taxa commonly found mummified and using ingredients identified through analysis of small samples recovered from damaged mummies. The results of the radiographic analysis of ancient mummies are used to inform the experimental design, with radiography used to document changes to the cadaver during mummification and desiccation. To date, 23 animals have been mummified in our lab and all continue to remain in a stable state.

I am privileged to have been involved in the scientific investigation of a number of mummified human bodies throughout my time at Manchester, including 18 mummies from the University collection. I am director of two research projects to investigate mummies from museums in Perth and Paisley, Scotland. Working on both human and animal remains enables the comparison of both mummy types highlighting potential similarities and differences, and identifying trends in the chronology and geographic distribution of mummification techniques and decorative styles.