The ancient Egyptians made sure their dead loved ones were well stocked with furniture, clothing, and other everyday needs; they also made sure not to let them go hungry in the afterlife.
Egyptian burial chambers often contained what would have been considered fine foods including "grains, bread, wine, beer, oil and hunks of meat," and it was mummified just like the late human, NBC News reported.
Researchers recently analyzed samples of the "meat mummies" and found
"The resin flavor would have made it nicer, sort of like Teriyaki beef jerky rather than plain beef jerky," Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist at the American University in Cairo who studies meat mummies, told NBC News.
The research team looked at four samples of the meat. The oldest is believed to have been from between 1386 B.C. and 1349 B.C; it was a rack of cattle ribs belonging to an Egyptian noblewoman, and her courtier, LiveScience reported. The second sample was from between 1064 B.C. and 948 and was from a calf and belonged to "Isetemkheb D, a sister and wife to a high priest in Thebes" They team also looked at a cut of what is believed to be goat and a piece of duck from Theban priestess, Henutmehyt; who died around 1290 B.C.
After conducting a chemical analysis, the researchers determined the bandages used to wrap the meat were coated in animal fat on the outside; which suggests it was painted on to be used as a preservative instead of meat grease seeping through the bandages.
The beef sample showed signs of a resin made from the Pistacia tree, the ointment was considered to be a luxury in ancient Egypt.
The resin may have contributed to the meat's immaculate preservation.
"The poultry looks like you've just gone to Safeway and bought a roast bird," Ikram told NBC. "And they're almost 4,000 years old."
Among some of Ikram's more unusual finds was an oxtail, heart, and lungs carefully preserved in Queen Isetemkheb's tomb.
"It's kind of cool to think of oxtail soup as being on the menu for the afterlife," she said.
