King Mutt's Tomb - 1000-year-old mummy dog found ...with 1000-year-old fleas - 2006-09-13

ILO (Peru)
Sep. 13, 2006

An archaeological exhibit may have people scratching their heads ...for more than one reason.

Peru's El Algarrobal museum is exhibiting a mummified mutt which was found remarkably preserved at an excavation in the Moquegua Valley dated around 900 AD. Also remarkably preserved were the dog's fleas.

The small brown dog, belonging to the pre-Incan Chiribaya culture, was one of several pooches found at a human burial site. They were buried individually with special offerings, food and blankets to keep them warm in the afterlife.

And now let's talk about their fleas. Scientists were surprised to find that the same species of flea (Pulex simulans) was also present on human mummies and in human dwellings.

This shows that Chiribaya people kept dogs in their homes, perhaps even as "bed warmers" as did the Inca nobility 400 years later.

Studies also show that Chiribayan dogs ate "people food". Zea mays (corn) was found in the dogs' intestines, and the report states that the dogs were "healthy and probably had a sufficient and varied diet."

"The separate burial, the offerings and the overall good health status suggest that dogs had a distinctive and important place in this early society." ¹

The Summum Mummification Service (Salt Lake City) will mummify your dog, cat, horse or YOU for about $400/lb. Medium-sized dogs cost $20,000. Cats are $4,000, and humans are $67,000.

Britney Spears announced last month that she intends to be buried with her Chihuahua "Lucky". The 24-year-old pop singer stated, "You know how the Pharaohs used to get buried with things they loved? I want to do that with Lucky." Ms. Spears forgot to mention how the burial should be arranged if she and her dog do not die at exactly the same time. Lucky, in true Chihuahua form, looked extremely nervous.

The "Curse of King Tutankhamen" is rumored to have hounded archaeologist George Herbert (Lord Carnarvon) to his death, but did it also kill his dog? Reportedly at the precise moment of Lord Carnarvon's sudden death on April 5, 1923 at 1:55 am, his 3-legged terrier "Susie" gave out a great howl and died as well. Be arf-fraid. Be very arf-fraid.