VOA慢速英语2020 科学家利用3D技术解密动物木乃伊

Scientists Study Animal Mummies with 3D Technology

Scientists recently used 3-D imaging technology to look inside the mummies of a cat, bird, and snake. The research is helping¹ experts learn more about how ancient Egyptians treated animals.

最近，科学家们利用3D成像技术对猫、鸟和蛇的木乃伊进行了研究。这项研究有助于专家了解古埃及人是如何对待动物的。

Researchers said last week that they used a special technique, X-ray micro CT scanning, to look inside the mummies. The scanning process permits the scientists to study the mummies while keeping them whole. The CT scans were much more detailed² than medical CT scans.

研究人员上周表示，他们使用了一种特殊的技术——X射线微型CT扫描，来查看木乃伊的内部。这种技术可以让科学家研究木乃伊的同时保持木乃伊的完整。这类CT扫描比医学CT扫描更详细。

The researchers published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.

研究人员在《科学报告》杂志上发表了他们的研究结果。

Ancient Egyptians mummified not only humans but also many animals including cats, dogs, birds, snakes and crocodiles.

古埃及人不仅将人类制成木乃伊，还有猫、狗、鸟、蛇以及鳄鱼等动物制成木乃伊。

Carolyn Graves-Brown, a writer of the study, leads the Egypt Centre at Swansea University in Britain.

该研究的作者卡罗琳·格雷夫斯-布朗（Carolyn Graves-Brown）领导英国斯旺西大学的埃及中心。

She noted³ that the three mummies were likely made as "votive offerings," or gifts, to the gods that Egyptians believed in. The dead animals were thought to serve as a link between Egyptian gods and living people.

她指出，这三具木乃伊很可能是为埃及人信仰的神而制作的“祭品”或礼物。死去的动物被认为是连接埃及神和生者的纽带。

The mummies had long been in Swansea's collection. Experts are not sure of their exact age.

这些木乃伊长期被斯旺西收藏。专家们无法确定它们的确切年龄。

The researchers found evidence that the snake, a young Egyptian Cobra, had been denied water while alive.

研究人员发现有证据表明，这条蛇是一条幼年埃及眼镜蛇，死之前不让喝水。

It was likely killed by a severe break of its backbone⁴.

它可能是死于脊椎骨的严重断裂。

The researchers found the snake's mouth open. It also contained a substance called natron. These findings suggest the snake had been part of an "opening of the mouth" ceremony, said Swansea engineering professor Richard Johnston. Johnston was the lead writer of the report.

研究人员发现蛇的嘴巴是张开的。嘴巴里还含有一种叫做泡碱的物质。斯旺西大学工程学教授理查德·约翰斯顿说，这些发现表明，这条蛇是“张嘴”仪式的一部分。约翰斯顿是该报告的主要作者。

Ancient Egyptians believed that the ceremony would permit the mummified subjects to regain⁵ their senses in the afterlife.

古埃及人相信这个仪式可以让木乃伊在死后恢复知觉。

Graves-Brown noted that the finding supports earlier evidence that the act was carried out with animals. The scientist added, "We know it was carried out on humans."

格雷夫斯-布朗指出，这一发现支持了早先的证据，即动物会被制成木乃伊。这位科学家补充说，“我们知道的是会将人类制成木乃伊。”

The cat was probably around 5 months old when it died. Its neck was broken at the time of death or during the mummification process.

木乃伊猫死的时候大概有5个月大。它的颈部在死亡时或在制作木乃伊过程中被折断。

The bird appears to be a Eurasian kestrel, of the falcon⁶ family.

木乃伊鸟看起来是一种欧亚隼，属于猎鹰家族。

Ancient Egyptians linked snakes to many of their gods. Cats were often linked with the fertility goddess Bastet. Some birds were linked with sky gods such as Re and Horus.

古埃及人将蛇与他们的许多神联系在一起。猫通常与生育女神巴斯特联系在一起。有些鸟与天神有关，如太阳神和荷鲁斯。

"Like us, the ancient Egyptians used and abused animals," Graves-Brown said. "There is evidence from the mummified remains⁷ of maltreatment."

“和我们一样，古埃及人也会利用和虐待动物，”格雷夫斯-布朗说道。“这就是被虐待的木乃伊遗骸的证据。”

I'm John Russell.

木乃伊鸟看起来是一种欧亚隼，属于猎鹰家族。

古埃及人将蛇与他们的许多神联系在一起。猫通常与生育女神巴斯特联系在一起。有些鸟与天神有关，如太阳神和荷鲁斯。

“和我们一样，古埃及人也会利用和虐待动物，”格雷夫斯-布朗说道。“这就是被虐待的木乃伊遗骸的证据。”

约翰·罗塞尔为您播报。

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

5 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

6 falcon   

n.隼，猎鹰

参考例句：

• The falcon was twice his size with pouted feathers.鹰张开羽毛比两只鹰还大。
• The boys went hunting with their falcon.男孩子们带着猎鹰出去打猎了。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。