A 2,000-year-old pet cemetery in Berenike, Egypt

Not far from the Red Sea, in the sands of Egypt, archaeologists have uncovered an unusual cemetery—not of people or rulers, but of animals: cats, dogs, monkeys, and even calves. Nearly 600 burials, each speaking of care, attachment, and grief. The site lay in the ancient port of Berenike, a key hub for trade between Egypt, India, and Rome.

Where it was found

Berenike was a gateway through which spices, textiles, jewels—and animals—traveled into Egypt and onward to the Roman world. For more than a decade, Polish archaeologists have been exploring the area around the port. In recent years, their work revealed something remarkable: a small patch of ground that turned out to be a full-fledged pet cemetery that operated roughly two thousand years ago.

More than just animals

Archaeologists documented more than 580 burials. Most were cats, but there were dogs too, and around 200 monkeys. These were not discarded remains but true graves. The animals were laid gently on their sides, as if asleep. They were wrapped in textiles, covered with fragments of blankets, and accompanied by shells, pieces of rope, and amphora sherds. Some even wore collars.

Monkeys that were cared for

Particularly affecting were the monkey burials. These macaques had been brought from India via the port. They were looked after: treated, fed, and possibly carried in people’s arms. Their bones show injuries that healed, a quiet proof that someone tended to them with patience and time.

What about the calves?

Two calves were found recently. One had been covered in red ochre—used in rituals at the time—while the other was partially covered with an amphora sherd. Perhaps they were part of a rite, or perhaps they were simply animals someone cherished. Researchers cannot say for certain yet, but both graves were careful and deliberate.

Where did the monkeys come from?

The monkeys at Berenike were not local; they were imported from India. That alone underscores how active Egypt’s trade was then. And it’s striking: animals brought from far away were not only purchased but treated as companions—not curiosities or mere symbols of wealth, but beings close to people.

A cemetery between a temple and a midden

One detail stands out: the cemetery lay between a space resembling a temple and an area used for refuse. A meeting of the sacred and the everyday. For people then, it may have felt natural to live, grieve, and remember right beside the rhythms of daily life.

Why it matters

We often imagine that affection for animals is a modern invention, that in the past they were seen as objects or emblems. Berenike suggests otherwise. People formed bonds, mourned, said their farewells, and wanted to leave a trace—sometimes in a scrap of cloth, sometimes in a shell placed by a paw, sometimes in a quiet sleeping pose.