Work is posted in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. "Medumskie Geese" is a famous scene from the Tomb of the Egyptian Prince Nefermaat, which is today in the Cairo Museum. The image of birds drawn on the plaster was found by the Egyptologists of Auguste Mariet and Luigi Vassaly back in 1871. The feature of the picture is not only in its high detail, but also in the uniqueness of technology, which is uncharacter for Ancient Egypt.
Geese depicted realistic: the artist used natural colors. The age of frescoes - about 4,400 years. Prior to this, it was believed that the figure shows several types of birds: a gray goose (Anser Anser), Gus-Gumennik (Anser Fabalis), a big white gessa (Anser Albifrons) and the Red Country Camera (Branta Ruficollis).
However, this data is not quite correct: none of these birds, in fact, cannot be attributed to one or another. Moreover, other animals with the same frescoes - dogs, cattle, leopards, white antelopes - identified quite accurately, since they are depicted in the smallest detail.
A scientist from the School of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences of the University of Queensland (Australia) Anthony Ramilio believes that one of the species of geese on the fresco refers to extinct, which still escaped from researchers. Most experts agree that two of the three birds whose bodies are turned on the left side, - Belolaki geese.
But the identity of other birds is doubtful: it is not very clear to what neither looks they treat. This is especially true of two birds that are painted in gray and red and look to the right. In order not to guess on the coffee grounds, Ramilio used the comparison scheme 13 of the visible characteristics for each bird, which is called the "Tobias criteria".
"This is a very effective method for determining species - using quantitative measurements of the basic characteristics of birds, it significantly increases the value of information for zoological and environmental science," the author said.
After analyzing the external characteristics of birds, the scientist came to the conclusion that modern red-made barracks are too different from those feathers, which are depicted in ancient Egyptian fresco. Therefore, they probably belong to the extinct form.
Source: Naked Science