Insect Remains from the Collections in the Egyptian Museum of Turin

Abstract

The identification of insects preserved in pharaonic antiquities stored in the Egyptian Museum of Turin provides new information on aspects of biogeography, storage and trade. The khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium, the biscuit beetle, Stegobium paniceum, and the house fly, Musca domestica, were recovered from food offerings from tombs in Egypt, and Dermestes frischii was found embedded in resin from a cartonnage mask. The study produced some of the earliest records of pests of stored products, and the khapra beetle may indicate early contacts with the Indian subcontinent. The problems of differentiating modern and ancient infestation are discussed.