The food listed in hieroglyphic inscriptions on temple walls, which was offered by the Priests to ancient Egyptian Gods, was weighed down with saturated fat, according to an analysis. The priests offered food to appease the God and they carried the rest of the food with them, which blocked their arteries.

According to the research, which was published in the Lancet, atherosclerosis is not just a modern disease.

The evidence has been surveyed from over 60 mummies which had been analyzed over the past 30 years using X-rays or rehydrated tissue samples.

"We have been able to show how temple inscriptions, which recorded daily rituals, can be combined with investigation of mummies to provide additional evidence about the priests and their diet. Inscriptions on coffins associated with individual mummies provide the owner's names and titles and this information can be used to associate the diseases discovered in these mummies with specific social groups, in this case the priests and their families”, said Professor David.