Ancient Egyptian language had no word for “animal” as a separate category until Christianity

Unlike Greeks and Romans, ancient Egyptians believed animals possess a soul, or ba, just as humans do. “We forget how significant it is to ascribe a soul to an animal,” says Bleiberg. “For ancient Egyptians, animals were both physical and spiritual beings.” In fact, the ancient Egyptian language had no word for “animal” as a separate category until the spread of Christianity.  In Genesis 1, water creatures & animals were created with souls. Read the complete article at -- http://archaeology.org/issues/124-1403/features/1724-egypt-animal-mummies-brooklyn-museum