Kestrel - Secrets of an Ancient Falcon Mummy
Feb 9, 2026
The Evolution of a Scan
Back in 2014, I provided the first visualizations of this ancient Egyptian bird mummy for a scientific paper. Twelve years later, I had the opportunity to revisit the dataset for Volume Graphics (Hexagon). By taking the time to dive deeper into the data and using VGSTUDIO MAX’ segmentation tools, I was able to separate even more remains of the bird's prey—including the teeth and bones of a mouse and a sparrow.
Inside the Kestrel
The specimen is a Kestrel—a small, agile falcon. Given its nature as a hunter, the findings within the anatomy are particularly interesting.
The process started with visualizing unexpected bone fragments in the bird's esophagus. High-resolution scans of the stomach area then revealed a fascinating array of remains from consumed prey—rewriting the story of this falcon, one voxel at a time.
This time, I didn't stop at the rendering stage to complete the project. Once the segmentation and animation were finished, I used Suno to create a custom soundtrack, turning the technical data into a complete audiovisual experience.
Follow-up Links
The Paper "Fatal force-feeding or Gluttonous Gagging? The death of Kestrel SACHM 2575"