Moving statue recorded in Manchester Museum

The Irish may be no strangers to the phenomenon of moving statues but unexplained movement by an ancient Egyptian carving in a UK museum has baffled observers and the public alike.

Spontaneous movement by the 4,000 year-old statuette named Neb-Senu was first noticed at the Manchester Museum last February by Egyptologist Campbell Price.

"Logical attempts to explain the statues movement centre on the subtle vibrations caused by outside traffic, causing imperceptible movement," Mr Price wrote on his blog.

The carving, however, is the only item in the glass case that moves.

In an attempt to explain the seemingly inexplicable, officials decided to try to capture the movement on film. On the days between April 5th and 8th, a camera was set up to take one photograph every minute in order to create a time-lapse video.

The video recording, which has since been uploaded to the Internet, shows the 10-inch Middle Kingdom statue slowly moving in a perfect circle by 180 degrees - although the movement only occurs during daylight hours.

The statuette, part of the museum’s collection for almost 80 years, bears an inscription on the back which is a prayer for offerings for the deceased. One museum employee suggested the movement was to encourage viewers to recite the prayer.

"In Ancient Egypt they believed that if the mummy is destroyed then the statuette can act as an alternative vessel for the spirit. Maybe that is what is causing the movement," Mr Price was reported as saying in the Manchester Evening News.

The public has been invited to try and solve the mystery. Whatever the reason behind it, the phenomenon has been reported around the world and the video has been viewed by thousands of online viewers.

And, as witnessed in Ireland during the summer of 1985, moving statues attract large crowds. Authorities at the Manchester Museum will undoubtedly be prepared for an upsurge of interest drawn by this Egyptian curiosity.