Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Funerary Masks

The Egyptians had several ways to make sure the ka (a symbol of the reception of the life powers from each man from the gods, it is the source of these powers, and it is the spiritual double that resides with every man) could recognize its own body. After the mummy was wrapped, a funeral mask was fitted over the head and shoulders. The face on the funeral masks resembled that of the dead, so soul could identify the mummy as its own. Funeral masks were made out of solid gold (like King Tut's), wood, or cartonnage (a material similar to papier- mâché; sample at right). Wooden and cartonnage masks could be painted or gilded with gold—covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint. The look of solid gold at a fraction of the price! Funerary Masks

Coffins To ensure a mummy’s safety, an Egyptian embalmer could place it in one or more coffins. The earliest coffins were boxy and made of wood. Their decoration was usually very plain… As time passed, the decoration became more elaborate. Images of gods, hieroglyphs that spelled out protective prayers, and pictures of amulets covered almost every square inch of these coffins.

In later times, Egyptians began to make anthropoid (or mummiform) coffins, which means “human shaped.” Like funeral masks, mummiform coffins had faces that resembled the person inside for easy recognition. Many of these were made of cartonnage because it was cheap, light, and easy to work with. Some were gilded with gold as well. These coffins were heavily decorated with hieroglyphs and pictures of gods and magic symbols to protect the mummy on its way to the afterlife. Images typically found on a mummiform coffins include: falcons, jackals, vultures, winged suns, scarab beetles, lotus blossoms, amulets (including shens, ankhs, djeds, tets, and wedjats), hieroglyphs, bas, and gods connected to the afterlife (such as Osiris, Anubis, Isis, Nephthys, the four sons of Horus, Thoth, and Nut). The elaborate decoration on Nes-mut-aat-neru's coffin fits her status as a member of the aristocracy.

For even more protection, some mummies were placed in a sarcophagus. A sarcophagus is a large coffin made of stone or gold. Sarcophagi were expensive, so only pharaohs and queens, viziers (a high official), priests, and other important and wealthy people were buried in them. Like regular coffins, sarcophagi were either boxy or mummiform. Information retrieved January 12, 2010, from Sarcophagus Red granite; From Giza, Egypt; 5th Dynasty, BC; 'Palace façade' panelling

Sarcophagus of Hapmen Found in Cairo, Egypt 26th Dynasty or later, BC Also known as the 'Lover's fountain'

Sarcophagus of Merymose From Thebes, Egypt; 18th Dynasty, around 1350 BC; The viceroy of Nubia in the reign of Amenhotep III

Lid of Sarcophagus of Setjau Granite; from Thebes, Egypt; 19th Dynasty, around 1230 BC; Viceroy of Nubia in the reign of Ramesses

Coffin and mummy of the lady Djedmaatesankh; Cartonnage; moulded linen; plaster; paint; gold leaf; inscribed; painted; Centimetres: (height), (length), 38.1 (width) BC; Late Period; 22nd Dynasty; Area of Origin: Deir el-Bahri; Egypt

Mummy cover -wood, painted and gilded; 21st Dynasty; Area of Origin: Egypt; Africa; Area of Use: Africa