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Obelisk-Shaped Coffin

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

Some wooden animal mummy coffins have symbolic shapes. The cartouche shape signifies a protective enclosure and is also used in hieroglyphic writing to enclose and protect the king’s name. The obelisk shape relates both to the sun god and to an Egyptian word meaning “ibis,” one of the most common types of animal mummies.

CT scans of these two coffins have revealed poorly preserved remains inside that could not be identified.
MEDIUM Wood, animal remains, linen
DATES 664-332 B.C.E.
PERIOD Late Period (probably)
DIMENSIONS 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (6.4 × 6.4 × 24.1 cm)  (show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER 37.1360Ea-c
CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Obelisk-Shaped Coffin, 664-332 B.C.E. Wood, animal remains, linen, 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (6.4 × 6.4 × 24.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1360Ea-c. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er), 37.1360Ea-b_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 37.1360Ea-b_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph (Gavin Ashworth, photographer), 2012
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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 <em>Obelisk-Shaped Coffin</em>, 664-332 B.C.E. Wood, animal remains, linen, 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (6.4 × 6.4 × 24.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1360Ea-c. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er), 37.1360Ea-b_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)