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Hawk Mummy

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

The hawk mummy, with an elaborate pattern of dyed and undyed linen, comes from the Egypt Exploration Fund excavations in Abydos in 1913. The brown dye was made from iron-bearing clay. This pattern and dying technique help identify other animal mummies as being from this site.

The falcon mummy, with undyed linen wrapped in concentric circles around it, has no known burial site. Scholars hope eventually to be able to identify the site or sites where this second wrapping technique was used, revealing more about this mummy than is currently known.
MEDIUM Animal remains, linen
DATES 30 B.C.E.–395 C.E.
PERIOD Roman Period
DIMENSIONS 16 1/2 × 4 7/8 × 2 5/8 in. (41.9 × 12.4 × 6.7 cm) as mounted: 4 1/2 x 8 7/8 x 20 3/4 in. (11.4 x 22.5 x 52.7 cm)  (show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER 13.1092
CREDIT LINE Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Hawk Mummy, 30 B.C.E.–395 C.E. Animal remains, linen, 16 1/2 × 4 7/8 × 2 5/8 in. (41.9 × 12.4 × 6.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund, 13.1092. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 13.1092_PS9.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 13.1092_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2015
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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