Panel from the Coffin of a Woman
ca. 2008–1875 B.C.E.
1 of 5
Object Label
This coffin is decorated with hieroglyphic texts invoking both national gods and the local gods of Asyut. The texts also include a prayer for bread, beer, and other offerings in the afterlife. A stand with five jars of oil, a bed with seven linen bags of materials for mummification, a mirror, and a pair of sandals are all depicted on the coffin’s side, magically ensuring their presence in the tomb and with the deceased forever.
Caption
Panel from the Coffin of a Woman, ca. 2008–1875 B.C.E.. Wood, pigment, 17 1/2 x 71 1/2 x 1 1/4 in., 22 lb. (44.5 x 181.6 x 3.2 cm, 9.98kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 1995.112. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Gallery
Not on view
Gallery
Not on view
Title
Panel from the Coffin of a Woman
Date
ca. 2008–1875 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 12
Period
Middle Kingdom
Geography
Possible place collected: Asyut, Egypt
Medium
Wood, pigment
Classification
Dimensions
17 1/2 x 71 1/2 x 1 1/4 in., 22 lb. (44.5 x 181.6 x 3.2 cm, 9.98kg)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
1995.112
Frequent Art Questions
Tell me more.
The images on this panel represent things the deceased would need in the afterlife. The objects are not gender specific, it is the inscription that identifies this as from a woman's coffin.In the left section: Jars on a table are understood as containing "unguents," scented ointments. The jars themselves are decorated like imitation-stone which is, itself, based on real, early, carved stone vessels.In the middle section: On a bed, bundles of embalming materials including linen sit, labeled. Underneath the bed, there are three objects: a canopic chest, a man-made pool, and a sieve or jar stopper.In the right section: These two are the most every-day items on the panel. On the left is a mirror in a protective sleeve and to the right is a pair of sandals. The mirror has a typical, lotus-shaped handle.
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