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The gilded footstool of Tutankhamun made out of heavy wood covered with gold leaves and decorated on its top with the nine traditional enemies: the Nubians, the Libyans, the Asiatic, the Sea People, the Assyrians, the Hittites, the people of Kush, the Babylonians, and the Palestinians.
Wood, gesso, faience
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62, Antechamber
JE 62046=SR1/881=Carter 90
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
The legs of the chair end in the form of ducks heads, made out of ebony inlaid with ivory. The sema-tawy motif of intertwined lotus and papyrus stalks representing a unified Upper and Lower Egypt once stood between them.
Ebony, gold, ivory, glass
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62
JE 62030=SR1/1067=Carter 351
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
The feline with the curved back is portrayed realistically in its furtive pacing. According to an archaic belief, the panther represented the night sky and consequently the underworld that the Texts of the Pyramids state was originally located among the stars. The king assimilated to the sun by the golden tan of his skin, looms above the panther to symbolize triumph over death.
JE 60715
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
"In Greek mythology, maenads were the female followers of Dionysus (Bacchus in the Roman pantheon) the most significant members of the Thiasus, the god's retinue. Maenads travel alone usually through locations, seeking tribute to their god, Dionysus. If tribute is not given, they will leave the location in utter chaos by leaving all inhabitants under their influence which consists of uncontrolled sexual behavior, loss of senses and complete intoxication. They own a set of talons when they are in their "frenzy" state, where the talons possess a special poison which kills anything if clawed. Their name literally translates as "raving ones". Often the maenads were portrayed as inspired by Dionysus into a state of ecstatic frenzy, through a combination of dancing and drunken intoxication. In this state, they would have complete control over the human species where they would make them lose all self-control, begin shouting excitedly, engage in uncontrolled sexual behavior, and ritualistically hunt down and tear to pieces animals—and, at least in myth, sometimes men and children—devouring the raw flesh or heart."
Wikipedia
The wooden anthropoid coffin of a man called "Aba son of Ankh Hor", ruler and governor of Upper Egypt and the Head of the treasury.
The goddess Nephtys appears at the head of the coffin offering protection to the deceased. The coffin lid is also decorated with texts from the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the base shows hieroglyphic inscriptions.
Organic material, sycamore wood
Late Period, 26th Dynasty, Saite Period
Provenance Upper Egypt, Luxor (Thebes), West Bank, Qurna
BAAM 829
Antiquities Museum of Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Take a walk around to the other side and what looks to be a naked woman reclining on a very soft cushion, is actually a depiction (a Roman copy of a Hellenistic bronze) of the god Hermaphroditus who sported both male and female sexual organs.
Hermaphroditus was actually a popular subject of paintings and statuary, even if modern audiences are less comfortable with the topic than the ancient Greeks and Romans were.
Originally unearthed in Rome and displayed in the Borghese Gallery, it was sold to the occupying French, and now sits in the Louvre.
Cosmetics were used by the ancient Egyptians for adornment as well as for ritual purposes. Shown here are spoons used for holding minerals used in make-up and a group of hairpins
Early dynastic period
Ivory and bone
From Helwan and Saqqara
JE 87485, JE 87520 (spoons)
JE 87486, JE 87522, JE 69905a-c (hairpins)
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Es parte de los registros judiciales originales que tratan sobre los robos de tumbas bajo Ramsés IX. Contiene las confesiones de ocho hombres que irrumpieron en la tumba de Sobekemsaf II y una descripción de la reconstrucción del crimen.
Neith bearing her war goddess symbols, the crossed arrows on her head watches over the stomach with Duamutef.
Four goddesses with open arms watch over the organs of the sovereign. They are identified by the hieroglyphs on their heads and on the low reliefs of the sanctuary walls. Each goddess faces and is associated with one of the four children of Horus whose duty was to preserve the king's organs: the goddess Isis watches over the liver with Imset, Nephthys the lungs with Hapi, Neith the stomach with Duamutef and Selket the intestines with Qebehsenuf.
Characteristics typical of the art of Amarna can be seen in the slight rotation of the statues' heads (compared to the frontal tradition of Egyptian statuary), the long neck stretching forwards and the naturalistic modelling of the bodies.
Detail of Canopic Shrine of Tutankhamon
Wood lined with stucco and gilded, glass paste
Tomb of Tutankhamon, KV 62
Valley of the Kings
JE 60686
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
A box specially made for the king's headwear. It is a legacy from the daily life of the past - the prototype of the hat-box in use today. It is a plain rectangular wooden case with hinged lid and simple blue and yellow faience and semi-translucent calcite decoration bordering its panels. It contains block-headed support for a cap. The remnants of the king's cap were found at the bottom of the box. It was made of fine linen, embellished with elaborate beadwork of gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian and green felspar. Unfortunately, the dilapidations of time had caused the textile fabric to decay beyond recovery.
Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamun's tomb KV62
18th dynasty
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
The wig is decorated with geometrical patterns and flower motifs.
Linen, plaster
Greco-Roman Period
Provenance Asyut
S. 14723/1 Museo Egizio
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
Wood
Late Period
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
This anthropomorphic coffin belonged to an unknown person, probably a woman. The coffin and the mummy wrapped in bandages of varying widths probably originate from the Late Period, when the sophistication of mummification declined remarkably compared to the preceding Third Intermediate Period, which marks the high point of mummification.
During the Late Period, a typical modest funeral complement included the following items: an anthropomorphic inner coffin, a rectangular outer qrsw coffin, a shabti box containing shabti statuettes, four canopic jars, and occasionally a box for holding them, a wooden stela, a wood sculpture of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris and possibly a number of pottery jars and other objects. However, the Late Period saw the gradual disappearance of most everyday objects from burial chambers.
Late Period
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
Isis was the wife of a craftsman from Deir el-Medina called Kabekhnet and the daughter-in-law of Sennedjem. This is the second coffin in which the mummy of Isis was enclosed. She also had a mummiform external coffin, as well as a pectoral placed directly over the bandages of her mummy. This pectoral was identical to the cover of the internal coffin and provided further protection against damage to the body.
On the cover, Isis is depicted richly dressed and as if she were still alive.
Isis' face is framed by a heavy, braided wig held by an elaborate multicoloured band decorated with geometric and floral motifs. Lotus blossoms, open and in the bud, are represented in low relief on the forehead of the figure. The lotus flower was a symbol of rebirth. The eyes are narrow while the mouth and the face itself are treated simply. The ears are not shown but are marked by the presence of large earrings consisting of a ring and a hemisphere of bone or ivory. The braids of the wig partially cover a pectoral with brightly coloured and elaborate decoration. The breasts are sculpted in relief and emphasized by rosettes.
Isis is shown wearing a full-length pleated robe that reaches her ankles and has a slit at the front. It is closed with a knot that is just visible below the left arm. The sleeves leave the forearms exposed, which are encircled by two rows of beads and also bracelets at the wrists. She has a ring on the thumb of her right hand. The right arm hangs along the body while the left is filled across the lower chest, clasping a fold on her garment.
Isis is also holding garlands of flowering ivy in each hand, arranged in an elaborate composition and providing a splash of colour to enliven the whiteness of the robe. Ivy, like the lotus, was associated with the promise of an afterlife.
Although Isis is represented as if still alive, the coffin is mummiform in shape. The lower part of the coffin is decorated with representations of the divine figures who inhabited the Egyptian Underworld. Corresponding to the position of the head of the deceased are the genii of the North, with those of the South reproduced at her feet. The two groups are separated by columns of text containing references to the Four Sons of Horus.
(Text: Tiradritti ed. Egyptian Treasures from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo)
New Kingdom, 19th dynasty
Tomb of Sennedjem TT1, Deir el-Medina
(JE 27309)
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
This elaborately decorated and inlaid chair was found within the Annex, along with several other pieces of furniture. Its form is the most unusual of all the thrones found within the tomb. The bottom takes the shape of a stool with a vertical backrest added. Like the golden throne of Tutankhamun, this piece was fashioned early on in the monarch's reign: in the middle of the cobra frieze, there are two cartouches of the Aten's name surmounted by a sun-disk representing the Aten. Additionally, the vulture goddess Nekhbet is set between cartouches of the pharaoh, which use his birthname Tutankhaten (The Living Image of the Aten). The cobra frieze and vulture goddess on the top of the backrest along with the depiction of the vulture on the reverse side, all served to protect the pharaoh. The top of the inlaid seat is spotted to imitate an animal skin, perhaps of a leopard. The legs of the chair end in the form of ducks heads, made out of ebony inlaid with ivory. The sema-tawy motif of intertwined lotus and papyrus stalks representing a unified Upper and Lower Egypt once stood between them.
Ebony, gold, ivory, glass
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62
JE 62030=SR1/1067=Carter 351
The gilded footstool of Tutankhamun made out of heavy wood covered with gold leaves and decorated on its top with the nine traditional enemies: the Nubians, the Libyans, the Asiatic, the Sea People, the Assyrians, the Hittites, the people of Kush, the Babylonians, and the Palestinians.
Wood, gesso, faience
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62, Antechamber
JE 62046=SR1/881=Carter 90
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Steatite
New Kingdom
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
Third cent. BC? Said to have been found in Tuscany. In the Burrell Collection, Glasgow, UK. Snapseed edit.
collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=recor...
Wooden tomb models were deposited as grave goods in the tombs and burial shafts. They included a wide variety of wooden figurines and scenes, such as boats, granaries, baking and brewing beer scenes and butchery scenes.
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
1st BC
The most important divinity was the crocodile god Sobek, known locally by the name of Soknebtynis. A large sanctuary, discovered in 1899, was dedicated to him and his image appears on numerous stelae and statuettes.
From the exhibition of 'Unexpected treasures - 30 years of excavations and cooperation in Tebtynis (Fayum)'
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Princess Neferwptah, Neferuptah or Ptahneferu (“Beauty of Ptah”) was the daughter of king Amenemhat III of the 12th dynasty. A burial for her was prepared in the tomb of her father at Hawara. However, she was not buried there, but in a small pyramid at Hawara. Her tomb was found intact in 1956 and still contained her jewellery, a granite sarcophagus, three silver vases and other objects. Objects belonging to her include a sphinx of black granite and the fragment of a statue found on Elephantine.
Neferuptah is one of the first royal women whose name was written inside a cartouche. Although she never had the title 'king's wife', she must have had a special status; it is possible she was regarded as a future ruler.
Her titles included a member of the elite, great of favour, great of praise and beloved king's daughter of his body.
The elements of Jewellery which were found and could be restored most probably to their original state consisted of :
1.-a necklace of gold, carnelian and beads
2.-a broad collar
3.-a pair of bracelets and a pair of anklets
4.-a girdle of disc beads with a hawk-pendant
5.-A funerary apron of faience and blue frit beads
(Princess Neferuptah's beautiful Collar was taken to join the Exhibition of "Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs" in the American City of Houston from 20.11.2021 to 22.01.2023.)
Burial of Neferuptah in Hawara
Middle Kingdom, 12 dynasty
Hawara
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
When the Ptolemaic state was established in Egypt, art that arose in Alexandria was in a purely classical style. Then it was soon mixed with ancient Egyptian art and its ancient traditions. Statues of the Ptolemaic kings appeared in Egyptian features mixed with artistic influences from ancient Greece. This statue depicts a king from the Ptolemaic Period in a mixed style that expressed the merging of these two cultures together.
Black granite
Ptolemaic Period
unknown origin
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
The famous "Dendera Light" Hieroglyph in the Temple of Hathor, Dendera, Egypt. In actuality a religious picture of a snake emerging from a lotus flower, it has given rise to fun speculation about whether ancient Egyptians had electricity (spoiler: they didnt).
Scenes depicted on the coffin: the deceased sailing in a sun ship while worshipping Ra, and eight seated gods.
This coffin lid, counted among the finest examples of coffins from the Late Period, was made for Taditratawy, "the mistress of the house".
25th dynasty
From the Valley of the Queens QV 43 or QV 44
S. 5243 Museo Egizio
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
An amazingly lifelike span of horses from the Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C. ) on display at the Metropolitan Museum of art in the exhibit "The Age of Empires"
The sarcophagus is preserved in good condition and has a polished surface. It shows the calves and shins on the lid and bottom and the chin raised from the chest. It has an oval face without a beard; a plinth is indicated. The most remarkable feature of this sarcophagus is the gilded face, most of which is intact. Since the skin of gods was thought to be made of gold, the gilded face showed the divine quality of the deceased. Another explanation could be the connection between gold and the sunlight; furthermore, the metal does not corrode, allowing it to represent the stability and endurance of the body. The wig was painted blue but nowadays is covered with dark substance (pitch?). Pupils and eye rims are indicated in black. The hieroglyphs, the necklace and the divine figures show remains of green paint, the lines and the pt-sign were once coloured in blue.
Provenance Qaw el-Kebir
Ptolemaic Period
JE 35198
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
A chair named for Sennedjem's son, Khabekhnet.
New Kingdom, 19th dynasty
Tomb of Sennedjem TT1, Deir el-Medina
(JE 27256)
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
The legs of the chair end in the form of ducks heads, made out of ebony inlaid with ivory. The sema-tawy motif of intertwined lotus and papyrus stalks representing a unified Upper and Lower Egypt once stood between them.
Ebony, gold, ivory, glass
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62
JE 62030=SR1/1067=Carter 351
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
The purpose of these statuettes was to serve the deceased in the afterlife. They first appeared in the Middle Kingdom, when only one or two of them were placed in the tomb to do various chores on behalf of the deceased. They were mummiform and made of various materials, such as stone, bronze, wood, clay, wax, or blue and green faience, the latter being the most common.
These statuettes were called “shawabti” and “shabti” from the New Kingdom onwards. The ancient Egyptian verb “wesheb” meant to “answer”, and these statuettes answered or obeyed and served their owner by carrying out all the hard labor related to food production in the afterlife. While some ushabtis were not inscribed, most were decorated with a text from Chapter Six of the Book of the Dead where the deceased person orders the work to be carried out, such as preparing the fields, irrigating them or to move sand from ‘east to west’ and the ushabti answers “I shall do it”. Some also bore the name and titles of the deceased.
The number of ushabtis placed in the tomb of the deceased increased during the New Kingdom to reach three hundred and sixty-five statuettes, i.e., one for every day in the year, each one serving a day. With the inclusion of thirty-six overseers, their number reached four hundred and one. Each overseer ushabti supervised ten worker figures. They were represented wearing the dress of the living to distinguish them from working ushabtis. The latter were also provided with their work tools, such as chains, baggage, and hunting equipment, while others had none.
Ushabtis were kept inside wooden boxes for protection.
Antiquities Museum of Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The vultures on the reverse side served to protect the pharaoh.
Ebony, gold, ivory, glass
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62
JE 62030=SR1/1067=Carter 351
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Wooden tomb models were deposited as grave goods in the tombs and burial shafts. They included a wide variety of wooden figurines and scenes, such as boats, granaries, baking and brewing beer scenes and butchery scenes.
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
The sarcophagus of Nestefnut. A wig surrounds the beardless oval face and the chin is raised. The back of the head was cut asymmetrically on the left side, but the optical effect is further heightened by the slightly damaged surface in that area. The body is formed as a mummy with calves and very weakly pronounced shins on the lid. The back of the bottom is entirely flat, so it does not show any buttocks. The calves on the bottom are only shaped on the sides. The edges of the feet are rounded and rest on a plinth.
The surface of the feet is decorated with two jackal gods looking at each other. Each is seated on a shrine and above the figures, a flagellum is engraved. Above and between the gods, the god's names and a short protection formula can be read. The scene is oriented upside down so the owner of the sarcophagus can read it himself. The jackals are identified as two forms of Anubis. This type of scene was very common.
Sarcophagus of Nestefnut
Limestone
Ptolemaic period
Provenance: Abydos
JE 6291
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Isis is shown wearing a full-length pleated robe that reaches her ankles.
New Kingdom, 19th dynasty
Tomb of Sennedjem TT1, Deir el-Medina
(JE 27309)
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
From a collection of moulds for different forms of amulets
BAAM Serial Number 1042
Antiquities Museum of Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The vultures on the reverse side served to protect the pharaoh.
Ebony, gold, ivory, glass
New Kingdom, 18th dynasty
Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62
JE 62030=SR1/1067=Carter 351
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
The jackal was a representation of the god Anubis. The deity was usually depicted lying on a shrine with his ears erect and forelegs stretched out before him. The statuette still has the black pigment that characterizes the jackal's body and it wears the traditional red ribbon around its neck. On the jackal's back is a hole used to attach the tail.
Wood, stucco
New Kingdom
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
Steatite
New Kingdom
Egypt of Glory exhibition, Amos Rex Art Museum, Helsinki
From the collection of Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy
9.10.2020-21.3.2021
Funerary equipment of Sennedjem
Isis and Nephthys on either side of a scarab
New Kingdom, 19th dynasty
Tomb of Sennedjem TT1, Deir el-Medina
NMEC National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Fustat Cairo
This casket is made of coniferous wood and ornamented with broad rails and styles of veneered ivory. Its panels formed by the rails and styles are decorated with an applied fretwork of gilt wood symbols - ankh, was and neb signs - a formula meaning 'All life and good fortune'. The gilding of these open-work symbols in contrast to the dark brown colour of the basic wood and the white ivory rails and styles gives a very rich and elegant effect.
Each rail and style is engraved with a bold hieroglyphic script, filled in with black pigment, which gives the titulary consisting of the five 'Great names' assumed by the king on his accession; namely 'the Horus name', 'the Nebty-name', 'the Golden Horus-name', the Prenomen and Nomen. The Queen's cartouche and her titles are also included on one of the rails.
The four square feet upon which the casket stands are shod with silver caps. The interior of this casket is divided into sixteen rectangular compartments made to receive a similar number of gold or silver vessels for cosmetics. These were all missing - pilfered - and in their places were cast a small rush basket, a stained ivory bowl, two palettes, and ivory and gold burnisher, an ornamental case for writing-reeds, and an empty mirror-case, all of which came from some other box or casket.
Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamun's tomb KV62
18th dynasty
JE 61476
Egyptian Museum, Cairo