This limestone mummiform coffin π ±ππΎ lid is from the Ptolemaic Period! The New Kingdom is when stone ππππͺ mummiform coffins π ±ππΎπͺ first appeared, however the mummiform coffins π ±ππΎπͺ from that period were usually made of wood π±ππΊ!
This sarcophagus π ±ππΎ belonged to a scribe ππ named Pa-Di-Inpu. He is named after Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ (Anubis is the Greek name while Inpu is the Egyptian name) and served as a scribe ππ in the cult of Anubis πππͺπ ±π£. Pa-Di-Inpu also served as a scribe ππ and priest πΉπ in the cult of Hathor π‘!
Limestone Mummiform Coffin Lid at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
This head of a princess or queen ππππ is one of the finer statues πππππΎπͺ to survive from the Middle Kingdom (12th Dynasty 1876-1842 BCE). The remnants of a Uraeus πππππ on her forehead is an indication that this woman π»π΄ππ was royal. Also it is believed that this head was once part of a sphinx ππ ±ππ€ because of the way the womanβs π»π΄ππ wig breaks off in the back!
Head of a Princess or Queen at the Brooklyn Museum
The eyes πΉππ¦ of this statue πππππΎ once contained colored stones, however they were taken out of the statue πππππΎ in antiquity. I canβt even imagine how beautiful π€ it would look with the inlaid eyes πΉππ¦!
This piece has made quite an interesting journey. It was not actually found in Egypt ππ ππ! Instead, this piece was found in Hadrianβs villa in Rome! Hadrian was a Roman Emperor, who built a villa near Tivoli as a way to escape everyday life! Hadrian was emperor from 117 to 138 AD, so this statue was almost as βancientβ to him as it is to us! Hadrian had a lot of Egyptian ππππ antiquities in his villa – I guess Hadrian loved Egypt ππ ππ just like we do!
Fun fact: the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ had no word for βQueen.β Instead, ππππ was used which means βKingβs wife.β
There was also a way to distinguish a regular woman from a royal or noble woman: π»π΄ππ – Noble woman πππ – woman/wife
The block statue πππππΎ (made of limestone) was first fashioned by artists during the 12th Dynasty, and the style was very popular at the time! This block statue πππππΎ is from the 18th Dynasty though. Both Tutankhamun ππ πππ ±ππΉπΎπΊπ and Ay, Akhenatenβs ππππ³π ππ successors sought to restore not only the Egyptian pantheon, but also traditional art styles that had either been completely forgotten or had lost popularity.
Block Statue of Ay at the Brooklyn Museum
This particular block statue πππππΎ is of a man named Ay, who served as a high priest πΉπ of Mut ππΏπ during the rule of Tutankhamun ππ πππ ±ππΉπΎπΊπ. There is some blend of traditional Egyptian art styles and Amarna art styles in this statue πππππΎ, and it almost serves as a transition piece between the two parts of the 18th Dynasty. The cartouches of the pharaoh ππ» Ay π³π£π£πͺπΉππ appear in the hieroglyphic πΉππͺ text πππ₯. The cartouches were added later, after the statue πππππΎ was completed as a way to βupdateβ the statueβs πππππΎ text πππ₯.
Block Statue of Ay at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!
Fun fact: more statues πππππΎπͺ of Amenhotep III π³π§π have survived than any other 18th Dynasty pharaoh ππ», and this is a very interesting statuette of Amenhotep III π³π§π ! Amenhotep the III π³π§π was the father πππ of Akhenaten ππππ³π ππ, who was originally named Amenhotep IV, until he changed his name to reflect the Aten ππππ³.
Statue of Amenhotep III at the Brooklyn Museum
The first thing that struck me was the artistic style. It seems to be very grounded in realism, which is odd because most pharaohs ππ»π¦ wanted to be depicted as being in peak physical condition. It also illustrates some aspects of Amarna-style art, such as the previously mentioned realism and the sagging/exaggerated belly. This piece almost seems to be a precursor to the Amarna style. I find these transition-type pieces so interesting!
The statuette is made of ebony wood π±ππΊ and has glass inlaid eyes πΉππ¦ and eyebrows. The hieroglyphs πΉππͺ on the base are thought to refer to one of Amenhotep IIIβs π³π§π sed festivals (he ruled for 38 years). The hieroglyphs πΉππͺ on the base also contain errors, which means it is probably of non-royal production. The exact purpose of the statuette is unknown, but it is thought that it could have been used in a household shrine ππΊ to the pharaoh ππ». Household ππΊ statues/shrines actually became popular during the reign of Akhenaten ππππ³π ππ.
Mummiform Coffin of Gautseshenu which contains the Weighing of the Heart and other funerary scenes at the Brooklyn Museum.
The Weighing of the Heart scene from the Book of the Dead is my absolute favorite type of religious art from ancient Egypt ππ ππ. As a kid, I loved it because Anubis πππͺπ ±π’ was the central god πΉ in the scene, and Anubis πππͺπ ±π’ is my favorite Egyptian god πΉ . As an adult, I love what the scene represents and the symbolism behind it. While I have posted multiple versions of this scene from various Books of the Dead, this is the first time I saw it on a coffin and I was just in awe. Itβs amazing how well preserved it is and how bright the colors are.
For those unfamiliar with the context of the scene, Anubis πππͺπ ±π’ weighs the heart πππ£ of the deceased π ππ± against Maatβs π΄ππ£ππ¦ feather. If Anubis determines thereβs balance between the two, then the deceased would be presented to Osiris πΉπ¨ π by Horus π π. This simplified version of the scene is missing Thoth π €π and Amemet.
If youβre looking at the coffin π ±ππΎ from the front, you can see Khepri π£πππ(the winged beetle) and the Four Sons of Horus beneath him. I feel like this coffin π ±ππΎ is the Sparks Notes version of the Book of the Dead – it kinda gives you some of the most important parts in a very small amount of space!
This coffin π ±ππΎ belonged to man named Gautseshenu and is made of cartonnage (ancient paper mache). It is dated to the 25th Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period). It was found in Thebes πππ.
This special amuletΒ ππͺπ Β is known as a Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab belonged to HatneferΒ ππ€π, who was the motherΒ π ππΒ of SenemutΒ π’ππ πΌ! SenemutΒ π’ππ πΌΒ was HatshepsutβsΒ ππ ππΉππππΌπͺΒ most trusted advisor (amongst other things π)!Β
Heart Scarab of Hatnefer at the MET
In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart πππ£ was not only the center of a personβs life πΉ, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart πππ£ was not removed during the mummification process, because the deceased π ππ± person would need it on their journey through the afterlife πΌπΏππ. The personβs heart πππ£ would be weighed against Maatβs ππ΄π£ππ¦ feather ππΊ by Anubis πππͺπ ±π£, and that would determine if the deceased π ππ± would be presented to Osiris πΉπ¨π and then enter the Field of Reeds πππ ππΏππ ±π°π, or eternal π life πΉ. This was called the βWeighing of the Heart,β and it is something I have written extensively about!
So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a βcheat codeβ for getting past the βWeighing of the Heartβ – this special scarab ππͺπππ£ is inscribed ππ ±π with Chapter 30A from the Book of the Dead (most are inscribed with Chapter 30B). In this spell, the deceased π ππ± asks their own heart πππ£ to not betray them during the βWeighing of the Heart.β
Basically, the ancient Egyptians πππππͺ feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet ππͺπ as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30A: β Do not stand against me as witness beside the lords of the ritual, Do not say against me, he did do it, about my actions, Do not make a case against me beside the great god, Hail my heart, Hail my heartβ¦β
Thereβs a lot going on in this picture ππ ±π, but I really like this display at the British Museum! This display contains statuesΒ πππππΎπͺΒ that all have to do with funerary practices.Β
On the bottom left, there are multiple figures of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures connect three gods πΉπΉπΉ that are connected to rebirth/resurrection into a single statue πππππΎ. These statues πππππΎπͺ became popular during the Late Period and they seemed to have evolved from the figures of Osiris πΉπ¨π that became popular in tombs ππ«πππ¦ during the 19th Dynasty (New Kingdom). These figures are always a mummiform figure on a wooden π±ππΊ base.
On the bottom right is a corn mummy in a falcon πππ‘π sarcophagus ππΉπππ. While millions of animal mummies have been found at sites all over Egypt ππ ππ, mummies made of grains like wheat and barley have also been found. Corn Mummies are meant to be a representation of the god πΉ Osiris πΉπ¨π and Egyptologists came to this conclusion because the βcoffinsβ that contain the corn mummies almost always contain Osirisβ πΉπ¨π name ππ and his titles/epithets.
The middle-right shows wooden π±ππΊ funerary figures of Isis π¨ππ₯ and Nephthys π ππ which were also popular figures to find in tombs ππ«πππ¦ from the Late Period and onward. Isis π¨ππ₯ and Nephthys π ππ were sisters π’ππππͺ and both funerary goddesses πΉπΉπΉπ. Similar statues πππππΎπͺ can be seen in museums around the world!
The top left shows various figures and representations of the god πΉ Osiris πΉπ¨π, who was the main funerary god πΉ in the Egyptian pantheon.
This type of statue πππππΎ is referred to as a Pair Statue.
The front of a Pair Statue at the Brooklyn Museum
Pair Statues first appeared in the Third Dynasty during the reign of the pharaoh ππ» Djoser π¦, however, this example is from the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom – either the reign of Thutmosis IV π³π π£πΌ or Amenhotep III π³π§π ).
The purpose of the Pair Statue was to show closeness between two π» individuals. This pair statue represents a husband and wife πππ! The man πππ€ is named Nebsen and he was a scribe ππ in the treasury, while the woman πππ is named Nebet-ta, and she was a singer in the temple πππ of Isis π¨ππ₯. Both scribes πππͺ and singers were held in high regard and were of high status, which is probably how they had the means to procure such a beautiful π€ pair statue πππππΎ!
What I love about this statue πππππΎ is how beautiful π€ the hieroglyphs πΉππͺ are!
The word βwomanβ can be written multiple ways, either πππππ or πππ. The latter can also mean βwife.β
There is also a dedication to the god πΉ Sobek π΄ππ‘π (right column on the back):
Being at the Temple of Dendur is just so relaxing to me. I just love being in this room – I have so many amazing memories here with my Nonno and my sister π’ππ who is in the picture ππ ±π with me! I could literally just sit in here for hours and just exist.
One of my favorite things as a kid was the little crocodile π π΄ππ statue thatβs in the βriverβ that goes around the temple! I always thought it was so cool! The ancient Egyptians πππππͺ both feared and worshipped crocodiles π π΄πππ¦. Sobek π΄ππ‘π, the god πΉ with the head of a crocodile π π΄ππ was worshipped from the time of Narmer all the way through the Roman period. He was a fertility god πΉ, associated with the annual flooding of the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ.
Sobek π΄ππ‘π also represented the power and might of the pharaoh ππ» because crocodiles π π΄πππ¦ are incredibly strong – and were a constant threat to those living along the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ. Sobek π΄ππ‘π is the son π of the war goddess πΉπ Neith ππππ and is sometimes referenced as being the son π of Seth πππ‘π£. Hundreds of crocodile π π΄ππ mummies have been found in Faiyum and other places in Egypt ππ ππ, most likely as way to appease Sobek π΄ππ‘π.
One of the greatest aspects of the Brooklyn Museumβs Egyptian collection is The Book of the Dead for a man named Sobekmose, who had the title βGoldworker of Amun.β Sobekmose was buried in Memphis and that is where this papyrus π πππ was found. This Book of the Dead dates to the 18th Dynasty (early New Kingdom 1500-1480 B.C.E.). It is displayed as one complete papyrus π πππ!
The Book of the Dead contained instructions/spells for the deceased π ππ± as they made their way through the underworld πΌπΏππ. The red text that you see is used to indicate the start of a new spell, the end of a spell, or the names of certain mythological figures.
I love this particular image ππ ±π – it shows the sun π³πΊ god Ra π³πΊπ in his solar barge that he used to bring the sun π³πΊ across the sky πͺππ― during the day πππΊπ³, and then through the underworld πΌπΏππ at night πΌπππ. Raβs π³πΊπ journey across the sky πͺππ― is supposed to be representative of his birth/resurrection (sunrise), growth (day) and then death (sunset). Then, Raβs π³πΊπ journey would repeat for another day.
I love how the solar barge is sitting on top of the determinative hieroglyph for βsky π―β and that the Egyptian stars πΌπΌπΌ are also there!
