Funerary Mask of Wah at the MET

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to be looking at the Funerary Mask of Wah! Wah was an estate manager for a wealthy nobleman and he lived during the reign 𓋾 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenemhat I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓅓𓄂𓏏(12th Dynasty/Middle Kingdom). 

Funerary Masks (also called Burial Masks or Mummy Masks) were an important part of a person’s burial equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭 because the mask could either serve as protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, or take the place of the body if the head was destroyed or lost. In the Egyptian religion, the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to stay intact in order for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be transported to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐/Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. This was the purpose of mummification – to preserve the body so both the Ka 𓂓 (soul) and the Ba 𓅡𓏺(life force) would be able to recognize the body! 

Wah’s Mummy Mask is made of cartonnage (ancient Egyptian paper mache), gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 foil and wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺. The gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 face and the blue hair 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 is significant because the ancient Egyptians believed that the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 had skin/hair of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 or lapis lazuli 𓐍𓋴𓃀𓂧𓏧. While the facial features on the mask appear neither masculine or feminine, the beard that is on Wah’s chin indicates that this mask belonged to a male. 

My favorite feature on the mask is the very detailed broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 that is painted 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 on! The broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 was the necklace of choice by both the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, and the wealthy! Many Mummy Masks show the deceased wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝!