Roman Sarcophagus

Even though Rome was the dominant power in the Mediterranean at the time, Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 was determined to keep Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 independent of Rome.  However, with the defeat of Mac Antony by Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 in battle, and the death of Cleopatra VII 𓈎𓃭𓇋𓍯𓊪𓄿𓂧𓂋𓏏𓄿𓆇 (the last Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, died by suicide c. 31 B.C.E.), Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was conquered by the Romans. This made Augustus 𓉐𓉻𓀀 the first Roman Emperor. 

Traditionally, the Romans burned their dead and put their ashes in urns. However, in Roman Egypt, traditional Egyptian funerary practices persisted but adopted some Roman style! Nonno always pointed out the Roman influenced sarcophagi 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭𓏪 in museums because he thought it was so interesting that an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 was on the coffin, instead of the traditional Egyptian “mask.” The painting of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 still functioned like a traditional Egyptian mask, however it was just more “Roman” in style. 

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!

I think this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 (from the second century AD) in particular is very interesting because it demonstrates a marriage of the two 𓏻 cultures.  The Roman influence is clearly seen, with the painted portrait of the deceased (and his name 𓂋𓈖, Artemidorus below the portrait). 

However, the Egyptian gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are present in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 on the body of the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭. Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦, Thoth 𓅤𓀭 , and Horus 𓅃𓀭 are depicted. Iconic Egyptian imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 such as the winged sun disk is located above the feet, while a traditional broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 around the neck of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.