Mummiform Coffin of Harmose

This (left) mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a singer named 𓂋𓈖 Harmose who lived during the joint rule of Hatshepsut 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣(New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1479–1458 B.C.E.). While Harmose was not royal, this coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 is still quite striking. The face is overlaid with gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 foil while the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are made out of inlaid alabaster (white 𓌉𓆓𓇳) and obsidian (black 𓆎𓅓). The coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 was found in the vicinity of Senemut’s 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 during excavations funded by the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the 1935-1936 dig season.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! By now, I’m sure those of you who have been following me for a bit can now recognize parts of the standard offering formula!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives…”

𓊩𓁹 – “…Osiris…” (this is a not as common variation of his name)

𓋾𓈎𓏛 – “…Ruler of…”

𓆖 – “…Eternity…”

𓉼𓊹 – “…The Great God”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓍌𓃀𓈋𓊖 – “…of Abydos…” (this is another variation – Abydos is more commonly written as 𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖)

𓉓 – “…A Voice Offering of…”