Coffin of Nephtys

This rectangular outer coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 and mummiform inner coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a woman 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐 named Nephtys who was a mayor’s daughter (the canopic jars from yesterday’s post belonged to her too). These are dated to the Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 12 – c. 1981–1802 B.C.E.).

The rectangular outer coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱 is very standard for this time period. The two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 that are seen would serve as a way for the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to be able to see into the land of the living. The head 𓁶𓏺 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 would have been placed directly behind these two 𓏻 eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦. Below the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦, is the Middle Kingdom version of the false door (particularly popular in Old Kingdom tombs). The false door would allow the spirit of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 to be able to travel between the land of the living and the land of the dead. The design is sometimes referred to as the “palace facade.”

The mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 of Nephtys is still preserved in in the mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾. The mask she is wearing has a gilded 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 face and is wearing a faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The standard offering formula is seen in the long line of text at the top of the coffin 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆱!

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙 – “An offering the king gives..”

𓊨𓁹𓏺 – “…Osiris…”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓊽𓊽𓅱 – “…of Djedu…”

𓊹𓉻 – “…the Great God…”

𓎟 – “…Lord…”

𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖 – “…of Abydos.”

𓂞𓆑𓉓 – “Given a voice offering of…”

So put together, the inscription says:

𓇓𓏏𓊵𓏙𓊨𓁹𓏺𓎟𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊹𓉻𓎟𓍌𓈋𓃀𓅱𓊖𓂞𓆑𓉓

“An offering the king gives Osiris, Lord of Djedu, the Great God, Lord of Abydos, Given a voice offering of…”