Mummies

All photos by Brenna Reistad

Egyptian Mummy and Coffin

Egyptian Mummy and Coffin

150 BC - 50 AD

and

Cox mummy

Within these wrappings is the mummified body of a man who died 2,000 years ago.

In Egyptian belief, the gilt mask identified him as immortal, and the djed pillar, scarab, and Canopic gods painted on the papier mache cartonnage eased the transition to eternity. Egyptian tradition tells of gods with lapis lazuli beards, and the blue band across the chin links the deceased with divine Osiris.

Fragment of Cartonnage

664 - 525 BC

Images of Isis and Nephthys - sisters of Osiris who reassembled his body after he was killed by his brother Seth - almost always appear with Osiris. The goddesses occur on both sides of this coffin fragment, and the deceased asks for their protection in the accompanying text.

From card: "Presented to the National Institute and later transferred to the Smithsonian Inst.. Second entry in catalogue showing Cat. No. 8276. Written up in "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge", 1870, vol. 16, article V, by Charles Pickering, "On the Gliddon Mummy Case in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution." Dr. John D. Cooney, Brooklyn Mus. says "... it is probably not earlier than the 26th Dyn. (c. 600 B.C.)" -4/21/1939.

R. S. Bianchi, Brooklyn Museum, notes "nearest parallels are from 4th Cent. B.C. and belong to the Petosiris family. See also Jean Yoyote, Treasures of the Pharoahs (Geneva, [Skira], 1968, p.. 206-211. Name on fgt. shows it is from Tomb of Eshor." On exhibit, Hall 26, 1976, where exhibit label identifies as fragment of mummy wrapping, ca. 300-200 B.C..

History of collection card indicates that the Charles Pickering article referenced above says that collector Gliddon divided the object into 3 parts, the first part now at the Smithsonian, the second presented to the Naval Lyceum of Brooklyn, and the third presented to a "Mrs. Ward, of New York." 1978 NMNH slide set caption: "Mummy cartonage (section), wooden with linen cover, painted with hieroglyphs, naturalistic, Egyptian, late period?" See possibly related artifacts also collected by Gliddon under Accession #66A00078.

Inner Coffin & Lid Of Tentkhonsu

Inner Coffin & Lid Of Tentkhonsu

Donor Name

Government Of Egypt

Site Name

Deir El-Bahri (Deir el-Bahari,Thebes)

From card: "On floor, the deceased in presence of Osiris. She-God with double head, ram & crocodile. Dr. L. Bull, Met. Mus., New York, identifies this as probable inner coffine of # 154953 since it has same titles & name. He says "On floor is the goddess of the West, her headdress surmounted by a falcon wearing the atef crown." XXI Dynasty. Exhibit, Hall 26, 1976." 1978 NMNH slide set caption: "Inner coffin and lid, wooden, painted with hieroglyphs and ritual scenes, 3-dimensional portrait head at top, belonged to Tenet-Khonsu, chantress of Amon-Ra, Egyptian, Thebes, 21st Dynasty, ca. 1000 B.C." See also Catalogue No. 154953, which is outer coffin and lid of Tentkhonsu. Note re photos: Negative # 78-8766 is frontal, lt, overview. 78-8767 is 3/4, lt, overview, shows detail of head. 78-8768 is profile, lt, detail. 78-8769 is frontal, lt overview of both Cat. # 154953 and 154954, the inner and outer coffins and lids.

From NMNH Exhibit Hall "Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt" label for this artifact, 2011: Inner coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C. Tentkhonsu's coffin set included this inner coffin, as well as an outer coffin and a board (A154953) to protect the mummy. The set was one of 153 burials from Bab el-Gasus, a tomb chamber in Deir el-Bahari where Egyptians moved the coffins and mummies of elite 21st-dynasty families. The lid presents an idealized portrait of Tentkhonsu. Tentkhonsu's mummy has never been identified. Tentkhonsu means "She who belongs to the god Khonsu" - a name that shows she came from an elite Theban family that staffed the city's temples. She sang at festivals, and, like most Egyptian women, probably married by 14 and ran a household. If she reached age 40, she would have outlived many of her contemporaries.

Tentkhonsu's coffin was designed to guide her past the dangers of the Netherworld. The coffin interior tells the story of Tentkhonsu's spiritual passage from the Netherworld to rebirth. The scenes on the coffin exterior wrap around Tentkhonsu, providing knowledge and protection for the journey ahead. The coffin's exterior paintings shield the mummy with magic spells and scenes of her journey to rebirth.

Additional color digital negative #s: NHB2011-01632 through NHB2011-01641; 2003-29027 through 2003-29051; 2003-31596 through 2003-31613.