Funeral Shroud of Anubis and Osiris

This exquisite funerary shroud, woven and painted in 2nd century A.D. Roman Egypt, presents a compelling fusion of cultures: where Pharaonic faith endures beneath the veneer of imperial Rome. Now housed in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, the textile is a testament to how Egypt’s ancient religious identity was never entirely eclipsed by her conquerors. Indeed, even as Latin and Greek echoed in public life, the mysteries of Osiris still whispered from tomb walls and burial wrappings.

At the centre of this shroud stands the deceased, arrayed in the fashion of a Roman citizen, draped in toga-like attire, a hallmark of status in the Empire. Yet he is not alone. To his side appears Anubis, the jackal-headed guardian of embalming and patron of the necropolis, offering protection and passage. Nearby too is Osiris, lord of the afterlife.

What one sees here is not a clash but a harmonious syncretism. Egyptian afterlife beliefs proved remarkably resilient, even under Roman rule. The traditional vision (that the preserved body was essential for the soul’s eternal journey) remained. Mummification continued, though evolving: bodies were mummified but were now often wrapped in intricately woven and decorated mummy shrouds painted with vibrant portraits in encaustic or tempera. These portraits, arrestingly lifelike, often replaced the old-fashioned masks, offering an intimate and immediate face to the departed.

Yet these new works did not abandon the old gods. Painted mummy panels might depict a deceased Roman-style gentleman flanked by Horus, Anubis, or Thoth; divine figures might float above, bearing ankhs and sceptres, even as Greek symbols of eternity, such as pomegranates, myrtle wreaths, and craters of wine, wove themselves into the scene.

One must not imagine that such juxtapositions were superficial. They speak of an Egypt that had endured countless rulers; from Hyksos to Persians, Greeks to Romans, yet kept its spiritual heart. The gods of the Nile walked still in shadowed halls and desert tombs, and no emperor could displace them entirely, nor did they really want to, with a merging of deities from various lands across the Mediterranean being a popular practice.

This shroud, then, is more than funerary garb. It is a canvas of belief, bridging two worlds; eternal Egypt and imperial Rome, with tender brushstrokes and faith unbroken by time.

Summary:

Funeral shroud depicting the deceased flanked by Osiris & Anubis

Roman Egypt, 2nd Century A.D.

Now in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow.