Coffins of Butehamun

Butehamun was a distinguished scribe who was born and raised in the Deir el-Medina region, and resided in Medinet Habu, living during the reign of Ramesses XI, he died in Third Intermediate Period. Born into a lineage of scribes, he followed in the footsteps of his father, Thutmose, embracing a life devoted to the written word and the sacred duties of the necropolis.

His titles were many and illustrious—”Scribe of the Necropolis,” “Opener of the Gates of the Necropolis,” “Overseer of Works in the House of Eternity,” and “Overseer of the Treasuries of the Kings.” Such honours suggest a man of great importance, entrusted with solemn and weighty affairs. It is believed that Butehamun played a key role in one of Ancient Egypt’s most secretive undertakings—the relocation and reburial of royal mummies from the Valley of the Kings to the hidden Royal Cache (TT320), ensuring their protection from tomb robbers.

Much of what is known about him comes from the humble graffiti and letters exchanged between him and his father—fragments of a life once lived, whispered from the past in ink and stone.

Butehamun’s death occurred during the Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt, which spanned from 1077 B.C.- 943 B.C. Sadly, the whereabouts of his mummy remain shrouded in mystery. However, a set of coffins, believed to belong to him—comprising an outer coffin, an inner coffin, and a “false lid”—were likely discovered in the tomb of Nakhte-Min (TT291), a humble workman from the Eighteenth Dynasty. These coffins, now residing in the Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy, offer a tantalising glimpse into the burial customs of the time.

Butehamun’s coffins are quintessentially representative of the burial practices of the Third Intermediate Period. The set includes the outer coffin, the inner coffin, and the “false lid,” a combination that became emblematic of this era. The outer coffin, in particular, retains stylistic elements from the Ramesside period (1292 – 1076 B.C.), yet it also reflects the emerging influence of the “yellow coffin” style—fusing traditional New Kingdom motifs with the theological artistry of the Third Intermediate Period.

The outer coffin is adorned with a delicate interplay of offering scenes and mythological imagery. The lid is graced by a lotus flower collar, a Khepri scarab—symbolising the rising sun—and a winged figure of Nut, stretching across the abdomen. The lower part of the lid is divided into frames, each cradling scenes of offerings. A particularly fascinating feature is the long hieratic text painted on the inner surface of the lid and the false lid. This sacred text is the “Ritual of the Opening of the Mouth,” an ancient religious ceremony designed to revive the spirit of the deceased.

Remarkably, scientific analyses have revealed that, despite his high status, Butehamun’s outer coffin was crafted using fragments from earlier coffins—an intriguing act of historical reuse that adds another layer to his burial.

It is thought that Butehamun resided at Medinet Habu, nestled at the foot of the Theban Hills on the west bank of the Nile River. Four columns of his adobe home still stand, adorned with inscriptions and depictions of the god Amun, alongside Pharaoh Amenhotep I and his mother, the Great Royal Wife Ahmose-Nefertari.

The goddess Nut, with her vast, arching form and star-studded beauty, often graced the lids of Egyptian coffins as a celestial protector. Nut was the embodiment of the sky itself—an eternal figure stretching her body across the heavens, cradling the stars and the moon. By placing her image upon the coffin lid, the Ancient Egyptians were essentially inviting her to shelter and protect the soul of the deceased. Her arched body, sometimes depicted as covering the entire lid with her elegant wings, symbolised both a cosmic embrace and a divine shield.

Her role was crucial, for Nut wasn’t just a goddess of the heavens; she was also a guardian of rebirth, ensuring that the soul would be reborn in the realm of the gods, much like the sun each morning. Her winged figure, draped over the coffin, offered the promise of protection, ensuring that the soul would soar safely through the trials of the underworld and into the eternal realm of peace and light. Nut was the mother of all stars, and by having her grace the coffin lid, the deceased was blessed with her divine cosmic care. Truly, a divine touch for a journey of infinite wonder.

Mummy Board of Butehamun

An Egyptian mummy board is a fascinating relic of ancient funerary practices, a splendid wooden slab crafted to encase the body of the deceased, offering both protection and a measure of elegance in the afterlife. Typically, these boards were placed upon the mummy before it was placed into its final resting place, often depicting the deceased themselves, maybe in traditional Egyptian costume, and/or lavishly decorated with intricate scenes from the Afterlife and/or Book of the Dead.

Much like a warm, reassuring embrace, the board would feature vibrant illustrations of gods, offering scenes, or even the deceased in a final, idealised pose. The mummy board was not merely a functional object; it was a symbolic threshold, designed to safeguard the spirit and ensure its journey to the next world was as dignified and comfortable as possible. These wooden guardians—sometimes adorned with a graceful lid—speak of a world where death was but another chapter, and every detail, down to the most delicate hieroglyph, was part of the soul’s grand narrative.

Summary:

Coffin lid set of Butehamun

Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, c. 1076–944 B.C.

Museo Egizio. Cat. 2237/01. Cat. 2236/01. Cat. 2237/03