Egypt Museum ancient Egypt art culture and history

Ba Bird Amulet of King Psusennes I

Ba Bird Amulet of Psusennes I

This elegant, tiny amulet of beaten gold in the shape of a human-headed bird represents the Ba. It symbolizes the immortal soul, which is invoked to come back after death and “to attach itself to its corpse in the god’s domain,” according to the Book of the Dead, Spell number 89. It was charged with...

Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day

The Egyptian Book of the Dead

“Written some 3,500 years ago, the Papyrus of Ani is the most complete, ornate, and best preserved example of Ancient Egyptian philosophical and religious thought. Presented here for the first time in its original form, with the hieroglyphic images matched to what has been acknowledged as the finest English translation of the test. The Egyptian...

Linen Gloves of King Tutankhamun

Linen Gloves of Tutankhamun

The linen gloves of king Tutankhamun is the same as a modern gloves. A glove would be in the shape of the hand and have five fingers like this one, or two fingers like another one that was found belonging to the same king in his tomb. The tiny gloves were among the clues that...

Ceremonial Sickle of King Tutankhamun

Ceremonial Sickle of Tutankhamun

This marvelous model sickle of King Tutankhamun is made of gilded wood and decorated with the cartouches of the king, bearing his birth and throne names. The serrated blades are made of colored glass. The sickle was probably used for ceremonies in which the king himself took part during Peret, the annual harvest feast. The...

Re in the form of a cat slays the snake Apep

Re in the form of a cat slays Apep

Under a sacred sycamore, the Great Cat of Heliopolis, one of the forms taken by Re called Miw-aa or the great cat, slays the evil serpent Apep (or Apophis), god of the underworld and symbol of the forces of chaos. Section of vignette of chapter 17 of the book of the dead. Apep is sometimes...

Relief of Khepri Scarab and Re, Tomb of Seti II

It is composed of the globe of the sun, inside which are carved the sun god in two of his guises: his dawn form Khepri, the scarab beetle, and his night form, the ram-headed Re. The scene from the tomb of Seti II is shown the central image of the title illustration associated with the...

Interior of the Tomb of Thutmose III

Interior of the Tomb of Thutmose III

Simple in form, muted in color, the art in the Tomb of Thutmose III (KV34) depicts the defeat of the serpent of chaos, Apep, a key episode of the Book of the Dead. The stone sarcophagus in which Thutmose’s body was placed is still in place in the burial chamber, albeit damaged by tomb robbers...

Tutankhamun Pectoral with the Sky Goddess Nut

Tutankhamun Pectoral with the Sky Goddess Nut

This pectoral was found in the chapel of Anubis within the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62); it shows the goddess Nut in human form with her wings and arms outstretched, protecting the cartouches of Tutankhamun. Below her wings can be seen eight rows of hieroglyphs, again related to protection by the gods. The pectoral is surmounted...

Her-weben-khet drinks from the water before the god geb as a crocodile. Book of the Dead of Her-weben-khet. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. SR 19325

Book of the Dead of Her-weben-khet

Her-weben-khet also known as Herytubekhet or Heruben, the Chantress of Amun, was daughter of Isetemkheb D, wife of the High Priest of Amun, Pinedjem II, and granddaughter of the High Priest of Amun, Menkheperra. This papyrus is intended to be a part of her own abbreviated version of the Book of the Dead. It contains...

Statue of King Khafre Enthroned

Khafre Enthroned

The sculpture shows king Khafre enthroned, wearing the royal headdress, known as the nemes, and a false beard, both of which were symbols of kingship in ancient Egypt. It is is considered one of the iconic masterpieces of ancient Egyptian art. Immensely famous ever since its discovery and is known for its exceptional craftsmanship and...