Petamun and Penhorpabik, coffin lid for the two brothers

Petamun and Penhorpabik, who lived and died around, c. 175-200 A.D., were young boys who shared the same father, a man named Amenope, but different mothers who are currently unknown. We know they were half brothers’ due to a papyrus scroll accompanying the pair at their burial, which may have been dedicated to the boys by their father.

This sarcophagus lid is a wonderful insight into the changes Egyptians went through whilst living under the dominance of the Roman Empire. The traditions of mummification are still taking place, but here we see, the art style has somewhat taken on that Greco-Roman style that was already established across the Mediterranean a few centuries prior. Despite this, Egyptians managed to hold onto their religious rites and traditions, and continued the practice of mummification and their various rituals long into the Coptic age.

Petamun and Penhorpabik, went through mummification upon death, so likely came from wealth, and like the Egyptians before their time, their inner sarcophagus lid was decorated with the Sky Goddess Nut embracing them eternally. This time, however, Nut appears twice. She is protecting each brother, who were rather beautifully and sentimentally buried side by side within one wooden sarcophagus.

As of yet, no cause of death for the brothers has been found, however, sadly infant, childhood and early death was very common in the ancient world.