In the Ptolemaic period, the mummy was not enclosed by a complete mummy case, but only by individual pieces of covering, including a mummy mask. Before placing the mummy in its coffin, a number of decorations could be applied. The outer mummy bandages could be painted, the mummy could receive a net of beads with...
This mummy mask of Kay-neferwy was excavated by Mohammed Zakaria Goneim, Keeper of the Antiquities of Saqqara, at Saqqara, during his first season (1951-1952). The mask of Kay-neferwy has an extraordinary presence with its combination of glass inlaid eyes, gilt face with shimmering, almost lifelike translucence, and realistic wig. The craftsman who fashioned the wig...
This mask would have covered the head of the mummy of a an Egyptian man. It is highly decorated with images of protective amulets and gods to aid in the journey towards becoming a glorified spirit in the afterlife. Over the head spread the wings of a vulture while a winged sun disc, symbol of...
This mask was part of the mummy-shaped coffin of gilded wood of Amenemope. The mask is composed of thick sheets of gold molded with the features of the king. The round face of the king is surmounted by the uraeus, the royal cobra, which is attached to the forehead. The uraeus’s long sinuous body descends...
This mask represents the head of the black jackal, Anubis, the god of cemeteries and mummification. He wears the striped nemes headdress; a large part of it is missing but it still has some golden stripes. The eyebrows and whiskers are also gilded. The eyes are in a very good condition. This mask was worn...
This funerary gold mask originally covered the face of the mummy of Wendjebauendjed, an army general of Psusennes I. Colored glass paste forms the eyes and eyebrows. The general’s face is idealized and detailed, with a slight smile. The mask covered the face, neck, and ears. It ended at the forehead where six small-perforated tongues...
The ancient Egyptian mummy, coffin and cartonnage mask of Shep en-Mut were donated to the museum in 1897. The decoration and inscriptions show she was a married woman, and the daughter of NesAmenempit, who is described as a ‘carrier of the milk-jar’. Cartonnage masks were an integral part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. These masks...
In this gold mask, Psusennes I appears with the royal headdress surmounted by the uraeus, or royal cobra. He wears a divine plaited false beard. The mask is made of two pieces of beaten gold, soldered and joined together by five nails that can be seen from the back. The king wears the royal nemes...
This mask of Anubis was worn by the priest, who was responsible for the embalming, during the process of mummification. The ears of Anubis are always erect to show the thoughtful attitude of the jackal, as the protector god of the necropolis. Masks of Anubis were often made of various materials, including wood, gold, or...
The mummy mask of Tjuyu or Thuya is made of cartonnage covered with a thin layer of gold foil. When found it was completely covered with the remains of its linen shroud removed by the restorer. A few fragments of the shroud, now blackened with age, still adhere to the wig and part of the...
