Vignette from the funerary papyrus of the scribe Djehutymes. In ancient Egypt, jackals and dogs were very common in the land between desert and urban areas, so they were associated with the world of necropolis and the dead. Specifically, their wandering among the tombs was interpreted as a perpetual guard service to the deceased. The...
The mummy case of the priest Panehesy is a very nice specimen, decorated with winged figures of gods and hieroglyphs. These paintings have a general protective significance. On the back of the sleeve you can see a ‘djed pillar’, the Egyptian symbol for sustainability and eternal existence. For the ancient Egyptians, life after death was...
This piece of beautiful scarab bracelet belongs to King Shoshenq II is considered a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian jewelry. The ends of the rigid bracelet are in the shape of lotus flowers with details that were once inlaid. The ends of the plain gold bracelet are joined by a finely detailed scarab of lapis lazuli....
This winged scarab beetle amulet is made of electrum. The wings are not those of a beetle, but those of a bird, as is apparent by their shape and the indication of individual feathers. Winged scarabs, meant to guarantee the rebirth of the deceased, were very popular funerary amulets. A series of animals depicting deities...
This Egyptian faience vase is molded in the form of the goddess Taweret, the ancient Egyptian patroness of childbirth and a protector of women and children. Like Bes, she was considered to be a ferocious demon as well as a protective and nurturing deity. She was associated with the lion, the crocodile, and the hippo;...
The pectoral of king Shoshenq II displays two falcons at its top, each wearing the Double Pschent Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. They are sitting upon the hieroglyphic symbol for sky, which is adorned with stars. Below, resting upon a boat, can be seen a lapis lazuli sun-disc, with an image of the enthroned...
This splendid funerary mask once adorned the mummy-shaped coffin of king Amenemope, a little-known but intriguing sovereign of Egypt’s 21st Dynasty. Fashioned from thick sheets of hammered gold, the mask was crafted to immortalise the features of the king with idealised serenity and timeless radiance. The visage is round and youthful, framed by a regal...
Djed-Ptah-Iuf-Ankh emerges from the shadows of history not through inscriptions on temple walls or grand monuments, but solely through his beautifully preserved burial. A high-ranking priest and dignitary, he bore titles such as “Second Prophet of Amun“, District Governor, and intriguingly, “King’s Son of Ramesses” and “King’s Son of the Lord of the Two Lands“;...
Vignette from Book of the Dead of Nestanebetisheru; frame 87. Full page black line vignette of Geb, Nut and Shu with three registers either side of adoring ancient Egyptian gatekeepers, ba’s and deities including Thoth. Every figure has an accompanying hieroglyphic label written in black ink. Geb is shown as a semi-recumbent figure stretching out...
This golden mummy plaque covered an incision in the abdomen of queen Henuttawy caused by embalmers removing her internal organs during mummification. The plaque was supposed to restore the body to its original state of strength as the wound was considered to be vulnerable and a possible entry point for negative forces. It is decorated...
