Tamutmutef

The coffin of Tamutmutef, “Chantress of Amun”, is an exquisite example of funerary craftsmanship from the Third Intermediate Period, dating approximately between 1076 and 746 B.C. This period, following the decline of the New Kingdom, was marked by political fragmentation and a shift in religious power, particularly toward the priesthood of Amun at Thebes.

Within this context, the role of a “Chantress” was both sacred and significant. Women such as Tamutmutef served within temple rituals, offering hymns and incantations to the god Amun, thereby ensuring the maintenance of divine order and the favour of the gods upon the land.

Tamutmutef’s coffin (Museo Egizio. Cat. 2228/01), belongs to a distinctive artistic tradition that first emerged toward the close of the 18th Dynasty and was later revived in the Third Intermediate Period.
Unlike the fully shrouded mummiform depictions typical of earlier times, this coffin portrays the deceased as if dressed in the attire of daily life. Carved in raised relief upon the wooden surface, Tamutmutef is shown wearing a finely pleated linen dress, her arms and feet emerging freely from beneath its folds; an artistic choice that subtly bridges the realms of the living and the dead.

It is believed that some coffins of this style were not newly constructed but repurposed from earlier New Kingdom burials, with their decorative schemes updated to reflect contemporary tastes. This may well be the case with Tamutmutef’s coffin, whose surface is enriched with the densely adorned iconography characteristic of so-called “yellow coffins” (named for their vivid background tones that served as luminous canvases for scenes of protective deities, sacred texts, and solar imagery).

Measuring 182 cm in length, and acquired in 1824 by Bernardino Drovetti, this piece is thought to originate from the Luxor or Theban region, a heartland of Amun worship. It is now on display at the Egyptian Museum of Turin, Italy (Museo Egizio).

Tree Goddess

A particularly evocative scene found on the coffins depicts the Tree Goddess in the form of Isis in front of a sacred tree (often a sycamore) bestowing life-giving offerings to the deceased. She is readily identifiable by the hieroglyph of the throne (‘aset’) upon her head, the symbol of her name. From within the tree’s foliage, Isis extends her arms to pour out sustenance, commonly water, fruit, or bread, intended to nourish and refresh the soul on its journey through the afterlife. This nurturing aspect of Isis, both maternal and divine, underscores her vital role in funerary theology as a protector and restorer of life.

In this scene, two women are depicted standing or kneeling beneath the boughs, their heads adorned with perfumed cones, which were typically composed of scented fats or resins that slowly melted, releasing fragrance during rituals. These cones were symbols of purification, sensuality, and divine favour. The cascading offerings of Isis are shown flowing directly over these women, enveloping them in a stream of divine grace. This imagery is rich in symbolic meaning, representing not only the literal provision of sustenance but the metaphysical assurance of regeneration, purification, and eternal protection under the watchful care of the gods.

Such iconography appears on tomb walls of the New Kingdom and into the Third Intermediate Period, including notable tombs such as Sennedjem at Deir el-Medina, where he and his wife are shown receiving offerings from the tree goddess. These scenes blend theological expression with intimate, almost tender visual language, assuring the deceased that they would be cherished and cared for beyond death, just as they were in life. Through such artistic renderings, ancient Egyptian belief in the afterlife is beautifully and profoundly articulated.

Summary:

Wooden decorated coffin of Tamutmutef

Third Intermediate Period, c. 1076–746 B.C.

Likely from Thebes. Now at the Museo Egizio. Cat. 2228/01