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The funerary rites and rituals of Egypt are among
the most elaborate and celebrated burial
traditions in the ancient world. The foremost
concern was the preservation of the body, in
order that it might be reborn in the afterlife. While
the painstaking mummification process achieved
this goal of counteracting the effects of physical
decomposition, the ancient Egyptian were not
satisfied with a wrapped body alone. Gorgeously
decorated mummy cases and sarcophagi
developed over the course of thousands of years
so that the body could be properly presented to
the audience of the gods awaiting the deceased’s
arrival in the next world. These cases were
created from a variety of materials, including
stone, wood, and cartonnage, that were utilized
depending upon the wealth and status of the
deceased.
This gesso-painted wooden funerary mask is a
splendid example of Egyptian art. Wooden
sculptures from Ancient Egypt are exceedingly
rare, since fine wood was scarce and expensive.
Considering the relative expense of wood, it is
likely that this work was once inserted into a large
mummy case likely formed from cartonnage or
carved from stone. Dowel pins still in place on the
reverse support this theory. Additionally, there are
traces of painted decoration adorning the
headdress that may have corresponded to the
greater decorative motif of the casket as a whole.
However, the focus here is the slender face,
expertly rendered with idealized features and a
smooth, polished surface. The stylized almond-
shaped eyes, so characteristic of Egyptian art,
with tapering cosmetic lines and black brows,
draw our attention with their captive gaze. They
appear to stare back at us from beyond the
grave. Who might this man have been? A
pharaoh? A priest? A scribe? Surely he was
someone of tremendous importance and great
stature in order to be honored with such a
gorgeous rendition of his being.
- (X.0301)
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