Outer Coffin of the Singer of Amun Nauny
Third Intermediate Period
The Lady of the House, Singer of Amun, and Royal Daughter, Nauny, was buried in a nested set of coffins. These consisted of this outer coffin, an inner coffin, and a mummy board that was meant to be laid directly over her wrapped body.
All three pieces of the set were originally made for Nauny's mother, Tentabekhenet—the Nauny's name was substituted in many places, but her mother’s name remains visible in others. The outer coffin and the mummy board are made of sycomore, while the inner coffin is made of coniferous wood. Each was coated with a preparatory paste layer and then richly painted with texts and images designed to support Nauny's transformation into a deified being capable of existing eternally in the afterlife.
The faces of all three components were once gilded, symbolizing Nauny's connection to the divine, as the ancient Egyptians imagined that the skin of the gods was of gold. Although most of the precious metal was stripped away by thieves in antiquity, traces of the original gilding still remain.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
