Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection Berlin
Collection:
The Netherworld
With his death the ancient Egyptian entered the real of eternal life. In order to be prepared for this occasion he gathers the necessary objects for his grave already during his lifetime, including a coffin which is to protect his body for eternity. After passing the judgment in the underworld he continues beatified to a new, light and positive world ruled by the Osiris who has conquered death, is resurrected and lives eternally.
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Shawabties of Tamit and Chonsu
New Kingdom 18th and 20th Dynasty
ca. 1450 and 1180-1070 B.C.
Limestone and wood
Height 22,5 cm and 23,5 cm
Inv.-No. 4652, 0193
Since the Middle Kingdom the defunct were expected to carry out field work in order to secure food for the inhabitants of the underworld. In order to avoid having to carry out this work himself the deceased took with him small mummy shaped figures called shawabti after their Egyptian function 'the answerer'. They functioned as a substitute for the defunct. To carry out their work they are provided with two hoes and grain sacks. According to the inscription which they carry (chapter 30 of the Book of the Death) their owner expects that 'when I am called to work, to cross over to the fields in the West, then you should answer: here I am'. Many Egyptians provisioned themselves with one figure for each day and one overseer for each group of 10 workers. -
Shawabti box of Pa-en-Renenutet
New Kingdom 19th Dynasty ca. 1200 B.C.
Wood
Height 35,5 cm, length 40,5 cm
Inv.-No. 733
The shawabti figures which accompanied the dead person in his grave were placed in specially produced containers. This rectangular painted box has three barrel vaulted lids which were originally tied to the box with string. The decoration on the four sides refers to scenes in the underworld and shows the dead Pa-en-Renenutet kneeling in front of an offering table in front of the god Re-Harachte and the goddess Isis . On the small sides box the four sons of Horus (protectors of the viscera during mummification) are depicted. -
Coffin of Shep-en-iset
Late Period, 25th Dynasty, ca. 700 B.C.
Wood stuccoed and partially covered with linen
Height 170 cm
Inv.-No. VÄGM 1982-12
Acquired by the ' Verein zur Förderung des Ägyptischen Museums Berlin e.V.'
In accordance with the ancient Egyptian belief that life after death was a continuation of life on earth, the ultimate goal in treating the body was to preserve it as perfectly as possible. Efficient methods of mummification developed at an early date starting in prehistoric times were mats and animal skins were used to wrap the body. Later wooden boxes and then wooden coffins or stone sarcophagi came into use.
Anthropoid coffins (human form) were used already in the New Kingdom (11540-1075 B.C.), somewhat later they became a part of the basic funerary equipment.
The coffin of Shep-en-iset, a particularly well preserved example, is decorated with inlayed alabaster eyes with painted black pupils rimmed in bronze and a the grey-green striped tripartite wig. The body is decorated with a massive colourful necklace imitating flowers and beads and contrasts effectively with the simple pleated white cloth which covers the lower part of the body. -
Coffin of Padichonsu in Form of a Chapel
Roman, 30 B.C. - 300 A.D.
Abusir el-Meleq
Wood
Height 250 cm,
Inv.-No. 17039, 32
Herodotus who visited Egypt ca. 450 B.C., reports of the custom there to keep mummified relatives in a closet at home for some time after their demise. From this custom developed a new type of coffin in the form of a small closet which was particularly popular in the Roman period. The coffin in which the mummy was placed standing upright, has the shape of a small shrine, crowned on top with cavetto cornice and torus moulding and a winged sundisc. The front was divided into two horizontal parts, the bottom was closed with one door, the top with two panels. During special feast the two panels at the top were opened so that the deceased could partake in the celebrations. The rest of the coffin is decorated with figures of gods or scenes reflecting religious believes. The original mummy of this coffin is lost, the mummy of a woman now in its place lived 900 years earlier!. -
Mummy Portrait of Aline
Roman, 1st half of the 1st century A.D.
Hawara
Tempera painting on linen
Height 42 cm, width 32,5 cm
Inv.-No. 11411
In the roman period mummies previously covered with mask for better identification were replaced in the Fayum with painted portraits on linen or wood panels. Often they are real portraits showing the person at an advanced age and painted during his lifetime. The of portrait shows Aline daughter of Herodotus who dies at an age of 35 years.
The custom to place portraits on the mummy stays limited to a small area. the ca. 750 preserved paintings are the only evidence from Egypt of Hellenistic portrait painting. On the basis of dress, hairstyle and jewellery which orients itself on the roman emperors fashion it is possible to date these portraits precisely. Alinas curls neatly arranged corresponds to the fashion under the emperor Tiberius und whom she died in his 10 year of rule. The mummy of Alina was found together with the mummy of the husband and 3 children . Her husband and older child are covered with mummy masks wears she and the two younger children are covered with flat mummy portraits. -
Mummy Cloth of a Woman
Roman, 2nd century A.D.
Linen
Height 182 cm
Inv.-No. 11652
Mummification, the purpose of which is to preserve the body for the soul, is known in Egypt since the 3rd millennium B.C. From the middle kingdom (ca. 2000 1740 B.C.) masks were also added to the mummy. The Greeks and Romans adopted the Egyptian tradition generally but changed some aspects to suit their needs. The mummy masks for example were replaced by mummy portraits or mummy cloths on which the defunct could be represented in full size. The costume and hairdo of the woman on this cloth shows a Roman woman of the middle Roman period. Traditional Egyptian motives are present such as the 4 Horus sons protecting the viscera and part of the monster Amemit, the Devourer, usually present at the judgment scene in the underworld is preserved. Should the judgment go against the deceased he will be devoured. Since for the ancient Egyptians depictions represented reality the result of this judgement was almost always shown with a positive result. Here however a few shadowy figures are shown as having been condemned and are in the process of being devoured by monster Amemit. -
Sarg der Dame Senbi
Mittleres Reich, 12. Dynastie, um 1900 v. Chr.,
Holz, Höhe 65,7 cm;
Länge 204 cm; Tiefe 48,5 cm
Nähere Informationen unter News: What's new: Mögest Du wandeln auf den schönen Wegen der Nekropole" - Zu dem Sarg der Dame Senbi
Papyrus collection
Last updates: text (09.05.08), pictures (12.04.08)
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