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.
  • Foto: Uschebtis
  • Foto: Uschebtikasten
  • Photo: xxx
  • Foto: Schranksarg
  • Foto: Porträt
  • Foto: Mumientuch
  • Foto: Holzsarg
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    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.
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    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!.
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    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.
Last updates: text (09.05.08), pictures (12.04.08)
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