|
A.1287.23-2 - Burial Box |
|
|
Catalog Number: A.1287.23-2
|
| Object Name/Descriptor |
Burial Box |
| Provenience |
Africa, Egypt, Nile River, 1902 Aswan Dam location, 426 miles southeast of Cairo. |
| Culture/People/Style |
Egyptian (ancient) |
| Period |
XII Dynasty 1991-1786 BCE |
| Date Collected |
1923 |
| Date Accessioned |
1923 |
| Material Type(s) |
Plant - Wood
|
| Height (cm) |
46.5 |
| Length (cm) |
192.5 |
| Width (cm) |
42.5 |
| Other Information |
The acquisition and early exhibition of this coffin is described in Bruce Bryans article, Museum Here Seeks Colony of Egyptian Mummies: Five Specimens Purchased for Los Angeles Met Rude Greetings at Customs Gate, in: Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles Sep.19 1926)
A.1287-2 is well-constructed using large wood pieces of irregular shape. The wood planks are fitted very well without any gaps. The top edges of the coffin are painted red. The inside is purposely white-washed. This coffin is made of imported cedar from Lebanon (Cedrus libani), characterized by pinkish-brown color and a pleasant, aromatic scent. This wood is of high quality and the durability of the wood was highly regarded in ancient Egypt. Since cedar had to be imported, it was a costly material an its possession was a mark of status.
On the front near the head are the painted wedjat eyes, representing those of the god Horus, either alone or in combination with a false door, which enabled the deceaseds ka to enter and leave the coffin. The arrangement of the texts on the exterior wa determined by the position of the body, which was laid on its left side, so that the deceased could see out of the coffin through the eye-panel and look at the sun rising on the eastern horizon, symbolizing the rebirth.
Hieroglyphic inscriptions are outline by black ink, and painted in valuable blue pigment. However, the quality of the inscriptions is rather low. Not all hieroglyphs are outlined, and A.1287-2 also has some textual errors. Errors can sometimes occur in the inscriptions of a coffin. For example, masculine pronouns are used for coffins belonging to females. It is not clear whether errors in the inscriptions lowered the value of a coffin, but considering the literacy rate in ancient Egypt, which ranged from as little as 1 percent to at most 10 percent, it is most likely that the textual errors were unnoticed when the coffin was purchased. However, a coffin inscribed by an untrained scribe must have been valued much less than a coffin with inscriptions written by a trained scribe. It is notable that the inscription on the back has some errors. So far, I have found three hieroglyphs written in the wrong direction. This may suggest that A.1287-2 was inscribed by an untrained scribe.
The horizontal inscription on the front reads: Give a royal offering to Osiris, the Lord of Dedu, who is among the Dwellers in the West, the Lord of Abydos: a mortuary offering of her who is honored before the great god, Lord of the Sky, Yi! The front side usually bears an inscription addressing Osiris as provider of offerings; therefore the front side is connected with the east. On the other hand, the horizontal inscription on the back addresses Anubis referring to the western desert. On the back of A.1287-2, the hieroglyph representing Anubis can be observed. Thus, it is not difficult to determine that this inscription invokes Anubis. Anubis can be also found on the lid. A hieroglyph of two arms can be observed on the back which shows a connection with the Twelfth Dynasty. The hieroglyphic writing is typical of this dynasty as well.
The name of the coffin owner can be identified from the horizontal inscription on the front. It is Yi, represented by three reed leaves. This name could be both male and female, but the coffin owner of A.1287-2 is female. The vertical inscriptions mention the deities associated with the underworld. On the front, there are Osiris, Hathor, Anubis, and Osiris again. On the back, there are Osiris, Sokar, Anubis, and Naunet (?). Although these deities can appear individually, it is not a very common combination or sequence of deities.
Research conducted by Hilo Sugita, Museum Volunteer 2013-14. |
| Multimedia |
|
|
|