The Four Anthropoid Coffins

Discovery:

Inside the tomb of Tutankhamen we found a large number of objects bearing the names of earlier kings such as the lock of hair of Queen Ti and a statuette of King Amenhotep III. Also ivory writing palletes and ivory clappers and a fan stock inscribed with the names of Akhenaton and his daughters. These were considered as heir looms as they were objects belonging to the royal family. This piece consists of 4 anthropoid coffins diminishing in size, each one fitting inside the other. They were found in the treasury room

N.B: anthropoid coffin is an imitation of a wrapped mummy with a mask

Description:

The outer most anthropoid coffin:

It is made out of wood and coated with black resin. Some parts are gilded. It represents the king wearing the xAt headdress and a broad collar (wsx). The eye brows, eye lids and the cornea of the eyes are made out of obsidian while the white of the eyes are made out of calcite. There are representations of bandages in the form of one vertical band of hieroglyphic inscriptions and two horizontal ones. The bands were unwrapped since they were used to be holding the crook and the flail which are now missing above the mummy there is a representation of goddess nxbt the vulture goddess outstretching her wings and holding the Sn sign of eternity in her claws. We can read a hieroglyphic text which is an appeal from the deceased to goddess Nut to protect hi and to make him one of the imperishable stars so as to live forever and never die. Beneath the legs of this outer most coffin we find goddess Isis seated over the nbw sign. On either side of the anthropoid coffin we can see the four sons of Horus:

Imsty: human form

HAby: baboon form

dwA mwt.f: jackal form

qwbH snw.f: falcon form

They protect the viscera of the deceased. We can also see the cartouches of the king.

Inside the outer anthropoid coffin there is a second coffin. It is made out of wood, overlaid with gesso and gilded. The king is represented wearing the nms headdress and a broad collar with his hands crossed across his chest. The eyes are inlaid in the same way. The ears are exposed. Nxbt and wADt are seen protecting the deceased with their wings as wADt takes the body of a bird. There is a type of decoration known as Rishi which is the Arabic word for feathers. It was introduced in the 17th dynasty and continued afterwards. It represents the deceased as a bA; a human headed bird, a form in which he could travel abroad. However, we should differentiate between the true rishi style picturing the deceased as a winged being from the later designs representing goddess Isis and Nephtys spreading there wings over the coffin surface.

N.B: the later representation of the bands that were integral to the original conception of the anthropoid coffin over the feathers destroyed the rishi idea because it prevented the bA form spreading its wings and flying.

There are some hieroglyphic inscriptions giving the names and titles of the king

Inside the second coffin we found a third smaller coffin. It is made out of wood together with this it was found a bundle of linen inside which a statuette that may belong to King Amenhotep III was found.

Inside the 3rd coffin, the fourth and smallest coffin was found. It is made out of wood and it was inscribed with the names and titles of Queen Ti. The existence of such heirlooms in the tomb of Tutankhamen proves his royalty.