Description
This Egyptian wooden sarcophagus mask, dating to the 1st Millennium BC, once formed part of an anthropoid coffin, serving as an idealized representation of the deceased to ensure recognition and eternal life in the afterlife. Carved from wood and originally coated with painted gesso, the mask retains its elegant facial features, with almond-shaped eyes, a finely modeled nose, and softly defined lips that reflect the refined artistic conventions of Late Period Egyptian funerary art.
The elaborate tripartite wig, characteristic of Egyptian noble and divine iconography, frames the face and emphasizes the deceased’s transformation into an eternal being under the protection of the gods. Small attachment holes and traces of ancient restoration reveal its original placement on the coffin and attest to the mask’s long history of preservation.
During the 1st Millennium BC, such sarcophagus masks played a vital role in Egyptian burial practices, symbolically preserving the identity of the deceased while ensuring rebirth in the realm of Osiris. This beautifully preserved example stands as a remarkable testament to the craftsmanship, religious devotion, and enduring funerary traditions of ancient Egypt.
REFERENCE #
SI-EG-1068
CIVILIZATION
Egyptian. 1st Millennium B.C.E.
SIZE
H. 25 cm
CONDITION
Fair condition
PRICE
POR
PROVENANCE
Private Jerusalem Collection
