Description
This Egyptian wooden sarcophagus mask, dating to the 1st Millennium BC, once adorned the coffin of the deceased, serving as an idealized portrait intended to preserve identity and ensure eternal life in the afterlife. Skillfully carved from wood and originally covered with a layer of painted gesso, the mask retains traces of its original polychrome decoration, reflecting the vibrant artistic traditions of ancient Egyptian funerary craftsmanship.
The serene facial features, carefully modeled eyes, and stylized wig embody the timeless conventions of Egyptian funerary art, emphasizing spiritual rebirth rather than individual likeness. Ancient repairs and surviving restoration pins testify to the mask’s long history and continued reverence through antiquity.
During the 1st Millennium BC, such masks formed an integral part of Egyptian burial customs, protecting the deceased while symbolically transforming them into an eternal being under the care of Osiris, the god of the afterlife. Today, this rare funerary mask stands as a remarkable testament to the religious beliefs, artistic mastery, and enduring cultural legacy of ancient Egypt.
REFERENCE #
SI-EG-1068
CIVILIZATION
Egyptian. 1st Millennium B.C.E.
SIZE
H. 30 cm
CONDITION
Fair condition
PRICE
POR
PROVENANCE
Private Jerusalem Collection
