Object name: Ptolemaic sarcophagus lid
Accession no.: E.48.1901
Other numbers and markings: tbd
Dimensions: H 156 cm W 61 cm D 27 cm
Brief description:
This lid, uncovered during excavations at Abydos, is part of the sarcophagus of a man whose name is lost, but who held many priestly titles. He was associated with royalty as ‘overseer of the cool place of the king’ and priest of the two statues of king Nectanebo II (360–342 BC). This king’s statues continued to be venerated into the early Ptolemaic Period, so it is hard to pinpoint exactly when the owner was alive. The shape of the lid is typical of coffins around this time, with a large, flat head and a broad chest. Coffins had few inscriptions in this period.
The lid is made of highly polished limestone. The eyes are outlined in carbon-based black; the amulet and text column dividers are painted in red earth and the text in a copper-based green pigment. The paint was applied directly to the stone surface.
Date: Early Ptolemaic Period
Find spot: Abydos
Acquisition: Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund
Construction, decoration and materials:
Other information
Ptolemaic sarcophagus lid from the front
Detail of the face
