Coffin of Khnum-nakht
Coffin of Khnum-nakht, ca. 1900–1800 B.C.E.; Dynasty 12; Middle Kingdom
Egyptian; Possibly from Asyut
Painted wood; L. 82 in. (208.3 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1915 (15.2.2)
On the left side of the coffin box there is an architectural facade with a small doorway in the center at the bottom. This is the equivalent of the Old Kingdom false door, which allowed the spirit of the deceased to move between the land of the dead and the land of the living. In this case, it is painted to resemble two wooden door leaves secured with two door bolts. Above the door are two eyes that look forth into the land of the living. The face of the mummy would have been directly behind this panel. The rest of the exterior is inscribed with invocations to, and recitations by, various primeval deities, particularly those associated with death and rebirth, such as Osiris, foremost god of the dead, and Anubis, god of embalming." - MET
Copyright © 2001 The Metropolitan Museum of Art - MET