Coffin and Mummy of Tjeby (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This coffin, like many wooden objects from ancient Egypt, consists of small pieces of wood that have been pegged together. The single line of text decorating the coffin’s lid and chest records Tjeby’s name and titles (Count and Sealbearer of the King of Lower Egypt) as well as prayers to protect him in the afterlife. Tjeby’s mummy was placed on its left side so that he could look out through the wadjet eyes painted on the exterior. The wadjet or Eye of Horus (the falcon god), was often used to ward off evil; the two eyes here served to protect Tjeby on his journey through the underworld.
Dynasty 11
First Intermediate Period
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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