A study of a Funerary Masks collection in the Agricultural Museum in Cairo

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor- Faculty of art - Tanta University. (EGYPT )

Abstract

The ancient Egyptians believed in resurrection and immortality after death. Therefore, a person would pass the stage of death. Body and soul, where the soul comes in the form of "the ka" which represents the life force and the "ba" which represents the spirit of movement and which identifies the body of its owner by exploring its unique features. The soul must not mislead its owner, or resides in another body. Hence, the funeral masks were placed on the mummy and became an expression of its owners their including their features.
The research aims to study four unpublished funeral masks for women, preserved in the Agricultural Museum in Cairo and found in Fayoum. The research provides a descriptive study of these masks, including the preservation number, material, dimensions, current situation, and the artistic style executed to the mask,followed by the possible date of the mask by comparing it to similar masks.
Given the importance of this eclectic collection of museum displays. It was necessary to conduct a technical archaeological analysis to clarify their owner's position during the Roman era. The analytical study also contains the technique used in their manufacture, the colors, the genera it belongs to, and the technical characteristic of the four funerary masks. Finally, the study ends with the conclusion and the most important results. 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
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