Coffin fact file
Age: 1800 years old/175-200 AD
Period: Late Roman Period.
Dimensions: Length 116cm/Width 55cm/Depth (lid)
70cm/Depth (trough) 19.5 cm.
Material: Wood (acacia, sycamore-fig), plastered
and painted.
Click on the images below to get a closer look at the
coffin.
Description
This coffin is unique from ancient Egypt as it was held two
occupants, both children. On the lid, two identical figures have
been carved out in a funerary pose, holding the crook and flail
(rod) of the god Osiris. Inside, the coffin base are
two figures painted, depicted as the sky-goddess Nut.
The mummies of the boys were prepared with the utmost care and
elaborately wrapped, indicating high status in their society. It is
not known why the boys died so young but we know from papyrus
left with the mummies, that they had the same father but different
mothers. The boys' death highlight a sad aspect of the ancient
world where young children were very likely to die. Tragedies such
as disease devastating a whole family were all too frequent.