Permanent Collection: Ancient Egyptian Art: Face from a Coffin

Egypt. Early Third Intermediate Period, ca. 1070-712 B.C. Painted wood. 1999.1.145 Coffins of the Third Intermediate Period were made out of local soft wood with finer grained, imported wood reserved for carved faces that would be pegged onto the lid of the coffin. The face often survives when the rest of the coffin decays. This example is painted red to equate the deceased with the rising, reborn sun.

Collections & Exhibitions: | Ancient Near Eastern Art | Art of the Ancient Americas | Asian Art | Greek and Roman Art | Sub-Saharan African Art | Works of Art on Paper © Emory University For more information please see our frequently asked questions. Last Update: