Corn mummies were made from a mixture of earth and grain, wrapped in resin-coated linen bandages, and placed inside wooden falcon-headed coffins. Corn mummies embody the forces of rebirth under the control of the god Osiris. The process of assembling grain and earth in the form of Osiris symbolized the cosmic cycle of death and resurrection. It also aided the ritual transformation of the one to whom the corn mummy was given.
The falcon head has a short beak, bulging eyes, human ears, and wears a tripartite wig. Around the falcon’s neck is a five-row beaded collar. Below is a register of standing deities buttressed by human-headed vessels. A row of stars is at the top of the register. Below are two columns of text with the image of a “sprouting heart” painted at the beginning of the first column. On the side of the text are the four sons of Horus. Two jackals resting on their shrines decorate the feet. The coffin has a thin, rectangular plinth.
The corn mummy is fitted with a gilded beeswax Osiris mask wearing a white crown and divine beard. The eyebrows, eyes, and pupils are painted in black pigment. Four clay magic balls with white markings lie aside the corn Osiris to provide magical protection.
The columns of text correspond to Utterance 368, paragraphs 638–639 of the Pyramid Texts, reading: "words spoken by Osiris […]. Your (mother) Nut (spreads herself) over you in her name […]. For you are the greatest of her children. Geb is gracious to you […]. He has given you your head. […] He has caused Thoth to reassemble you […].1
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Centrone, Maria. 2009. Egyptian Corn-mummies: A class of religious artefacts catalogued and systematically analysed. Saarbrücken: VDM.. ↩︎
Bibliography
- Centrone 2009
- Centrone, Maria. 2009. Egyptian Corn-mummies: A class of religious artefacts catalogued and systematically analysed. Saarbrücken: VDM.