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Unknown Maker, Egyptian

Mummy mask of a man
Now On View

Description

Maker

Unknown Maker, Egyptian

Culture

Egyptian

Title

Mummy mask of a man

Period

Roman Period, 30 BCE-395 CE

Year

140-190 CE

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

plaster, glass

Geography

Origin: Probably from Tuna el Gebel

Dimensions

36.8 x 24.8 x 30.5 cm (14 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 12 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

40.155

Type

Projects & Publications

Publications

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Ancient Egyptian Galleries
Jun 10, 2014

Label copy

Masks depicting the dead have been found in elite Egyptian burials dating as early as the First Intermediate period (2134-2040 BCE). A mask placed over a mummy's head both protected and identified the deceased.

The traditional use of burial masks continued when Egypt was controlled by the Greeks (332-30 BCE) and the Romans (30 BCE-395 CE). These masks incorporate Greco-Roman realistic portraiture into the older Egyptian practice of burial masks. The realism of these portraits allows archaeologists to date them by comparing the hairstyles and jewelry to known trends depicted in coin and sculptural portraits.

Beyond the Pharaohs
Egypt and the Copts in the 2nd to 7th Centuries A.D.
Feb 10, 1989 – Apr 16, 1989

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Image use

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This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Egyptian
Mummy mask of a man, 140-190 CE
Plaster, paint, and glass
36.8 x 24.8 x 30.5 cm (14 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 12 inches)
Museum Appropriation Fund 40.155

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