Fragment of the sarcophagus lid of Shepenbastet

 

Fragment of the sarcophagus lid of Shepenbastet

The object is a fragment of the vaulted lid of a rectangular outer sarcophagus of the 'corner post' type (qeres), consisting of four separate boards. The representations are painted in two registers.

In the upper register, the owner of the coffin adores five goddesses, personifying the first five hours of the day. The textcolumn to the sixth goddess is preserved but not her image. All wear long dresses with breast straps, long wigs with fillets, collars, armlets, bracelets and anklets. They are crowned with sun disks, and face right, raising both hands. Between them are textcolumns. Shepenbastet faces left in front of the others, raising one hand. She wears the same dress and jewellery, but has a short wig without adornment. Above her head is a horizontal line of text.

The lower register shows alternatingly three cheker-signs and Anubis-jackals, reclining on shrines, each holding a flail and an unidentified object.

The figures are somewhat carelessly filled in with colour. A few traces of red grid lines are visible.

Present location ALLARD PIERSON MUSEUM [06/002] AMSTERDAM

Inventory number APM 8898

Dating 26TH DYNASTY (not after); 25TH DYNASTY AND CONTEMPORARIES (not before)

Archaeological Site THEBES: WEST BANK ?

Category COFFIN/SARCOPHAGUS LID

Material WOOD; PLASTER

Technique PAINTED ON STUCCO

Height 97.8 cm

Width 53 cm

Depth 3.2 cm

Translation

(1) The Osiris Shepenbastet, justified,

(2) "The Rising One", the First Hour; the Osiris Shepenbastet, borne by Semes, justified.

(3) "The Leading One", the Second Hour; the Osiris Shepenbastet jus, borne by Semes, justified.

(4) "The Protection of her Lord", the Third Hour; the Osiris Shepenbastet jus, borne by Semes, justified.

(5) "The Secret One", the Fourth Hour; the Osiris Shepenbastet jus, borne by Semes, justified.

(6) "The Flaming One", the Fifth Hour; the Osiris Shepenbastet, borne by Semes, justified.

(7) "The Highest Height", the Sixth Hour; the Osiris Shepenbastet, borne by Se[mes, justified].

Bibliography•R.A. Lunsingh Scheurleer, Glas voor het hiernamaals, MVAPM 33 (juni 1985), 5-9: 6/fig. 6

•W.M. van Haarlem, R.A. Lunsingh Scheurleer, Gids voor de afdeling Egypte, Allard Pierson Museum Amsterdam, 1986, 43, 44/fig. 23

•W.M. van Haarlem, CAA Allard Pierson Museum Amsterdam, Fasc. IV, 1997, 50-52

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