Funerary ensemble belonging to Djedkhonsuefânkh: casing and coffin

This funerary ensemble belongs to Djedkhonsouiouefânkh, a member of the clergy of the god Amun of Karnak, in the city of Thebes. His name means ‘may (the god) Khonsou say: he will live’. The casing, made of glued canvas and covered with a plaster coating, was placed in a painted wooden coffin, of which only the base remains. The casing is fully decorated to ensure the rebirth of the deceased: the necklace framed by the wings of a hawk-headed scarab, representing the reborn sun god, is particularly remarkable. The deceased’s face is covered in gold, which will give it eternal flesh, like that of the gods, so that it will not deteriorate. The wig is blue, evoking the lapis lazuli of divine hair. The scene around the abdomen depicts the dead man, who is accompanied by an avatar of the god Horus and being welcomed into the afterlife by Osiris, Isis and Nephthys. The interior of the casing is decorated with paintings which depict Egyptian funerary rites. The goddess Nut, the supreme protector, is given pride of place in this decoration which is typical of caskets from this period.