Museum inventory number: 8528
Length: 188 cm; Width (max): 51 cm; Depth: 30,5 cm
Wood, plaster, paint and varnish.
The exterior wall of the footboard remained undecorated.
The exterior decoration is preserved in good condition. Some cracks affect the headboard revealing the joints between the wooden planks. A little crack is detected on the footboard. The interior decoration is well preserved but some cracks affect the headboard.
The object was restored in the workshops of the Florence Museum in 1957–1958.1
Iconography (Exterior)
The upper edge is decorated with a frieze of alternating cobras (multicoloured) and feathers (green). Below, a band of hieroglyphic inscriptions (Inscriptions 1–2) runs from the headboard to the footboard. This inscription is bordered by block-friezes (Fig. 50).
The scenes painted on the sides of the case are depicted seamless, with only two columns of text (Inscriptions 3–4) dividing the sides from the headboard.
The lower edge is decorated with a block-frieze and a tick monochromatic band (black).
Headboard
The headboard reveals an exceptional layout displaying a single panel (Vignette 1) showing a solar barque at the centre of a symmetrical composition (Fig. 49). The barque navigates the sky (it rests on the pet-sign) and carries the winged scarab rising from the neb-sign and holding up a solar disk in its forelegs. The sun disk is flanked by cobras and udjat-eyes. Two fishes emerge from the waters of the sky and flank the solar barque. The pet-sign rests on a long coiled snake (red and blue). The centripetal blocks depict standing mummiform gods, with curled beard, wearing the hedjet-crown. Hieroglyphic labels identify the figures as ‘The great god in the Duat’.
Left Side
The left side is decorated with a single vignette (Vignette 2) featuring six scenes without any formal division between them.
The first scene figures on the side panel of the headboard (Fig. 51). The deceased is depicted as a man wearing the royal kilt (multicoloured) and a bull’s tail pending from his waist. He has a squared beard and wears a short wig (blue) adorned with streamers (red). The deceased offers an ointment vessel to two sacred falcons resting on a heb-bowl under a vaulted shrine. Both avian gods wear the atef-crown and the menat-counterpoise. Hieroglyphic labels identify these figures as ‘The great god’ (male figure) and ‘The lord of dread, who is in the Duat’ (falcons).
The second scene covers the upper section consisting in a symmetric composition featuring the solar barque at the centre (Fig. 51). The scene recalls the composition featured on the head-board. The barque rests on the pet-sign and carries the winged scarab flanked by djed-pillars. Two fishes emerge from the pet-sign, which rests on a coiled cobra (red and blue). Centripetal blocks flank the solar barque. On the right side, stand three mummiform deities, all of them with curled beards: the first and the third god wear long wigs (with unguent cone and lotus bud) while the second deity wears the hedjet-crown. On the left side another triad is featured. The first and the third gods wear the hedjet-crown (first) and the desheret-crown (third), while the second is a goddess, wearing the hathoric headdress. All of them raise their left arm towards the barque. Short labels are found between the interstitial areas of the composition.
The lower section includes four different scenes (Fig. 52).
The third scene is a symmetrical composition with a column of hieroglyphs at the centre: ‘(The One) who is in the perfect Duat’. Flanking this column, centrifugal blocks display a standing mummiform god with long wig. He is facing an enthroned hare-headed mummiform god grasping the royal scepters. The throne rests on a heb-bowl and a large offering table piled up with offerings stands at his feet.
The fourth scene is a symmetrical composition with two sekhem-scepters at the centre. This motif is flanked by centrifugal blocks featuring an enthroned mummiform god wearing the hedjet-crown and grasping the royal scepters. The imi-wt-totem stands at his feet. The centripetal block includes a kingly figure, with a bull’s tail pending from his waist. He has curled beard and wears short wig adorned with an unguent cone and a lotus bud. He raises his arm towards the enthroned god. A large offering table stands between them. The following labels can be found: ‘god’ and ‘The great god who is in the Duat’.
The fifth scene depicts the avian manifestation of the deceased drinking water poured by the goddess of the sycamore. The ba-bird is depicted with bearded head wearing an unguent cone with a lotus bud and a menat-counterpoise at his back. He raises his hands to drink. The winged udjat-eye figures above the ba-bird while a small offering table stands at his feet. The goddess is depicted with green skin and her tight dress is decorated with a beaded-motif (red). The monogram of Nephthys figures on her head. Behind the goddess figures the sycamore fig tree, flanked by two shen-rings. Short labels write the word ‘libation’ between the goddess and the ba.
The sixth scene features the sacred cow going forth from the Theban Mountain. The deceased is depicted in kingly attire, wearing the hedjet-crown, tight kilt and the ritual bull’s tail pending from his waist. He has divine beard and raises his right arm pouring libations above a pile of offerings. The sacred cow stands on a pedestal facing the headboard. The goddess has a maculated (black-spotted) hide and she is adorned with the hathoric headdress, the menat-counterpoise and a beaded drape on her back. At her feet figures a ritual vessel with lotus flowers. Two nefer-signs, the udjat-eye and the heb-bowl figure above her. A winged cobra outstretches her wings towards the goddess embracing the shen-ring. The Theban Mountain is depicted behind the goddess and vestiges of the tomb are detected on the left edge (damaged). Short labels refer to the ‘great god’ (before the deceased), and to ‘Neith, Lady of the Two Lands’ (before the goddess).
Right Side
The right side is decorated with a single vignette (Vignette 3) displaying five scenes without any division between them (Fig. 53).
The first scene figures on the side panel of the headboard (Fig. 54). The deceased is depicted in kingly attire, wearing a royal kilt and the bull’s tail suspended from his waist. A short wig adorns the head, with an unguent cone and a lotus bud. He raises his left arm towards the sacred falcon resting on a heb-bowl under a vaulted shrine. The avian god is crowned with a solar disk flanked by pending cobras. At his back the green-skinned goddess ‘Nephthys’ is squatted on a heb-bowl outstretching her wings towards the avian god, and embracing the udjat-eye. Short labels are found between the interstitial areas of the composition, such as ‘The god who is in the Duat’ (deceased), ‘The sister of the great god’ (winged goddess).
The second scene (on the upper section) features a cosmological depiction with the god Shu (centre) holding up the body of the heavenly goddess Nut (Fig. 54). Shu (‘The great god who is in the Duat, Lord of the gods’) is depicted motionless with his legs standing side by side. He has a curled beard and wears a short kilt and a cap with his monogram and a scarf. The earthly god Geb is laying on the ground (green-skinned, with usekh-collar and divine beard), while the bending body of the goddess Nut is beautifully studded with blue stars. Shu is flanked by ba-birds raising their arms in adoration. Below, the god Geb is flanked by a vulture (at his feet) and a cobra crowned with the sun disk (facing his head). This scene is completed with centripetal blocks depicting sacred falcons resting on the pole of the West. These poles rise from the hands (left) and feet (right) of Nut. A standing mummiform god wearing a hedjet-crown flanks the composition, with a large offering table piled up with offerings at his feet.
The lower section is decorated with four scenes (Fig. 55).
The third scene depicts the deceased before an offering table. Exceptionally, the deceased wears a festive white garment and a long wig adorned with an unguent cone and streamers. He wears a usekh-collar and a large heart amulet (red). He raises his left arm before the offering table, piled up with loaves and vessels. Four ducks hang down from the table.
The fourth scene displays a symmetrical composition with two Ta-wer-totems at the centre (cf. fourth scene on the left side). Between the totems a short label refers to ‘who is in’ (Abydos, as the totems suggest). They are flanked by centrifugal blocks featuring enthroned mummiform gods wearing the hedjet-crown and grasping the royal scepters. The imi-wt-totem stands at their feet. All these motifs rest on a single heb-bowl. The centripetal block depicts a winged goddess squatted on a pedestal outstretching her wings towards Osiris and embracing the ba-bird. Short labels refer to ‘Neith, the divine sister’ (winged goddess) and ‘Osiris, the great god’ (enthroned god).
The fifth scene depicts a standing mummiform god with a large offering table at his feet. The god faces the footboard. He has divine beard and his long wig is adorned with an unguent cone and a lotus bud.
The sixth scene shows ten mummiform kneeling gods facing the headboard. Each god is depicted under a vaulted shrine. They all grasp royal scepters and wear the usekh-collar. Some of these gods are human-headed (1st, 3rd, and the 10th). Those gods have curled beard and wear unguent cone with lotus buds. Others are snake-headed (the 2nd, the 4th and the 8th) and wear a feather and the divine beard. The 5th and the 6th gods are hippopotamus-headed, while the 9th is crocodile-headed (his body is damaged).
Footboard
The footboard remained undecorated (Fig. 49).
Iconography (Interior)
The thicknesses are stepped and painted yellow (Fig. 56). The mortars (four at each side) are positioned in the transition from the lower to the higher edge.
The background of the interior decoration is reddish studded with yellow stars. The quality of the pictorial work is outstanding.
Headboard
The headboard is decorated with a large falcon shown in full frontal view under a pet-sign (black, decorated with yellow stars). The avian god outstretches its wings towards both sides of the case (Fig. 57). The depiction is very naturalistic and depicts the falcon as flying over the mummy. The body and wings of the animal are multicoloured (green, black and white), while the legs painted in yellow. Under each wing, a sacred vulture is depicted in transversal position, facing the floorboard. The goddess wears the atef-crown and rests on a heb-bowl, carrying the flail on its back. A large lotus flower figures over its head.
Another large pet-sign (black, decorated with yellow stars) separates the decoration of the headboard from the decoration of the sides.
Sides
The sides are arranged in four registers (centrifugally oriented), each one of them displaying three standing mummiform gods (Fig. 56). Each god wears a funerary collar (yellow), mummy braces (red) and long belts (yellow/white). These gods stand on large pet-signs (black) sprinkled with stars (yellow).
In the first register, the outer god is human-headed (with curled beard), the second is falcon-headed and the third one is baboon-headed.
In the second register, the first and the third deities are snake-headed (with curled beard). The second god is vulture-headed.
In the third register, the outer god is lion-headed (?), the central one is goat-headed (?) and the third one is shrew-headed.
In the fourth register, the outer god is jackal-headed. He is followed by a bull-headed god and a deity resembling the Sethian animal (?).
Floorboard
The floorboard displays an imposing composition arranged in four registers divided by large pet-signs (black) sprinkled with yellow stars (Figs. 56/58).
The first register depicts the solar barque on a starry pet-sign. The scene is delimited by the heavenly dome depicted as an inverted U-shaped pet-sign (cf. outer case from A.60-Fig. 163). At the centre, the sun disk rises from the horns of a bull’s head rendered frontally. The solar disk is flanked on both sides by the avian manifestations of the deceased facing outwards. The ba-birds are adorned with striped wigs and curled beards.
The second register features a majestic depiction of the goddess Neith standing on the nebu-sign (Fig. 58). The goddess wears an elegant striped wig (black) adorned with a knotted seshed-headband (white). The iaret-cobra caps the head of the goddess, rising on her forehead. Neith is crowned with a modium surmounted by her own monogram. A multicoloured usekh-collar adorns her chest. Her tight dress is decorated with a rather unusual and sophisticated pattern combining a flower (white) with a geometrical motif (yellow), both depicted against a red background. The arms of the goddess lay down along the body. Exceptionally, the palms of her hands are not turned upwards, as if embracing the mummy (cf. inner case from A.60-Fig. 301). The feet are naturalistically rendered, displaying the fingers of the right foot only.
A symmetrical composition flanks the goddess displayed in four secondary registers. The first one depicts a vulture goddess (facing inwards) resting on a heb-bowl with the ankh-sign at its feet. The goddess wears the atef-crown (white) and the nekhakha-flail on the back. Follows a coiled solar cobra resting on a pile composed of a pet-sign and a heb-bowl. A standing mummiform falcon-headed god (facing outwards) flanks the legs of the goddess. He wears the atef-crown and grasps a long coiled snake. Flanking the feet of the goddess, short labels address the formula ‘Giving life every day forever’.
The third register of the floorboard is depicted below the feet of the goddess. A symmetrical centrifugal composition is displayed involving two mummiform deities seated on hwt-thrones resting on a single heb-bowl. The snake-headed gods have divine beards, wear the sun disk and grasp long coiled snakes.
The fourth register depicts a symmetrical composition. At the centre, the sun disk rises above the bearded heads of two standing serpent gods (centrifugally oriented). On the left, the composition is too darkened but on the right side is still possible to detect a standing mummiform goddess adorned with a long wig. She faces inwards.
Footboard
The decoration of the footboard is darkened but reveals a cryptic composition featuring a squatting hare entirely involved by the body of the Ouroboros (Fig. 57). Hieroglyphic signs are cryptically depicted against the starry sky, alluding to ‘The One who dwells in the Duat’. The composition rests on a heb-bowl.
Inscriptions
The texts are written on a yellow background. Long bands of inscriptions (Inscriptions 1–2) run along the upper edges, springing from a central motif, the nsw-sign, at the centre of the headboard (Fig. 49). The texts are outlined in red and coloured green, blue and red. Calligraphy tends to be cursive. In both texts the space reserved for the name of the deceased was left blank.
Inscription 1
ḥtp-di̓-nsw Rꜥ-tm, Wsi̓r nbt-pr, šmꜥyt n I̓mn-Rꜥ nsw nṯrw [Space left blank for the name]. ḏd.s: hꜣ Wsi̓r, ḫnty I̓mntyw, [nb] nḥḥ, ḥr[y] tp n i̓[g]rt[?], Ptḥ-skry, nb šṯyt, I̓nwpw, nb tꜣ-ḏsr, Psḏt i̓m[yt] rsy, mḥt, i̓mntt, i̓ꜣbt, i̓myt pt, i̓my[t] tꜣ, i̓my[t] m dwꜣt, di̓.sn prt-ḫrw t, ḥnḳt, kꜣw, ꜣpdw, ḫt-nb[t] nfr[t] wꜥb[t], ḫt-nb[t] nfr[t] nḏmt, ḫt-nb[t] pt, tꜣ, dwꜣt nty [m] ḏbꜣt.
An invocation offering that the king gives to Re-Atum. The Osiris, the mistress of the house, the chantress of Amun-Re king of the gods [space left blank for the name]. She says: ‘Oh Osiris, foremost of the Westerners, (lord) of eternity, chief of Igeret[?], and Ptah-Sokary lord of the shetyt-shrine, and Anubis lord of the sacred land, and the Ennead who is in the south, in the north, in the west and in the east, who is in the sky, in the earth and in the Duat. That they may give an invocation offering consisting of bread and beer, oxen and fowl, everything good and pure, everything good and sweet, everything from the sky and the earth, the Duat and [of] who[m?] is [in] the sarcophagus’.
Inscription 2
ḥtp-di̓-nsw Ptḥ-skrty, nb š[ṯyt], Wsi̓r nbt-pr, šmꜥyt n I̓mn-Rꜥ nsw nṯrw [Space left blank for the name]. ḏd.s: i̓nḏ [ḥr].ṯ[n], nṯrw, i̓pw[y], Psḏt i̓my[t] i̓grt[?], nṯrw sḏryw nty[si̓ś] i̓nt, tꜣ sbḫwt štꜣwt nty [sic] ḫnty r ḥryw, i̓m[y] tꜣ, i̓m[y] ḏbꜥt, ḫnty i̓nt[yw?] štꜣ[t] dwꜣt. ḏi̓.sn prt-ḫrw t, ḥnḳt, kꜣw, ꜣpdw, ḫt-nb[t] nfr[t] wꜥb[t], ḫt-nb[t] nfr[t] nḏmt, ḫt-nb[t] pt, tꜣ, dwꜣt štꜣ[t].
An invocation offering that the king gives to Ptah-Sokar, lord of the mysterious place. The Osiris, the mistress of the house, the chantress of Amun-Re king of the gods [space left blank for the name]. She says: ‘Hail to you/these gods, this Ennead who is in Igeret[?], the gods who sleep in the valley, (in) these secret portals which are before those who are above, who are [in] the earth, who are in the sarcophagus and in front of the secret valley in the Duat. That they may give an invocation offering consisting of bread and beer, oxen and fowl, everything good and pure everything good and sweet, everything from the sky, the earth and the mysterious Duat’.
Only two columns of inscriptions figure on the case (Inscriptions 3 and 4), both dividing Vignette 1 from the seamless decoration of the sides. Both columns are bordered within two vertical block friezes and face the headboard. The hieroglyphs are outlined in red and painted in green, blue and red.
Inscription 3
I̓nk nṯr ꜥꜣ ḫnty i̓ꜣt
I am the great god, foremost of the mound.
Inscription 4
I̓nk nṯr ꜥꜣ ḫnty i̓ꜣt
I am the great god, foremost of the mound.
Figure 46
Inner case (A.15). Inscriptions numbered, see Figs. 47–48
Figure 49
Inner case (A.15). Headboard (above), footboard (below)
Figure 51
Inner case (A.15). Left side, upper section
Figure 52
Inner case (A.15). Left side, lower section
Figure 54
Inner case (A.15). Right side, upper section
Figure 55
Inner case (A.15). Right side, lower section
Figure 57
Inner case (A.15). Interior decoration. Headboard (above), footboard (below)
Figure 58
Inner case (A.15). Interior decoration. Headboard, floorboard and footboard (drawing)
Bosticco 1958, 14–15.