Museum inventory number: 8522
Length: 179 cm; Width (max): 49 cm; Depth: 26 cm
Wood, plaster, paint.
Decorated with multicoloured paintwork.
The footboard remained undecorated. The interior is undecorated.
The exterior decoration is preserved in relatively good condition.
Iconography (Exterior)
The upper edge does not display friezes or inscriptions. The vignettes are bounded by columns of hieroglyphic texts (Inscriptions 1–14). The lower edge is decorated with a thick horizontal band (black).
Headboard
The headboard is composed of a tripartite panel, with the sides (Vignettes 2–3) centripetally oriented.
The Vignette 1 (centre) shows a large tjet-sign outlined in red and blue and adhorned with two flowers. It is flanked by two poles of the West (Fig. 74).
The Vignettes 2–3 are symmetrical, displaying the avian manifestation of Ptah-Sokar resting on a divine standard with a feather at his feet. The avian god wears the atef-crown. The winged udjat-eye is depicted behind him, with a pending cobra wearing the hedjet-crown. A single column of hieroglyphs is written before the avian god, bearing the name ‘Sokary’.
Left Side
The upper section is decorated with two vignettes (Vignettes 4 and 5) forming a single scene depicting the god Thoth before the recumbent god Osiris (cf. Vignettes 10–11).
The Vignette 4 depicts the ibis-headed god Thoth (facing the footboard) holding the pole of the West (Fig. 76).
In the Vignette 5 Osiris is depicted laying on a ritual bier provided with a beaded mattress and decorated with lion legs and tail. He has a large royal beard and wears the hedjet-crown with floating red streamers. A winged cobra is depicted flying over his body, with its outstretched wings embracing the udjat-eye. Under the ritual bier figure a variety of royal insignia (scepters and crowns) and food offerings.
The lower section is composed of four vignettes.
In the Vignette 6 the deceased (facing the footboard) stands under a vaulted pavilion, wearing a white festive garment (Fig. 77). Her head is adorned with the ointment cone and a lotus bud. Before a short inscription is written: ‘Giving an offering for your ka’.
The Vignette 7 shows the Ta-wer-totem adorned with a double-feathered solar headdress standing on the horizon. The totem is flanked by udjat-eyes and two nefer-signs depicted on heb-bowls (above) and two coiled winged cobras resting on a pile of reed mats and heb-bowls (below). The winged cobras wear the hedjet-crown and embrace the udjat-eye (Fig. 77).
The Vignette 8 displays a centripetal composition depicting three mummiform gods standing on a coiled serpent (Fig. 78). The central ram-headed mummiform deity faces the headboard. He is flanked by a lion-headed god (right) and a jackal-headed deity (left). Above their heads small flames are found.
The Vignette 9 shows the sacred cow in her Theban shrine. The goddess Hathor is couched on a platform, facing the headboard. She is adorned with the hathoric headdress and the sistrum. Before the deity, a short label refers to the ‘Mistress of the West’ and at her back a winged cobra embraces the udjat-eye. On the left, the tomb is depicted on the desert cliff, with the name ‘Osiris’ inscribed over the door.
Right Side
The upper section is decorated with two vignettes forming a single scene depicting the god Thoth before the recumbent god Osiris (cf. Vignettes 4–5).
The Vignette 10 shows the ibis-headed god Thoth holding the pole of the East (Fig. 80). A short label refers to the ‘great god’.
In the Vignette 11, Osiris lies on the ritual bier equipped with royal insignia and offerings. A winged cobra embracing the shen-ring flies above him. The winged udjat-eye is depicted before the god, with a pending cobra bearing the ankh-sign on its neck.
The lower section of the right side is also composed of four vignettes (cf. Vignettes 6–9).
The Vignette 12 recalls the composition of Vignette 6, but in this case the deceased offers an ointment vessel and holds the ankh-sign. She is depicted under a vaulted pavilion (Fig. 81).
The Vignette 13 shows a composition featuring two registers divided by the pet-sign: on the upper register the solar barque sails heading the footboard and carries the winged scarab holding up the solar disk flanked by cobras. On each side of the barque, short labels refer to the ‘Lord of the Duat’ (right) and ‘Great god’ (left). On the lower register the body of a coiled snake is wounded by five knives (red).
The Vignette 14 displays a centripetal composition depicting three mummiform gods standing on a coiled serpent (Fig. 82). The central ram-headed mummiform deity is facing the headboard. He is flanked by a lion-headed god (right) and a jackal-headed deity (left) (cf. Vignette 8).
The Vignette 15 depicts the ba-bird resting next to the sycamore tree goddess. The avian manifestation of the deceased raises her arms to drink the water offered by the sycamore deity. The goddess is squatting among the leaves, clad in a tight green dress and identified by the name ‘Nut’ written on the trunk of the sacred tree. Behind the deceased, a column of hieroglyphs contains the formula ‘Give water for this ba’.
Footboard
The footboard remained undecorated (Fig. 74).
Inscriptions
The texts are written in columns bordered by vertical lines (black). The signs were outlined in red against a yellow background and coloured with other pigments (green, blue and red). The calligraphy of these texts is more cursive than in the texts inscribed on the lid.
The left side displays 7 inscriptions (Inscriptions 1–7). Inscriptions 1, 3, 6 and 7 face the headboard, while Inscriptions 2, 4 and 5 face the footboard. It is noteworthy that a fifteenth column is displayed next to the footboard, but instead of an inscription it displays a large depiction of the pole of the West.
Inscription 1
ḏd mdw i̓n Ptḥ-skry-Wsi̓r nb dwꜣt.
Words to be spoken by Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, lord of the Duat.
Inscription 2
(col. 1) ḏd mdw i̓n ḏḥwty, nb mdw-nṯrw, sš mꜣꜥt (col. 2) n Psḏt-ꜥꜣ[t]: ‘ꜥnḫ Rꜥ, mt štyw, rꜥ-nb’
(col. 1) Words to be spoken by Thoth, lord of the divine words, scribe of Ma’at (col. 2) of the great Ennead: ‘Re lives, the turtle dies every day’.
Inscription 3
ḏd mdw i̓n Mrty, nṯr nfr, nb dwꜣt
Words to be spoken by Merety, the perfect god, lord of the Duat.
Inscription 4
(col. 1) ḏd mdw i̓n Wsi̓r, nbt pr, šmꜥyt n I̓mn (col. 2) ꜣḫ i̓ḳr, mꜣꜥ-ḫrw ḫr mꜣꜥ-ḫrw
(col. 1) Words to be spoken by the Osiris, the mistress of the house, the chantress of Amun, (col. 2) the excellent akh, justified before the justified ones.
Inscription 5
(col. 1) i̓nḏ-ḥr k Wsi̓r, nb nḥḥ, i̓r ḏt (col. 2) nṯr ꜥꜣ, ḫnty-I̓mnt nfrt m ꜣbḏw (col. 3) nb nrw ḥry-tp i̓grt, ḥḳꜣ ꜥnẖ.w (col. 4) nb I̓mntyw, pr m ẖt[.f] ḥḏt ḥry-tp
(col. 1) Hail to you Osiris, lord of eternity, who makes everlasting time, (col. 2) great god foremost of the beautiful West in Abydos, (col. 3) lord of dread chief of the realm of the dead, the ruler of the living, (col. 4) lord of the westerners, who goes forth from (his?) body (?).
Inscription 6
(col. 1) ḏd mdw i̓n nbw nḥḥ, ḥꜣtyw [n] ḏt (col. 2) [Psḏ]t-ꜥꜣt, nb ẖrt-nṯr, ḥtpw [m] ḏbꜣt
(col. 1) Words to be spoken by the lord of eternity, the foremost of the everlasting time, (col. 2) the great Ennead, lord the necropolis and those who rest in the sarcophagus.
Inscription 7
(col. 1) ḏd mdw i̓n ḥwt-ḥr, ḥry[t]-tp I̓mnt, ḫnty[t] tꜣ-ḏsr (col. 2) ḥnwt ḏw pfy, di̓.s ḥtp
(col. 1) Words to be spoken by Hathor, chief of the West, the foremost of the Sacred Land, (col. 2) the mistress of this mountain, may she give offering(s).
The right side displays 7 inscriptions (Inscriptions 8–14). Inscriptions 8, 10, 13 and 14 face the headboard, while Inscriptions 9, 11 and 12 face the footboard. The fifteenth column displays a large depiction of the pole of the West.
Inscription 8
(---) di̓.f (---)
(---) that he may give (---)
Inscription 9
(col. 1) ḏd mdw i̓n ḏḥwty, nb mdw-nṯr, sš (col. 2) mꜣꜥt n Psḏt-ꜥꜣ: ‘ꜥnḫ [Rꜥ], mt štyw, [rꜥ]-nb’
(col. 1) Words to be spoken by Thoth, lord of the divine words, the scribe of Ma’at (col. 2) of the Great Ennead: ‘[Re] lives, the turtle dies’ every [day].
Inscription 10
ḏd mdw i̓n Mrty, nṯr nfr, nb dwꜣt nb[…]
Words to be spoken by Merety, the perfect god, lord of the Duat, lord [of …]
Inscription 11
(col. 1) Wsi̓r nbt-pr šmꜥyt n I̓mn-Rꜥ nsw nṯrw (col. 2) ḥsyt ꜥꜣt, mꜣꜥ-ḫrw n[sic, read m] Wꜣst
(col. 1) The Osiris, the mistress of the house, the chantress of Amun-Re king of the gods, (col. 2) the great favourite, justified in Thebes.
Inscription 12
(col. 1) i̓nḏ-ḥr k Rꜥ-tm-ḫpry, i̓t (col. 2) nṯrw, i̓rr ḏt.f, ḳmꜣ ḥꜥ.f, (col. 3) sꜥꜣ-sw r nṯrw nbw, di̓w-sw (col. 4) m pt r nṯry bꜣ.f
(col. 1) Hail to you Re-Atum-Khepri, father (col. 2) of the gods, who made his own body, who created his own flesh, (col. 3) who made himself greater than all the gods, who put (col. 4) himself in the sky, so that his ba is divine!
Inscription 13
(col. 1) ḏd mdw i̓n nbw nḥḥ, ḥꜣtyw n ḏt (col. 2) Psḏt-ꜥꜣt, nb ẖrt-nṯr, ḥtp n[=m] ḏbꜣt
(col. 1) Words to be spoken by the lords of eternity, the foremost of everlastingness, (col. 2) the great Ennead, lord of the necropolis, [and] those who rest in the sarcophagus.
Inscription 14
(col. 1) [ḏd mdw i̓]n Nwt, wrt, mst nṯrw (col. 2) [i̓rt] Rꜥ, ḥkꜣt i̓dby, di̓.s ḥtp ḏfꜣw
(col. 1) [Words to be spoken] by Nut, the great one, who gave birth to the gods, (col. 2) [the eye of] Re, the ruler of the Two Banks, so that she may give offerings and provisions.
Figure 74
Case (A.20). Headboard (above), footboard (below)
Figure 81
Case (A.20). Right side, middle section
