Coffin of Taremetchenbastet

In ancient Egypt, owning a container to protect the body was as important as mummification. The types and decoration of sarcophagi and coffins varied from one era to the next; they were made from different materials, with varying levels of decoration, but they were all dominated by funerary texts and images that would ensure resurrection. Fashions and styles varied over time, and different workshops created a series of authentic masterpieces people could choose from. Sometimes, the space reserved for the name and titles of the deceased was left blank so it could be filled in once the person had died. Such is the case of the coffin of Taremetchenbastet, daughter of Ptahirdis, a lady who was buried in a coffin that was originally meant for a man. The face is covered with gold foil, and the wig and artificial beard fall over the usekh necklace. Below, a winged goddess sits above ten columns of inscriptions that completely cover the lid and recount chapter 172 of the Book of Coming Forth by Day and the Ancient Egyptian offering formula.