Sarcophagus of Sensaos

In 332 B.C. Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, thus ending Persian rule there. From that moment onwards Greeks started occupying the highest posts. Egyptians also wanting to play a part in government were forced to learn Greek. This policy was continued when, in 31 B.C., the Romans took over power from the Greek Pharaohs. As a result of mixed marriages, many family names start to feature both Greek and Egyptian elements. Thus the name ‘Sensaos’ contains elements from the Egyptian ‘Tasjerytdjedhor’.
Sensaos was the daughter of a high official in the provincial government of Upper Egypt, who used the Greek name of Soter for himself. Her mother was the Egyptian (or Nubian) Cleopatra. Sensaos died in 109 A.D., in a period of Roman rule over Egypt. At the time of her death she was sixteen years, two months and nine days old. In those days women that age were adults, and usually married.
After her death Sensaos was embalmed and mummified according to ancient Egyptian tradition. Amulets were put between the bandages in order to protect her on her journey to the realm of the dead. Artificial ceramic or glass eyes were put on her eyes. She was also given a papyrus with spells from‘The Book of Breathing’. The decorations that were applied contain Greek, Roman and Egyptian elements. Her mummy, shroud, coffin and the inscribed papyrus are preserved at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.