22nd Dynasty coffin
- Gallery: Room 62
- Culture: 22nd Dynasty
- Object type: coffin, mummy-case, cartonnage
- Materials: wood; plaster; linen; human tissue
- Museum number: EA30720
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a remarkable 22nd Dynasty coffin, representing a fascinating blend of artistry and religious belief. This anthropoid wooden coffin, painted in vibrant colors, encloses the mummified remains of a man named Nesperennub. He was honored with the titles "Beloved of the God" and "Opener of the Two Gates of Heaven in Karnak," showing his respected role in temple rituals.
As you examine the exterior, you'll see a plastered cartonnage mummy-case, covered in intricate painted figures. A falcon-headed scarab dominates the chest, with protective deities such as Sokar and the Four Sons of Horus below. Amulets like a djed pillar and wedjat eyes are thoughtfully arranged to safeguard the deceased.
Inside, Nesperennub's body was carefully treated: the brain and internal organs were removed through a left-side incision, and filled with canopic packages containing preserved organs and symbolic amulets. The embalming materials and detailed decorations reflect ancient Egyptian funerary customs and beliefs in the afterlife.
See it in person
22nd Dynasty coffin is on display in Room 62 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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