"Yellow" Coffins from Thebes : Recording and decoding complexity in Egyptian funerary arts (21st - 22nd Dynasties)

"This volume proposes a theoretical and methodological framework for the study of "yellow" coffins, which is one of the most extensive corpus of funerary objects from Ancient Egypt, and the most complex in terms of decoration. It presents a synthetic view on Egyptian coffin decoration during the II millennium B.C. together with in-depth examination of a sample of nine previously unpublished burial assemblages. Dating from the 21st-22nd Dynasties, these objects were chosen to showcase the stages of development in coffin decoration detected in the "yellow" corpus, as well as variations in style and layout. A new formal typology of this corpus is proposed, allowing a better understanding of the dynamics of coffin decoration in Theban workshops." “Yellow” Coffins from Thebes Contents Acknowledgements Foreword 1. Anthropoid coffins before the “yellow” type 1.1. Typology of anthropoid coffins a. Mummiform coffins b. Feathered (or rishi) coffins c. “Festive dress” coffins d. “Proto-yellow” coffins 1.2. Decoration a. Rishi coffins b. Mummiform coffins c. “Festive dress” type d. Proto-yellow type e. Coffins and visual culture 2. “Yellow” coffins: definition and typology 2.1. The scheme of decoration of the “yellow” type 2.2. Genealogy and evolution 2.3. Typology of the “yellow” type Headboard Upper section Central panel Lower section: Central partition Lower section: Lateral partitions Footboard 2.4. Classification of lids and mummy-covers 3. The coffin set of Heritubekhet at the Staatliche Sammlung für Ägyptische Kunst in Munich 3.1. Lid Iconography Inscriptions 3.2. Case Iconography Inscriptions 3.3. Mummy-cover Iconography Inscriptions 3.4. Commentary 4. The coffin set of Tabasety at the Antikmuseet of the University of Aarhus 4.1. Lid Iconography Inscriptions 4.2. Case Iconography Inscriptions 4.3. Mummy-cover Iconography Inscriptions 4.4. Commentary 5. The mummy-cover from Bab el-Gasus at the Bohusläns Museum in Uddevalla Iconography Inscriptions Commentary 6. The mummy-cover of Mutemuia at the University Museum of Aberdeen Iconography Inscriptions Commentary 7. The coffin set of Henuttaui at the Staatliche Sammlung für Ägyptische Kunst in Munich 7.1. Lid Iconography Inscriptions 7.2. Case Iconography (exterior) Iconography (interior) Inscriptions 7.3. Mummy-cover Iconography Inscriptions 7.4. Commentary 8. The coffin set of Amenniutnakht in Cairo: a case study of a 21st Dynasty burial assemblage 8.1. Description of decoration and texts on the lid (CG 6174) a. Headboard and upper section b. Central panel (CP) c. Lower section Central partition Lateral partitions Footboard (FB). 8.2. Description of iconography and texts on the exterior of the case (CG 6173) Headboard (HBe) Right column Left column Footboard (FBe) Right side Left side 8.3. Description of the decoration on the interior of the case (CG 6173) Floorboard (FLB). Headboard interior (HBi) Side walls 8.4. Description of decoration and texts on the mummy-cover (CG 6196) Headboard and upper section Central Panel (CP) Lower section Footboard (FB) 8.5. Observations on iconography and texts of the lid (CG 6174) 8.6. Observations on iconography and texts of the exterior of the case (CG 6173) 8.7. Observations on the decoration of the interior of the case (CG 6173) 8.8. Observations on iconography and texts of the mummy-cover (CG 6196) 8.9. Writing style in the coffin of Amenniutnakht 8.10. Additional components in the burial equipment of Amenniutnakht Mummy braces with tabs and pendant (location unknown). 8.11. Observations on the burial assemblage of Amenniutnakht 8.12. Conclusions 9. The Coffin set of Hori from Bab el-Gasus (21st Dynasty): royal attributes and deification scenes 9.1. The Owner, Hori 9.2. The coffin set Outer coffin Inner coffin Innermost coffin 9.3. The unique scenes of Hori’s coffin set Hori as a king Hori as a deity 9.4. Conclusion 10. Burial ensemble of Ankhef in the collection of the Ivanovo Regional Art Museum (Russia) 10.1. Coffin a. General description. b. State of preservation c. Evidence of re-use d. Lid Upper section (A). (Figs 10.10-10.11) Central panel (B) (Fig. 10.14) Lower section Footboard (E). Inscriptions of the lid e. Case Headboard (A). Right wall (B) Left wall (C). 10.2. Mummy-cover a. General description. b. State of preservation. c. Evidence of re-use. d. Scenes and Inscriptions. Headboard (A). Central panel (registers B-C). Lower section (D). 10.3. Additional remarks. Annex: Inscriptions on the coffin and the mummy-cover of Ankhef508 11. An unusual Third Intermediate Period Egyptian coffin at the Wayne County Historical Museum (WCHM) 11.1. Lid a. Iconography Headboard Upper section Central panel Lower section Footboard b. Inscriptions 11.2. Case a. Iconography (exterior) Headboard Sides b. Inscriptions c. Iconography (interior) 11.3. Workshop practices a. Pictorial work b. Carpentry work 11.4. Dating the WCHM coffin 11.5. Placement of WCHM coffin in the TIP corpus 12. Chemical analysis of paints reveals history of an Egyptian coffin at the Wayne County Historical Museum 12.1. Chemical analysis of pigments a. Results of chemical tests Unpainted coffin wood The preparation layer Black paint White paint Yellow paint Red paint Blue paint Green paint Brown paint 12.2. Paint and wood filler in restored areas 12.3. Discussion and conclusions 13. “Yellow” type and genealogy: formal variability and meaning in coffin decoration 13.1. Variability and change 13.2. Genealogical line 13.3. Impact and meaning of variability in coffin decoration Bibliography List of sources Biographic notes on the Authors This volume proposes a theoretical and methodological framework for the study of 'yellow' coffins, which is one of the most extensive corpora of funerary objects from Ancient Egypt, and the most complex in terms of decoration. It presents a synthetic view on Egyptian coffin decoration during the II millennium B.C. together with in-depth examination of a sample of nine previously unpublished burial assemblages, involving 18 different objects. Dating from the 21st Dynasty, these objects were chosen in order to showcase the stages of development in coffin decoration detected in the 'yellow' corpus, as well as variations in style and layout