On view
Ancient Mediterranean Art
Modeled head from a coffin,
late 2nd century CE
Egyptian
Roman Imperial Period, ca. 30 BCE–476 CE
y1949-140
The Egyptian practice of mummifying the body of the deceased and covering the face with a mask originated in the Old Kingdom and continued to be followed throughout the Roman period. While this mask would have laid on top of the woman’s face in
the same way as earlier Egyptian examples on view elsewhere in this gallery, there are important historical differences between the two that suggest a Roman interest in melding Egyptian customs with contemporary trends. For instance, the woman’s coiffure reflects hairstyles seen on Roman empresses toward the end of the second century CE. Despite this allusion to the Roman elite of the day, the form and appearance of the mask also retains its connection to traditional Egyptian customs.
the same way as earlier Egyptian examples on view elsewhere in this gallery, there are important historical differences between the two that suggest a Roman interest in melding Egyptian customs with contemporary trends. For instance, the woman’s coiffure reflects hairstyles seen on Roman empresses toward the end of the second century CE. Despite this allusion to the Roman elite of the day, the form and appearance of the mask also retains its connection to traditional Egyptian customs.
Information
Title
Modeled head from a coffin
Dates
late 2nd century CE
Medium
Stucco and inlaid glass
Dimensions
23.0 x 16.0 x 22.4 cm (9 1/16 x 6 5/16 x 8 13/16 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Carl Otto von Kienbusch Jr., Memorial Collection
Object Number
y1949-140
Place Made
Africa, Egypt
Culture
Period
Type
Subject
Purchased by the Museum in 1949
- Francis Follin Jones, "An Egyptian mummy mask", Record of the Art Museum, Princeton University 8, no. 2 (1949), 9-11., p. 10 (illus.)
-
The Carl Otto von Kienbusch, Jr. Memorial Collection (Princeton: Princeton University Art Museum, 1956)
, cat. no. 3 - Günter Grimm, Die römischen Mumienmasken aus Ägypten, (Wiesbaden: F. Steiner, 1974).
- Maria Severina Vasques, Crenças funerárias e identidade cultural no Egito Romano : máscaras de múmias, (Sao Paulo, 2005).
