The burial of Nesytaudjatachet was found in 1891 in the cache of Bab el-Gasus in the Theban
necropolis. Her two coffins were a part of the famous "Lot 6" presented as a gift to Tsar Alexander
III. by the Khedive of Egypt. The burial dates to the second half of the 21st Dynasty. During the
Soviet Period, the coffins became separated. The outer coffin is now in the Odessa Archaeological
Museum, Odessa, Ukraine, Inventory Number 52976. The inner coffin is in the National Museum of
Tatarstan in Kazan (RF). After seventy years of neglect and abuse, the inner coffin is in catastrophic,
the outer in poor, condition. They urgently require conservation and restoration. The photos shown
here were made by CESRAS research fellows Alexej A. Krol (Kazan 1998-99) and Sergej V. Ivanov
(Odessa 2000). Text and digital editing by research fellow Edward R. Loring 2005.
Intellectual Property of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Egyptological Studies, Moscow; all rights reserved
necropolis. Her two coffins were a part of the famous "Lot 6" presented as a gift to Tsar Alexander
III. by the Khedive of Egypt. The burial dates to the second half of the 21st Dynasty. During the
Soviet Period, the coffins became separated. The outer coffin is now in the Odessa Archaeological
Museum, Odessa, Ukraine, Inventory Number 52976. The inner coffin is in the National Museum of
Tatarstan in Kazan (RF). After seventy years of neglect and abuse, the inner coffin is in catastrophic,
the outer in poor, condition. They urgently require conservation and restoration. The photos shown
here were made by CESRAS research fellows Alexej A. Krol (Kazan 1998-99) and Sergej V. Ivanov
(Odessa 2000). Text and digital editing by research fellow Edward R. Loring 2005.
Intellectual Property of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Egyptological Studies, Moscow; all rights reserved
In Twenty-first Dynasty Thebes coffins were often prepared without names and kept in stock until
they were needed and sold. The name of the deceased was then filled into fields which had been
left blank for this purpose which is the case here. The inner coffin had been prepared on order
before the death of the owner and carried her name from the beginning. Probably she died
unexpectedly, before an outer coffin could be made to order. A "ready to wear" coffin was bought
and her name filled in. This is an expensive coffin of high quality, showing that the owner was a
member of the ruling class in Thebes.
they were needed and sold. The name of the deceased was then filled into fields which had been
left blank for this purpose which is the case here. The inner coffin had been prepared on order
before the death of the owner and carried her name from the beginning. Probably she died
unexpectedly, before an outer coffin could be made to order. A "ready to wear" coffin was bought
and her name filled in. This is an expensive coffin of high quality, showing that the owner was a
member of the ruling class in Thebes.
At the left you see a section of the coffin's lid, containing a field which was filled in with the
owner's name. In the middle the name area has been enlarged and digitally corrected for
perspective. At the right the name area has been cut out and enlarged. Here it is just possible
to make out the name, nesjtaudjatachet (nsy-tA-wDAt-Axt). It appears that the name was painted
on the varnish, was thus instable, and survived only as traces of its pigment which had bonded
with the varnish. It is interesting to note the unique and enigmatic rendition of the hieroglyphic
sign O-34 (bolt of a door, phonetic s (z)). The common, more cursive version, of the symbol can
be seen at bottom right Previously, this was taken for a scratch. However, processing of the
digital image reveils an intentional and precisely drawn symbol, both outlined and colored. It
appears that this was applied in the initial phase of decoration. It was obviously drawn in the
manner of a needle stuck through a textile which it enters above the dj-snake and emerges
below (flattening of the image has caused some distortion in the lower right portion). That the
dj-snake is intact and the symbol carefully painted over the d-hand makes it clear that this is
not a scratch. We realize that some of you with low resolution screens may not see these
details. We would be interested in interpretations from egyptologists who can see what is
described above!
owner's name. In the middle the name area has been enlarged and digitally corrected for
perspective. At the right the name area has been cut out and enlarged. Here it is just possible
to make out the name, nesjtaudjatachet (nsy-tA-wDAt-Axt). It appears that the name was painted
on the varnish, was thus instable, and survived only as traces of its pigment which had bonded
with the varnish. It is interesting to note the unique and enigmatic rendition of the hieroglyphic
sign O-34 (bolt of a door, phonetic s (z)). The common, more cursive version, of the symbol can
be seen at bottom right Previously, this was taken for a scratch. However, processing of the
digital image reveils an intentional and precisely drawn symbol, both outlined and colored. It
appears that this was applied in the initial phase of decoration. It was obviously drawn in the
manner of a needle stuck through a textile which it enters above the dj-snake and emerges
below (flattening of the image has caused some distortion in the lower right portion). That the
dj-snake is intact and the symbol carefully painted over the d-hand makes it clear that this is
not a scratch. We realize that some of you with low resolution screens may not see these
details. We would be interested in interpretations from egyptologists who can see what is
described above!
Name of the deceased on the lid of the outer coffin in Odessa
Nesytaudjatachet
Songstress of Amun, Thebes, 21a Dynasty
Photo by Sergej V. Ivanov, CESRAS
Digital editing by Edward R.. Loring CESRAS
Name of deceased on the lid of the inner coffin in Kazan. Name of the
deceased as an integral part of the decoration. Compare this with the name
on the outer coffin in Odessa on which the name was added when the
already decorated coffin was needed. This indicates that the interior coffin
was made originally for the deceased, whereas the outer coffin was not.
deceased as an integral part of the decoration. Compare this with the name
on the outer coffin in Odessa on which the name was added when the
already decorated coffin was needed. This indicates that the interior coffin
was made originally for the deceased, whereas the outer coffin was not.
Inner coffin in Kazan
Would you consider sponsoring the rescue of this important artifact?
All CESRAS photos in Kazan by Alexej A. Krol
Digital editing by Edward R. Loring CESRAS
CESRAS photos in Odessa by Sergej V. Ivanov
CESRAS photos with the kind cooperation of: The National Museum of Tatarstan, Kazan, R.F.
The Odessa Archaeological Museum, Odessa, Ukraine
The Odessa Archaeological Museum, Odessa, Ukraine
| Name of the deceased on the side of the inner coffin as an integral part of the decoration, indicating that the coffin was originally made for her. |
