Ibis Coffin
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
This small coffin with an ibis figurine contained a small bird mummy. It represents the tradition of combining figurines and votive animal mummies.
MEDIUM
Bronze
DATES
664–30 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 26, or later
PERIOD
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period
DIMENSIONS
5 1/4 x 2 1/2 x 6 in. (13.3 x 6.4 x 15.2 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
37.417E
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Bronze ibis seated on top of a bronze rectangular coffin set on a slightly larger platform. The bird is seated with its thick legs reaching forwards. Below the knees, the legs are carved to depict the skin texture and claws. More carved detail depicts the ibis’ tail feathers, beak opening, nostrils, and eyes. The coffin features a cavetto cornice over a shallower torus continuously running along the top of the front and side walls. The walls widen as they go down, creating a trapezoidal silhouette from all four sides. Underneath, the platform extends slightly beyond the walls of the coffin, with the front edge extending the furthest out. The back of the coffin is open showing the hollow interior of the object. Condition: The entire object is mostly well preserved. There are dimples of damage on the right side of the coffin and ibis as well as a few dents all around. The middle of the left side of the platform has a piece broken off, exposing the hollow interior.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Ibis Coffin, 664–30 B.C.E. Bronze, 5 1/4 x 2 1/2 x 6 in. (13.3 x 6.4 x 15.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.417E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er), 37.417E_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 37.417E_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph (Gavin Ashworth, photographer), 2012
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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