<em>Mummy Mask of a Man</em>, early 1st century C.E. Stucco, gold leaf, pigment, 20 x 12 x 7 1/4 in., 7.5 lb. (50.8 x 30.5 x 18.4 cm, 3.4kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 72.57. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 72.57_SL1.jpg)

Mummy Mask of a Man, early 1st century C.E. Stucco, gold leaf, pigment, 20 x 12 x 7 1/4 in., 7.5 lb. (50.8 x 30.5 x 18.4 cm, 3.4kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 72.57. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 72.57_SL1.jpg)

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How did they make the colors?

The Ancient Egyptians would have used soot for the black, malachite for the greens and the very rare lapis lazuli for the blues! The gold is made out of gold.

What are the figures? Do they represent the person's tattoos?

In ancient Egyptian art, every image has a symbolic meaning. They are not tattoos, but decorations that the ancient Egyptians believed could help them get the afterlife.

The two seated men in the same position are both Osiris, the King of the Afterlife. This man wanted to be associated with the god Osiris in order to make it easier for him to get into the afterlife.

Oh, I see. Thank you!

It seems every mummy has its own mask.

Many did! It is important to remember that a lot of what you see in our galleries represents elite members of society. That being said, there are vast numbers of mummy masks that have survived from ancient Egypt. Every mummy would have had some kind of identifying feature.

Tell me more.

This mummy mask demonstrates one way that Roman style was combined with Egyptian beliefs. It is covered in Egyptian symbols and gods, but did you notice the man's Roman-style hair peeking out from under the headdress? The use of gold demonstrates the man's wealth, but interestingly the imagery is condensed. What you see in this bust-length mask was once spread over the whole body.

Who is this

We haven't been able to identify him since there isn't an inscription with his name. That's why its called mummy mask of a man. We do know that his person must have been quite wealthy to afford a mummy mask like this.

A few stylistic elements, especially the soft, curly hair peeking out from under his headdress, help identify the time period when this was made, early in the period that Rome controlled Egypt.

Mummy Mask of a Man

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

Egyptian men living under Roman rule used mummy masks that combined contemporary and traditional elements. This example features wavy locks of black hair, a Roman fashion at this time. The protective winged scarab on top decorates a traditional headdress adorned with lappets containing images of the deceased’s mummy before Osiris, god of the dead. The face is unlined and ageless, also a traditional element.

MEDIUM Stucco, gold leaf, pigment

Place Made: Egypt

DATES early 1st century C.E.

PERIOD Roman Period

DIMENSIONS 20 x 12 x 7 1/4 in., 7.5 lb. (50.8 x 30.5 x 18.4 cm, 3.4kg) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 72.57

CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION One linen and stucco gilt mummy mask of a man. Short curly hair at forehead, modelled and painted black. Ears face and neck gilt. Eyebrows and eyeballs black. Wearing a lappet wig with vertical stripes to cheek, of yellow and gilt. Below this the lappets are divided into zones with representations of gods, etc. At neck, below a strand of gilt beads in relief, a broad collar with floral motifs. On top head a winged scarab with sun disk in relief. On back head a winged uraeus. Outer edges of bib decorated with representations of gods and floral and geometric motifs. Condition: Top of head completely restored after being crushed. All cracks visible but the original shape and form restored. The body of the scarab and the sun disk have the most fractures. Face is unharmed with only a small chip gone from the tip of the nose. Cracks running into right ear and along the area where neck meets right lappet and also across base of the neck. Lower corners of bib bent and reshaped. Cracks visible. Formerly a large piece gone from lower edge of bib below left lappet, now filled and painted. Piece missing from lower left lappet. Greens, blues, yellows and some gilt areas are discolored and/or darkened. Generally is now good and quite firm.

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view on the 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

CAPTION Mummy Mask of a Man, early 1st century C.E. Stucco, gold leaf, pigment, 20 x 12 x 7 1/4 in., 7.5 lb. (50.8 x 30.5 x 18.4 cm, 3.4kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 72.57. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 72.57_SL1.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 72.57_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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