Inside of a Sarcophagus Lid with the Goddess Nut

Culture: Egyptian

Period: Ptolemaic period or beginning of the Roman period, 332 B.C. to around 0.

Material: Wood

Dimensions: Dimensions of the sarcophagus panel 111 cm x 41 cm; Dimensions of the wood panel 119.5 cm x 48 cm.

Price: 10 000 Euro

Ref: 1405

Provenance: From an old French private collection. Originally mounted on a wood frame from the 1970s. Today on a modern wood panel for mounting on the wall.

Condition: Unrestored, with vertical cracks as seen on the picture, but stable.

Description: Colorfully painted inside of a sarcophagus lid with the depiction of the goddess Nut in human form. The goddess is depicted in profile facing to the right, she wears a form fitting dress with red and black lines, as well as a tripartite wig. The upper and lower arms are decorated with bracelets. Nut wears a red hair band with a lotus flower on the forehead. On the head the sun disk is painted in red. Lotus buds and flowers sprout on both sides of her feet, one bud in front of her breasts and another one above her back. The face with large eyes, the long nose and the slightly grotesque features indicate a later dating, possibly already the Roman period. Nut, goddess of the sky and stars, also bears great importance in the death cult. She is associated with the belief in resurrection of the deceased, who flaunt after their death as stars on her body. As protector of the deceased on their journey to the afterlife she was often depicted on the inside of sarcophagus. An interesting testimony of a 2000-year-old painting on wood. Mounted on a black wood panel for hanging on the wall.