Nodjmet
Wife of HPA Herihor
fl. c. 1075 BCE
Provenance: DB 320 (in side room D)
Discovery Date: 1881
Current Location: Cairo Museum CG61087
Article text from the Theban Royal Mummy Project:
The mummy of Nodjmet was partly unwrapped by Gaston Maspero on 1 June 1886. G. E. Smith continued the unwrapping on 13 September 1906, but only removed the remaining wrappings from areas of the body that were of special relevance to his study of ancient Egyptian embalming practices.
Smith points out that, as one of the earliest mummies from the 21’st Dynasty, Nodjmet’s is of special interest because it provides one of the first examples of the newer mummifying techniques initiated by the embalmers, probably inspired by their inspection of earlier mummies that had been restored and reburied in the caches. This mummy represents a transitional phase in the adoption of the new embalming methods. No attempt was made to insert materials under the skin via incisions, as in the case of later 21’st Dynasty mummies. Instead, the embalmers applied padding, wax, and other cosmetics directly to the surface of the skin in order to give the mummy a more life-like appearance. In order to fill out Nodjmet’s face, her mouth was tightly packed with sawdust and her nose filled with resin. Artificial eyebrows, made of hair, were attached to her face with some type of adhesive substance, possibly resin. A wig was added, which gives the mummy a youthful look by concealing the few remaining gray hairs on the head.
Nodjmet had been buried with two funerary papyri, one of which was stolen (presumably by the Abd el-Rassuls) and sold. Maspero states in his 1905 Guide du Visiteur (to the Cairo Museum) that parts of the stolen papyrus (which Nodjmet had jointly owned with her husband Herihor) had ended up in the collections of the Louvre and the British Museum. (See photo of a vignette from the British Museum papyrus at right.) The Osiris shroud covering the mummy also concealed ancient damage. Nodjmet had gashes on her forehead, cheeks and nose, probably caused when thieves had cut through her original wrappings in search of valuables. Impressions of jewelry on her right arm indicate that they had found and stolen some objects. Nodjmet’s legs were also badly broken, her wrists were fractured, and her left humerus was broken near the shoulder.
Some traces of jewelry still remain on Nodjmet’s mummy. Smith discovered several bracelets, composed variously of tiny carnelian beads carved into the shapes of spheres and lotus buds, lapis lazuli beads, and gold cylinders, still in situ on Nojmet’s wrists. Her artificial eyes are also in place (and, to some, give this mummy a “doll-like” appearance.) Smith states that this is the earliest known use of artificial eyes in a mummy. (However, see his comments on the artificial eyes, made of onions, used in the mummy of Ramesses IV. Smith also noted that linen had been packed under the eyelids of Tuyu and into the eye sockets of Ramesses III in an attempt to fashion artificial eyes. When he discussed Nodjmet’s eyes, Smith probably meant that they were the first he had seen that had been made out of semi precious stone.) X-rays show that a heart scarab is still in situ in her chest along with figures of the four sons of Horus.
The traditional embalming plate was not used in this case, and the embalmers had simply filled the embalming incision with a wax plug. The body cavity had been packed with sawdust. Smith reported that he could find no trace of viscera in the body cavity, so, in Nodjmet’s case, the viscera had probably been placed in canopics rather than reinserted into the body cavity as is the case with subsequent 21’st Dynasty mummies. She was found along with an Osiris figure and a wooden canopic box. Nodjmet lay in two nested coffins (CG61024) that had originally been made for an unidentified man. The outer coffin had its gilding completely adzed off and eye inlays removed. The inner coffin had received slightly different treatment. Most of its gilded surfaces were also adzed off, the gold covered hands removed, and the eye inlays taken out. But the inscriptions and religious symbols remained intact, indicating that the coffin had been stripped by necropolis officials and priests rather than by thieves.
(Source Bibliography: CCR, 40ff; CP, 175; DRN, 201, 207, 213; GdV, 336 f.; JARCE 16 (1979) 66f.; MiAE, 127, 230, 329, ills. 133, 143, 429; MMM, 37, ill. 36; MR, 569f., 592f., 677; RM, 94ff; XRA, 3D3-3ES; XRP, 171, 172, ills. 48, 49.)
Photos of Nodjmet’s mummy (viewer discretion advised)
Pinudjem I
High priest of Amun and titular king, 21st Dynasty
fl. c. 1050 BCE
Provenance: DB 320
Discovery Date: 1881
Current Location: Unknown. (Qasr el Einy Medical Facility, Cairo?)
Original Burial: Perhaps in the tomb of Inhapi (WN A).
Reburial: after Year 11 of Shoshenq I (in side room “D” of DB 320.) (Source: DRN, 255.)
Article text from the Theban Royal Mummy Project:
The mummy of Pinudjem I had been disturbed, probably first in antiquity and then by the Abd er-Rassuls between their discovery of DB 320 and its official clearance by Emil Brugsch 10 years later. The mummy was wrapped in an Osiris shroud, and may have been basically intact but, since its location remains unknown, the condition of the mummy can not be determined. (The odd fact the mummy of Pinudjem I has been missing since the late 19’th century constitutes a genuine Egyptological mystery. Rumors that it might be at the Qasr el Einy Medical Facility in Cairo occasionally circulate, but nothing definite has ever emerged to confirm this.) The photo taken by Brugsch sometime after the DB 320 mummies were taken to Boulak, seems to show a mummy in good condition. Another photo taken by Brugsch shows the mummy as it appeared during an early stage of its unwrapping.
The mummy of Pinudjem I had originally been covered with a shroud held in place with red leather straps, or “braces” (cf. the still-wrapped mummy of Isiemkheb-D.) These had been removed by the Abd er-Rassuls, who attempted to sell them to Charles E. Wilbour, a colleague of Gaston Maspero’s. This event provided important evidence that eventually helped the authorities track down the location of DB 320. Pinudjem I was interred with an exceptionally fine papyrus copy of The Book of the Dead, some 450 cm. in length and 37 cm. in width, which was found rolled up between the legs of his mummy (see photo of papyrus from EMC-87, no. 235.) Two shabti boxes associated with Pinedjem I were also found in the tomb (see photo of shabti box and shabtis from The British Museum.)
Pinudjem I was found in the very large, yellow painted coffin (CG61006) originally belonging to Ahotpe I, mother of Amosis I, the founder of the 18’th Dynasty. (See a photo of this coffin from Ian Bolton’s Egypt: Land of Eternity site.) But Pinudjem I had originally been buried in a double coffin set (CG61025) that he had appropriated from Tuthmosis I. These two coffins had been coated with plaster, gilded, painted and reinscribed for Pinudjem I. When found, the gilding had been adzed off, but Pinudjem’s inscriptions were left intact. Close inspection of the coffins revealed their original owner. As in the case of Nodjmet’s coffins, Pinudjem I’s had also probably been stripped by priestly reburial officials instead of thieves. (See Nodjmet above.)
(Source Bibliography: CCR, 50ff; DRN, 202, 208, 212, 213; MR, 544ff, 570, 581; MiAE, 92, 125, 230, 232, 319, 329, ills. 73, 74, 128, 129, 207, 301; TVK, 130; XRP, 172, 173.)
Duathathor-Henuttawy A
Wife of Pinudjem I
fl. c. 1050 BCE
Provenance: DB 320
Discovery Date: 1881
Current Location: Cairo Museum CG61090
Original Burial: In tomb of Inhapi (WN A?) Reeves points out that the coffins and mummy of Duathathor-Henttawy bear a close resemblance to those of Pinudjem I and Nodjmet (see above), all of which were disturbed (by being processed by necropolis officials.) He believes this indicates that all three mummies were originally buried together in the same tomb–probably WN A.
Reburial: In DB 320 (in corridor “B”) after year 11 of Shoshenq I. (Source: DRN, 251-252.)
Article text from the Theban Royal Mummy Project:
The mummy of Henntawy had been disturbed, and an opening had been dug through the bandages in the region of the thorax and abdomen. The mummy had an Osiris shroud which appears intact in a photo taken by Emile Brugsch after the mummy had been taken to Cairo (see photo of wrapped mummy from MR1 [Cairo, 1881] and reprinted in KMT [3:4] 46) proving that the hole burrowed into Duathathor-Henntawy’s body was already present when the 21’st Dynasty priests re-wrapped her.
This mummy is historically interesting in that it is one of the first to exhibit the completely evolved version of the new embalming techniques pioneered in the 21’st Dynasty. The original embalmers had packed sawdust mixed with resins and bits of linen under the skin of Henttawy’s body and face in order to give her a more life-like appearance. This represents a departure from the method used on Nodjmet’s mummy (cf. above) in which the padding had been applied directly to the surface of the skin without any attempt at sub-dermal packing. Over the centuries, the sawdust used to “flesh out” Henntawy expanded and unfortunately ruptured the skin. In 1974, her face was restored to a semblance of her ancient appearance by Dr. Nasri Iskander X-rays revealed the presence of several amulets still in the wrappings. Smith also records that he found a very fine example of a gold embalming plate covering the embalming incision. This plate was unusual in that, in addition to the customary Eye of Horus, it was also engraved with images of the Four Sons of Horus and bore inscriptions. Tiny holes visible in the upper and lower corners of this object show where string had been threaded. This was circled around the abdomen like a belt in order to attach the plate to Henntawy’s body.
The mummy was found in a dual set of coffins (CG61026) one of which (the outer one) lacked a lid. The gilded portions of both coffins had been adzed over, but the sacred images on both were intact, and the inner coffin also retained its inscriptions. As in the case of the coffins belonging to Nodjmet and Pinudjem II, Duathathor-Henttawy’s were probably stripped by necropolis officials rather than thieves. She was found along with two shabti boxes, an Osiris figure, a papyrus, and canopic jars. A shabti belonging to her is currently in the Berlin Museum (see photo from CP, 175) Shabtis of this queen are unusually well represented online. One may be seen at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Another shabti of Duathathor-Henttawy is in the collection of the Petrie Museum. A third shabti of this queen may be viewed at www.shabtis.com.)
(Source Bibliography: CCR, 63ff; CP, 175; DRN, 201, 207, 212, 255-256; EMs, 47, 48, ill. 46; MiAE, 126, 239, 329, ill. 131; MMM, 37, 65, ill. 22; MR, 576f., 590, 592; RM, 101ff.; XRP, 100, 172-73, ills. 20, 50.)
Maatkare-Mutemhet
God’s Wife of Amun, daughter of Pinudjem I
fl. c. 1050 BCE
Provenance: DB 320
Discovery Date: 1881
Current Location: Cairo Museum CG61088
Original Burial: Unknown.
Reburial: in DB 320 (probably in end chamber “F”) at sometime before Year 11 of Shoshenq I (after which the Inhapi group of mummies were cached in this tomb. (Source: DRN, 256.)
Article text from the Theban Royal Mummy Project:
Reeves (perhaps using MR [Cairo, 1889] as the basis of his report) states that the mummy of Maatkare-Mutemhet had been disturbed, and mentions that only the wrappings of her right arm were slit open by thieves searching for valuables. Smith, who examined the mummy in June, 1909, describes the ancient damage as being more extensive in nature, saying that Maatkare’s shroud had been ripped from forehead to pelvis (cf. RM, pp. 98 ff.) Her left forearm was broken, and her hands had been badly damaged, one being practically broken off. Smith records that Maatkare’s face had been painted with yellow ochre (probably in imitation of the skin color used by artists when depicting aristocratic women on wall paintings–cf. Masaharta, below) and a gum-like material which adhered to the linen shroud. He described the linens used to wrap Maatkare as being of superior quality to any he had encountered in mummies from the preceding dynasties. He also states that the body cavity was filled with sawdust, and that the neck had been packed with fat (possibly butter) mixed with soda in order to give the mummy a more life-like appearance.
Maatkare was found in her original coffins (CG 61028; JE26200). The beautiful outer coffin had a gilded left hand (the right hand was missing) and had originally been designed to include some type of forehead decoration which was no longer present. The holes clearly visible above the forehead on the portrait mask of the outer coffin indicate that some type of decorative element had originally been placed there. (For more details about this missing decoration, see Rogerio Sousa, GCSS, 53f., n. 321. Also see the link above to our page about Maatkare’s coffins.) The coffin and coffin board had both the gilded hands and faces missing. (See photo of Maatkare still enshrouded in damaged inner coffin from MR1 [Cairo, 1881] and reprinted in KMT [3:4] 41.) A leather thong was found around Maatkare’s head which was probably used to hold an amulet, now missing. Three gold and silver rings were found on each thumb (see link to RM, pl. LXXIII below), and x-rays revealed the presence of a gold plate covering the embalming incision (which, notes Reeves, had been missed by G. E. Smith.) A funerary papyrus of Maatkare exists but is not mentioned by Reeves in his list of objects found with the High Priestess in DB 320, perhaps indicating that this had been stolen by the Abd el-Rassul’s and subsequently sold on the antiquities market. (See photo of papyrus from PF, pl. I.) See another photo of papyrus from TVK, 127.)
A small, neatly wrapped mummy was found in the coffins with the High Priestess (see photo at left.) Since Smith had observed that Maatkare’s breasts were enlarged as though she had been lactating, he concluded that she had died in childbirth, and assumed that the small mummy was that of her child and (as had Maspero earlier) mistakenly believed that the name “Mutemhet,” which appeared on Maatkare’s coffin, designated this child. Later, it was discovered that the name “Mutemhet” was a name of Maatkare herself. Harris and Weeks also affirm that Maatkare died in childbirth, and add that the embalmers had packed her abdomen in a way calculated to emphasize that fact. However, their x-rays revealed that the tiny mummy is not a human child, but a female hamadryas baboon (XRP, 53), perhaps included with Maatkare for ritual purposes. Not all Egyptologists agree that Maatkare died in childbirth. Salima Ikram and Aidan Dodson point out that her mummy’s “pregnant” appearance could have resulted unintentionally from the slow “swelling” of the embalming materials. The 1987 edition of the Official Catalogue: The Egyptian Museum, Cairo also disputes the theory that Maatkare died while giving birth.
(Source Bibliography: CCR, 82ff.; DRN, 201, 207, 213; EM, 114; EMC-87, no. 237; EMs, 48, ills. 47; EMbm, 66, ill. no. 85; GCSS, 53f., n. 321; MiAE, 126-7, 242, 329, ills. no. 27, 74, 299, 300; MR, 579-pl. 19b, 590ff.; RM, 98ff., 106; TVK, 127; XRA, 3E5-351; XRP, 173, 174, ills. 52-53.)