Funerary Papyrus of Tayuhenutmut
Third Intermediate Period, probably Dynasty 21 (about 1069-945 BCE)
Medium
Papyrus and pigment
Dimensions
24.5 × 101 cm (9 11/16 × 39 7/8 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
805
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Potent symbols, sacred words, and divine protection helped ancient Egyptians transition from the earthly realm to an eternal existence. Interactions between mortals and the gods were depicted on funerary objects including papyri, like this example made for temple singer Tayu-henut-Mut (“the mistress of [the goddess] Mut”). This papyrus shows Tayu-henut-Mut standing with raised hands before an offering table, praising the enthroned god Osiris, ruler of the afterlife. Behind Osiris a scribe has c...
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....