Sarcophagus of Mindjedef
Unknown Artist
ca. 2520–2472 B.C.
Medium
Granite
Dimensions
L. 236.9 × W. 96.5 × H. 104.1 cm (93 1/4 × 38 × 41 in.)
Classification
Sarcophagus, Mindjedef
Period
Old Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, by exchange, 1954
Accession Number
54.80a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into ancient Egypt with the Sarcophagus of Mindjedef, a monumental granite coffin from the Old Kingdom's Dynasty 4 (ca. 2520–2472 B.C.). Crafted for Mindjedef, likely a royal prince or high-ranking noble during the era of the great pyramids at Giza, this sarc exemplifies the pinnacle of early Egyptian stoneworking. Measuring nearly 8 feet long, it was designed to eternally house the mummy, safeguarding the deceased's body for the journey to the afterlife—a core belief in Egyptian cosmology. Carved from durable pinkish Aswan granite, prized for its hardness and symbolic permanence, the sa...