Egyptian Mummy Linen w/ Hieratic Book of the Dead Text

**Originally Listed At $2500**

Egypt, late Ptolemaic to Romano-Egyptian period, ca. 2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE. A rare strip of mummy linen of a lengthy rectangular form with finely aged light-brown coloration throughout. Atop the linen strip are two lines of handwritten hieratic script in jet-black ink that provides a section of text from the Egyptian Book of the Dead (or the Book of Going Forth by Day). In later dynastic and post-dynastic periods, lines from the Book of the Dead were written on the linens used for wrapping mummies. Rather than adorn a sarcophagus or cartonnage elements with this script, priests believed that laying the text directly on the mummy wrappings would create a more robust layer of protective incantation over the deceased and their journey to the afterlife. Custom display frame included. Size (linen): 28" L x 1.25" W (71.1 cm x 3.2 cm); size (display frame): 37" L x 12.75" W (94 cm x 32.4 cm).

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA; ex-private Montrose, California, USA collection; ex-Charles Ryan collection, formed in the 1930s to 1950s

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#149689
Condition Report: Expected desiccation and fraying to peripheral threads commensurate with age. Light fading to original black script, and light staining, otherwise intact and excellent. Hieratic text is still visible.