Mummy of Irtirutja 250 BC

Do you believe in the existence of the soul? For Ancient Egyptians, the soul (or ‘ba’) was considered as a distinct and complex concept that was separate from the physical body. It was believed that the soul required a body to live in, both in this life and the next. This is why the Ancient Egyptians mummified their dead! By mummifying deceased bodies, Ancient Egyptians preserved the physical vessel of the soul. This allowed the life force to pass into the afterlife, and prevented the spirit from becoming lost on their journey beyond. 🪽 This mummy, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is of a man called Irtirutja. Irtirutja was a priest in Akhmim. As well as performing rituals, Ancient Egyptian priests had immense social and political influence. Irtirutja’s lived during the longest and last dynasty of Ancient Egypt – the Ptolemaic Period (332 – 250 B.C.). His mummified body is wrapped in linens known as ‘cartonnage’. This cartonnage has been elaborately decorated with paint… and real gold! Gold was considered divine by Ancient Egyptians, who believed it was the flesh of the sun god Ra. The cartonnage wrappings feature the repeated motif of a scarab beetle. These insects held symbolic meaning, as they were associated with renewal and regeneration. They also offered protection in the transition to afterlife. An elaborate golden mask has been placed onto the wrapped body. The eyes and facial features have been painted to create a human appearance which the soul could recognise. The face is complete with a vivid blue headpiece. This colour was associated with the divine. 🔵 This preserved mummy offers a fascinating insight into the belief systems of a lost civilisation. It’s a great example of how art can be used to reveal secrets about the lives (and deaths!) of humans across time.