Niagara Falls Museum Coffin NFM C8

Provenance: Unknown, almost certainly Thebes
Date: Late Dynasty XXV-XXVI, circa 770-525 bce.
Material: wood, gesso, paint
Dimensions: 76" long x 25" wide

This is the outer coffin of Iaw-tays-heret. It is fairly plain; the original white wash has disappeared from most of the surface, exposing the grain of the wood.

The finely constructed female face retains its paint. There is a clear band of large hieroglyphs between narrow borders of red paint down the centre of the lid, and a similar band of large hieroglyphs within red borders encircles the trough.

The lady's name and title, and the names of her parents are included here. Neither the interior nor exterior coffin bottom is available for inspection at present.

The coffin is sturdily built from good wood, and is quite heavy. No determination has been made as to the species of wood.

[At present, the bottom of NFM C9 rests inside the bottom of NFM 8. As currently displayed, the inside bottom of NFM C8b cannot be seen.]

Although no human remains are presently displayed in either part of Iaw-tays-heret's coffins, both Niagara Falls Museum Mummy M6 and M7 have been photographed within C7 and C8 over the years. Evidence suggests, however, that NFM M4 was the original inhabitant of the coffin, and thus may well have been Iaw-tays-heret herself.