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.
