Views inside a painted wooden coffin

Update – this post contains blurred images of human remains. To read more about this decision, follow this link. 

It is impossible not to see this object when you enter the Artifact Lab, as it’s front and center, and immediately impressive, due to its well-preserved painted details:

This is the lower-half of a Third Intermediate Period (21st Dynasty?) painted wooden coffin, that recently came up to the Artifact Lab. Our visitors are always commenting on how vibrant the colors are, and that is mostly based on what they can see from the exterior. But the interior of this coffin is fully decorated, and arguably even more impressive, and I promised some people this week that I’d post photos of the interior soon. Here they are:

Overall view of the interior of the coffin from above
Overall view of the interior of the coffin from above
coffin right side
View of the right side
coffin left side
View of the left side
View of the interior, top of the coffin
View of the interior, top of the coffin

The only areas on the coffin that are not decorated are the exterior of the back, and both sides of the foot/base.

All in all, this coffin is in great condition, but it needs some treatment, including surface cleaning and stabilization of the wood and paint in some areas.

There are also a few mysterious things about it, in particular, these drilled holes in the back – what the heck are these all about?

There are 8 rows of holes drilled through the back of the coffin
There are 8 rows of holes drilled through the back of the coffin

Stay tuned as we investigate further.