Queen Nodjmet: Revolutionary Mummy at Deir el-Bahari

Kane Khanh | Archeaology
August 3, 2023

Nodjmet was one of the first mummies discovered at the Deir el-Bahari Cachette (TT320) in the 19th century. She had been embalmed with a new mummification technique which involved the use of fake eyes and the packing of the limbs. Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, ca. 1069-945 BC. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 26215

Queen Nodjmet was the wife of Pharaoh Herihor and the mother of Pharaoh Piankh. Her mummy was discovered in 1905 in the Deir el-Bahari cache along with the mummies of several other New Kingdom pharaohs and their consorts.The discovery of her mummy was significant because it shed light on the lineage of the 21st Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Queen Nodjmet was a member of the Theban royal family, and her mummy helped identify other members of her family who ruled during the Third Intermediate Period.

Her mummy was well-preserved, and the embalming process was done with great care. The body was wrapped in bandages and placed in a gilded wooden coffin. The outer coffin was decorated with scenes of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys mourning the deceased, as well as depictions of Queen Nodjmet with her husband and son.

In addition to the mummy and coffin, the cache also contained a number of funerary items, including canopic jars, shabti figurines, and a gold necklace. These artifacts provide valuable insights into the funerary practices and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians.

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