 Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 22, ca. 946-735 BCE Cartonnage (fabric, glue, plaster), linen, pigment, human remains H: 62 3/8 in. (160 cm) Purchased in Egypt, 1919, OIM 10797 Photo ©Joan Ann Lansberry, 2010
 Photo ©Joan Ann Lansberry, 2010
  From _Reading Egyptian Art_, Wilkinson, Tyet drawn by me, JAL... |
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Djed-pillar "An Egyptian hieroglyph, probably a manifestation of part of the spinal cord, that was a written form of the word for 'stability'. It was a commonly employed symbol in religious iconography."
From _Art for Eternity_, Fazzini, Romano and Cody, page 157 As an amulet, the djed was more likely to be used for funerary purposes, "to assure stability for the deceased." It was "common for a string of about a dozen pillars to be placed across the belly of the mummy, just opposite the lower vertebrae. " (_Ancient Egyptian Magic_), Bob Brier, page 154)
Tyet (aka 'tiet'), "a symbol with broad meaning, associated generally with health and well-being" (From _Ancient Egypt: Treasures of the Oriental Institute_, by Emily Teeter, page 76):
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The central portion features two protective serpent headed Wadjet goddesses, each with wings. The wings surround wedjat (aka 'udjat') eyes:
Why the similarity between 'Wadjet' the goddess and 'wedjat' the eye? In one version of the myth, Ra had sent forth his eye, and while it was gone, grew a new one. The first eye returned, and was displeased. Ra-Atum then transformed her into a snake goddess with fiery capacities. Not only that, in addition to the ankhs meaning 'life', there are several 'was' scepters to ensure her power, 'shen' glyphs which mean eternity, and two rams. The rams mostly likely had dual purpose, for in addition to possibly representing Khnum or Ba-neb-djed, the word for 'ram' sounded the same as the word for an aspect of the soul, 'ba': |
| Not only that, note the young bull on Meresamun's footstand: |
| The word for 'bull' also sounds the same as a word for an aspect of the soul, the 'ka', or 'animating life force'. Furthermore, the bull in this context can be identified as the god Apis. |
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Meresamun is wearing a vulture headdress worn by priestesses and women of high rank. This headdress is associated with the vulture goddess Nekhbet, who has origins going back to the city of Nekheb, even before Upper and Lower Egypt were unified. Her mummy case also has representations of floral necklaces, which are symbols of regeneration. Every opportunity to aid her regeneration and rebirth has been employed in this magnificent case.
Sources also include _The Life of Meresamun: a Temple Singer in Ancient Egypt_, edited by Emily Teeter and Janet H. Johnson |
