Corn Mummy
Description
Object Label: The Greek historian Herodotus visited Egypt in about 450 B.C.E. and in his writings associated animal mummies with pilgrimages and festivals in which kings performed rituals. The best archaeological evidence for ritual objects created for Egyptian festivals are, however, so-called corn mummies like this one. Images of Osiris made of grain, wax, and earth contained in wooden coffins were created in connection with such annual festivals as Khoiak, which linked the god Osiris to the fertility of the earth. The grain sprouted from the earth, symbolizing renewal, rejuvenation, and the cycle of life and death. Caption: Corn Mummy, 305 B.C.E.–150 C.E.. Wood, clay, sand, corn, linen, 5 3/4 x 6 7/8 x 19 11/16 in. (14.6 x 17.5 x 50 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Caren Golden in memory of Eleanor L. Golden, 2007.1a-c. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth, photographer))
AI image analysis GPT-4o-2024-08-06
Machine-generated from the object's image on May 2026. Not curatorial; treat deities, names, and signs below as the model's best reading, not authority.
A painted and inscribed ancient Egyptian coffin lid depicting various symbols and decorations.
The artifact is a funerary coffin lid showcasing intricate painted designs and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The lid features traditional Egyptian motifs including colorful bands and detailed symbolic representations. The composition suggests careful artistic craftsmanship with a semi-rectangular shape tapering to a rounded headpiece, adorned with ornate designs and hieroglyphs. The use of vibrant pigments highlights the importance of the piece, likely intended for a high-status individual in ancient Egyptian society.
Cross-references (2)
- BKM-Accession 2007.1a-c tier-2
- BKM-Object 154356 tier-2
About this record's data
- From the source institution — accession, description, dimensions, and dating are as catalogued by Brooklyn Museum — Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art.
- AI-inferred — the image-analysis panel (deities, names, signs) is machine-generated and may be wrong.
- Approximate location — most map points are plotted at the site centroid, not the exact findspot.
- Inferred links — cross-references marked with a match method other than explicit-source-field were matched by us, not stated by the source.