Human world
Length: 220cm
Sarcophagi are outer coffins usually made from stone such as quartzite, limestone, alabaster and granite. They tended to be reserved for royalty or high officials.
Bakenkhonsu was First High Priest of Amun under the pharaoh Ramesses II (13th century BC). This made him one of the most influential officials in Egypt under perhaps the greatest pharaoh ever. The events of his life are recorded on an autobiographical statue now in Munich.
Bakenkhonsu lived for 66 years, a relatively long time in ancient Egyptian terms. He gradually rose through the ranks of the priesthood at Thebes before becoming First High Priest of Amun for the last six years of his life. He was also the royal architect, building the king's palace and adding to the great temple of Amun at Thebes.
Bakenkhonsu was buried in a tomb at Thebes, decorated with six colossal statues. Champollion, the man who first deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs, discovered the tomb. Sometime early in the 19th century the tomb was robbed. Bakenkhonsu's sarcophagus was bought by Viscount Valentia. He sold it in 1852 to Joseph Mayer of Liverpool. He eventually donated it to the museum together with the rest of his huge collection.
The granite stone sarcophagus is shaped like a mummy, decorated with images of gods and prayers to them. On the sides are relief scenes of Thoth holding a standard bearing a star, and the four sons of Horus.
Events of Bakenkhonsu’s life are recorded on a statue now in Munich, including the building of a temple on behalf of Rameses II at Karnak. As First High Priest of Amun he was one of the most influential offcials in Egypt.
The sarcophagus was smashed into pieces when a bomb fell on the museum during a German air raid in May 1941, but it was rebuilt and restored a few years ago. On his statue Bakenkhonsu begs to be remembered by men:
'who will come after me for thousands and later thousands of years'.
This picture shows the sarcophagus complete before 1941.
Gift of Joseph Mayer, 186 (formerly in the collection of Viscount Valentia)