Wall Painting

Fragment of a painted wall decorated with a scene from a funeral ceremony. A priest holds a coffin upright, with a female mourner kneeling before the foot of the coffin. The block is from the east wall of the passage within Theban Tomb 222 (Qurnet Murai), the burial place of Heqamaatranakht, also called Turo, a high priest of the god Montu at Thebes during the reigns of Ramesses 3rd - 4th. His wife, who is shown in the scene, is named as Wiay who was chief of the harem of Montu at Thebes. Their children are Userhet, chief prophet of Montu, and Panebmontu, first prophet of Montu. Neutral grey background with red, black, white, blue and yellow paint on plaster over mud. The block was donated to Norwich Castle Museum in 1919 by Dr Fisher and was described as being formerly in the collection of Robert de Rustafjaell. It was sold at Sotheby's, London, 20-24 January 1913 Lot 599: "A large Panel of Fresco Painting; 19 in. high, 15 in. wide; with inscriptions and Figures of a Man supporting a Mummy in its casing and with a Woman seated on the ground in front in mourning attitude". Tracings of the tomb decoration were made by Norman and Nina de Garis Davies; see the Griffith Institute website for further information.