Pseudomomy mask. Ancient Egypt, Ptolemaic period, 4th century BC.

Pseudomomy mask. Ancient Egypt, Ptolemaic period, 4th century BC.
Linen and pigments.
Provenance: Piasa, Jean Roudillon, Paris June 7, 2004, lot 172. Italian private collection.
In good condition.
Measurements: 11 cm high.

The Egyptian funerary masks had the main function of allowing the identification of the deceased, so they were placed covering the head of the mummy. On the other hand, chapter 151 of the Book of the Dead recalls that the funerary mask constitutes an essential element of the protection of the head of the deceased. The first funerary masks would be the stone "reserve heads" of the IV dynasty, which served as a substitute for the head of the deceased. Excavations have brought to light several plaster masks from the end of the Ancient Empire, molded over the face of the deceased in order to preserve his memory. The royal masks, most often made of gold, will often be adorned with semiprecious stones and fragments of vitreous paste. The mask is therefore an important part of the funerary rites of Ancient Egypt, forming part of an elaborate series of rituals that were considered necessary to ensure immortality after death. These rites and protocols included mummification, the utterance of magic spells and the inclusion of very specific objects in the tombs, which were thought to be needed in the afterlife.