Burial mask

Ancient Egypt

10 inches, painted wood

A death mask applied to the wrapped mummy was an important detail for the dead body which, after prayers and consecration, was put into a sarcophagus. The mask was believed to strengthen the spirit of the mummy and guard the soul from evil spirits in its way to the afterworld. I bought this piece without thinking it was really 2500 years old, but I loved the way it looked... even if it is a fake. Real ones have been stolen from graves in Egypt and sold to tourists and dealers for many years.