Analysis Of The Poem ' The Coffin '

774 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The Ancient Egyptian Burial Rite

Title: Artifact Analysis for Art 1309 by Donna Range, December 1, 2016

Title of work of art: Coffin of Horankh

Description: A coffin. It is normally two pieces, a top and bottom, but it is now contrived to look like one cohesive piece. The coffin has a realistic face that is uniquely colored green with a beard that is plaited (braided) and turns upward. These attributes are done in homage to Osiris – who is said to be the Lord of the Underworld and the god of resurrection. The head of the coffin has been adorned with a traditionally worn Egyptian nemes headdress and a traditional collar necklace trimmed in tear drops is placed around the neck area. The bodily outlines are subtle, but in close examination, you can see the meticulous efforts added by the sculptor. This coffin is lucid, but uses line in remarkable patterns for detail. The base of the coffin has a prayer to Osiris along with the name of the deceased inscribed. This artifact represents Horankh’s coffin for his bodily remains.

Medium/ how was it made: This anthropoid coffin, shaped to mimic a mummified person, is made of irregular wood plank pieces and filled with mud in the gapped spaces. It has been finished to have the appearance of linen shroud. Linen shroud is the material Egyptians used to mummify bodily remains. The coffin has “brilliant eyes of calcite and obsidian shine.” (Odyssey) Bronze and paint are also mediums used to construct this coffin.

Condition: Cracks, discoloring, and wear are undoubtedly noticeable. Yet, the coffin is nice and clean and looks to be kept in very pristine condition. The colors vary in shade and various layers of the coffin are now exposed, especially at the base where you can see splintered pieces of wood, along with...

... middle of paper ...

...resent location: This artifact is currently housed in the Dallas Museum of Art in Dallas, TX. It is in the Classical Art department and is a part of the Arts of Ancient Egypt collection, on level 3.

Summary: The Coffin of Horankh, is one of many art pieces, that helps us to understand how Egyptians valued life, but even more, how strongly they valued the ka – the life force that remained habitable in the body for the afterlife. This artifact reveals to us the end results of the in-depth process the Egyptians coined, in mummifying bodies. We see the importance, for them, in encasing the mummified bodies for tomb burials for their next life; just as we learned in our lectures of Egyptian Art. Through this artifact we also obtain imagery of Osiris – Lord of the Underworld and gained an understanding of his importance to them as the god of resurrection.

Show More
Related

  • Rogier Van Der Weyden's Deposition Essay

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jesus’s body is centered in the middle of the altarpiece, positioned in an elegant curve as his lifeless form is removed from the cross. His body is sickly thin, ribs easily visible

    Read More

  • Mummy Case of Paankhenamun

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...rown, and in particularly gold. The gold color was used thoroughly, but due to ageing, it seemed to have changed shades and turned into brownish color (Freeman 321-2). An example of that could be illustrated by the face, which has a golden touch to it but is seen to be roughly all turning brown. These decorative features were also seen on other mummy coffins, such as on the coffin of Tutankhamun, found on the Valley of the Kings in Dynasty 18 (Stockstad 120-2). Tutankhamun’s case also demonstrated similar golden tones being used, which as a result of aging varnished and fainted in some areas to a darker golden- brownish and yellowish shade (Stockstad 123,125).

    Read More

  • Tomb Of Pairy Analysis

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Egyptian culture was largely focused on the afterlife. One of their most important deities, Osiris, became the ruler of the Underworld through death. The pharaoh and elite class prepared for their impending deaths throughout their lives. Much of what survives from ancient Egypt today was found in tombs and temples of the dead. When one of the elite died, the process of laying him or her to rest was extensive. Harold Hays explains that “the ritualized process of embalming and mummification is usually stated as lasting seventy days” (Hays 5). "Funeral Procession, Tomb of Pairy" shows two of the processes that Hays details. The first depicted is the procession to the tomb. Pairy’s body would have already been through several processions, mummification, and embalming. This particular procession’s goal is to lead not just the body, but also the spirit into the afterlife. People of both high and low classes attended this procession, carrying with them the tomb goods (Hays 6-7). The second depicted

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Monumental Statue Of The Pharaoh Ramesses II

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    The medium is Granodiorite and the technique used was sunken relief, which is a technique were the sculptor chisels deep outlines below the stone’s surface. The sculpture does not seem to be originally painted. The Egyptians created coloristic effects through contrasting shadows and highlights. They used natural pigments to color some sculptures, however this was not the case. There are deeply cut areas in the back of the statue that create deep shadows and the use of natural light helps to bring up the highlights. The granodiorite has natural colors that helped the sculptor show more of those shadows and highlights. The statue is mostly in a warm hue and it may be caused because of the lighting inside the museum. These warm colors make the details stand out more. At a closer look of the structure there are different colors that can be easily identified, such as white, yellow, brown, black, gray and small spots of orange. The statues seems to be carved in one piece. There are no signs indicating it

    Read More

  • The Coffin Of Tentkhonsu

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Etruscan Sarcophagi

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through the means of commemorating and remembering those of prestige and importance, tombs and sarcophagi are produced of these individuals. This funerary manner and distinctive burial practice was initiated Etruscan culture and it developed through the means of cremation and inhumation in earns. The concept of placing the remains of individuals in elaborate, thought out spaces was a valuable attribute of these people. The Etruscan objective of creating the best possible outcome in the afterlife dictated the way in which individuals ornamented and became portrayed in their tombs. Presen...

    Read More

  • I Lay Dying Coffin

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    In As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner, the coffin is an important inanimate object. After the death of Addie Bundren, the Bundren family embarks on a 40-mile journey to Jefferson to respect her wish to be buried there. Cash Bundren builds the coffin while Addie is dying, the coffin goes through many obstacles with the Bundrens during the journey, and the overall objective of the journey is to bury the coffin. Although the coffin literally serves as a box that contains the corpse of Addie, the coffin also serves as the central symbol of the family's love and gratitude towards her as well as their instability.

    Read More

  • Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier Analysis

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is obvious in this photograph that this soldier is taking great pride in guarding the Tomb of the Unknown. The first thing noticed when looking at this photograph from D. Myles Cullen is the white marble sarcophagus, or stone coffin. This is located in the very center of the photograph and is an important and well-respected monument. Engraved on the sarcophagus are the words

    Read More

  • A Story About The Body Poem Analysis

    741 Words  | 2 Pages

    “A Story about the Body”, a prose poem by Robert Hass, is literally about a man who supposedly loves a woman but then finds out about her health conditions and then changes his mind. This poem, when I read it, was more like a short story than a poem. The poem uses imagery and a variety of adjectives which allow the reader to put themselves in the story as if they were watching it happen.

    Read More

  • The Visit Of The Metropolitan Museum

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    Let’s begin with what was going on during the time period for each sculpture. During the 2458-2446 BCE. Userkaf was thriving over his brother Sahure, and he became the new ruler of Egypt. In the start of 2446 BCE, Neferirkare beings his dominant over Egypt. King Sahure and Nome God is a high relief it is still attached to a surface of a stone. The Pharaoh sitting on his thorn wearing a Nemes headdress (it is usually blue and gold striped), fake beard. The king has an emotionless facial expression. It was made for a decoration for the king pyramid complex. The symbol behind this statue could be the gathering of the Nome gods form Upper and Lower Egypt around t...

    Read More

  • Burial Practices of Ancient Egypt

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    Perhaps the most notorious of burial practices originating in Egypt is that of mummification. Why such an extraordinary attempt was made to preserve cadavers may seem

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Poem Dying Is Fine But Death

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    In E.E. Cummings poem “dying is fine) but Death”, the poet talks about the the ever discussed topic about dying and Death itself. Cummings talks about how dying is something to look forward to and how it is inevitable, from the moment we are born, to the fateful day it occurs. I agree with this analysis and the author’s analysis of the poem. Cummings uses his legendary shape style to form “dying is fine) but Death” to show how life begins. He may have wanted to symbolize the start of life with “o baby” which if you look at the paper version of the book, “o baby” is split up and very small compared to other sentences in the poem, signifying the start of someone’s life. When the middle of the poem starts to appear, the word “why?” pops up. This could signify the middle of someone’s life, or the “why” that many of us began to ask ourselves this question when we realize that not

    Read More

  • Ancient Egyptian Medicine: A Comparison of Egyptian and Modern Day Medicine and Reasoning for Continued Research of Ancient Egyptian Medical Practices

    1941 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... learning about ancient medical practices in Egypt, therefore I have decided to continue research and expand my paper into a twenty page research paper for my final research paper at the end of the semester. In my next portion of my ten page paper I will explore the other topics stated in my thesis. My final paper will merely be a continuation of the topics that I have written about in this paper. I will explore and go into depth with the topics of human embalmment and its significance to the work of modern medicine today. I would also like to compare modern day embalmment for funerals with embalmment rituals used in Ancient Egypt. Another primary focus for the next installment of this paper will be a detailed argument of why it would be a wonderful and scientifically beneficial idea to fund and continue research of medical practices in Ancient Egypt.

    Read More

  • The House Of The Dead Literary Analysis Essay

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fyodor Dostoyevsky creates an uncommon form of a true story in his book, The House of the Dead. He does this by providing an accurate point-of-view from what has happened to him when he was in a Siberian military prison serving four years of his life. Dostoyevsky was put in prison because he was part of the Petrashevsky Circle, a group of writers that got together to oppose writings of western philosophy. ¬¬All of the writers took part of this knowing it was illegal and all of them got caught, including Dostoyevsky himself.

    Read More

  • Essay On Abydos

    2483 Words  | 5 Pages

    Abydos was a cultural and religious center that held importance not just for those that lived there but to the region as a whole. Many Egyptian pharaohs had temples built at Abydos for their worship after they had traveled to the afterlife. Not surprisingly, the more affluent Egyptians at Abydos had tombs constructed incorporating drawings and murals depicting servitude to the gods and other activities in which they expected to participate when they joined with the gods (Casson 42). Included in the tomb would be grave goods such as food, clothing, musical instruments and anything else that would make the afterlife more pleasant for the owner of...

    Read More

More about Analysis Of The Poem ' The Coffin '

Open Document