Ancient Egyptian sarcophagus reveals face of 2,500-year-old priestess

A 2,500-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus housed at Perth Museum is gaining new attention through a stunning digital facial reconstruction.

Now, the visage of the woman mummified and interred within it approximately 2,500 years ago has been vividly revived through a striking digital reconstruction, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Curators and experts behind the recreation believe she was a black woman from the kingdom of Kush, one of the largest empires of the ancient world, which ruled Upper Egypt and encompassed parts of present-day Sudan. The reconstructed head and her sarcophagus will be showcased in the museum's upcoming exhibition, "Waters Rising," set to open on November 8. Dr. Chris Rynn, a craniofacial anthropologist and forensic artist, observed that the skull shape of the woman inside the sarcophagus did not conform to the typical characteristics of ancient Kemetic Egyptians.

He explained to the Observer: “The skull shape doesn't resemble any ancient Egyptians I've encountered. Kemetic skulls typically have long, narrow craniums, more pronounced narrow noses, and longer faces. As I reconstruct the face, the shape is dictated by the skull based on scientific methods, so I don’t have artistic freedom until the final stage, when I add photo-realistic textures and colors.” Rynn strongly believes that the woman was likely black, a theory supported by the historical and archaeological context of the region. The hieroglyphics on the woman’s sarcophagus identify her as “Ta-Kr-Hb” or “Takerheb.”

She is believed to have been a priestess or princess who died in her thirties, suffering from significant tooth decay, and lived during the 25th-26th dynasties (circa 760-525 BC). Dr. Mark Hall, the museum's collections officer, stated: “Chris’s facial reconstruction reveals that the woman is Kushite, from the kingdom of Kush, which was a neighbor to Ancient Egypt in Sudan. At this time, around 2,500 years ago, the Kushite empire had conquered Egypt, leading to a succession of black Kushite pharaohs.”  

Rynn, who primarily collaborates with international police to help identify bodies through facial reconstructions, noted, “The face on the sarcophagus is quite different—a long face with a narrow nose. It’s not unusual for a sarcophagus to not resemble its occupant.

However, on the inside of the lid, there is a painting of a woman with much darker skin.” In Rynn's reconstruction, the woman is depicted as bald, explaining, “Priests and priestesses would have shaved all their body hair for both ceremonial and hygiene reasons while embalming the deceased. If she were a princess, she likely would have shaved her head as well, although she might have worn a ceremonial wig.”

By Naila Huseynova