- Title
- Mummy Mask of a Man
- Date Made
- late 2nd-early 3rd century
- Medium
- Cartonnage, paint
- Dimensions
- 5 3/8 x 5 5/16 x 8 7/8 in. (13.65 x 13.34 x 22.54 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.2019.293
- Collecting Area
- Egyptian Art
- Curatorial Notes
Greeks and Romans living in Egypt adopted many local funerary practices, such as mummification and burial in coffins. While this plaster mask was made for an Egyptian-style burial, it bears little resemblance to other ancient Egyptian mummy masks. Its sensitively modeled features and beard are Roman, and it appears to have been created to reflect the likeness of a specific individual. The head’s unique baldness and specificity refute the commonly held belief that such masks were mass-produced. The face was cast in a mold, and the neck and hair were shaped later by hand. Masks were made separately from the coffin and later attached to the mummy case or cartonnage. In some instances, the mask was pierced so that it could be fastened to the mummy’s head with a cord.
