The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Surprise find for Perth museum as mummy is lifted out of coffin
As body from ancient Egypt is removed, painted figures are revealed
Conservators have discovered paintings inside the coffin of an Egyptian mummy after she was lifted out of it for the first time in more than 100 years.
They made the discovery during work to conserve Ta-Kr-Hb, believed to be a priestess or princess from Thebes, before she is displayed in the new City Hall Museum in Perth.
The mummy, which is nearly 3,000 years old, was in fragile condition after being targeted by grave robbers in ancient times.
Work was needed to ensure her condition did not deteriorate further.
Conservators were surprised to discover painted figures on the internal and external bases of the coffin trough when they lifted her out.
Both figures are representations of the Egyptian goddess Amentet or Imentet, known as the She of the West or sometimes as Lady of the West.
Dr Mark Hall, collections officer at Perth Museum and Art Gallery, said: “We had never had a reason to lift the whole thing so high that we could see the underneath of the trough and had never lifted the mummy out before and didn’t expect to see anything there.
“So to get a painting on both surfaces is a real bonus and gives us something extra special to share with visitors.”
Conservators Helena and Richard Jaeschke have been working closely with Culture Perth and Kinross on the project, with work starting in late January.
Further research will be carried out on the paintings to find out more about the history of the mummy.
The mummy was donated to Perth Museum by the Alloa Society of Natural Science and Archaeology in 1936.
It was presented to the society by a Mr William Bailey, who bought it from the curator of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Dr Hall said: “The key thing we wanted to achieve was to stabilise the body so it didn’t deteriorate any more so it has been rewrapped and then we wanted to stabilise the trough and upper part of the coffin which we’ve done.”
Culture Perth and Kinross is campaigning to raise money for the conservation of Ta-Kr-Hb as she prepares to go on display at the City Hall Museum in 2022. It has a page at justgiving.com/campaign/CPKmummy