Funerary mask of King Psusennes I

Artefact Details

Gallery number: 2 – Upper Floor

Period: Third Intermediate Period

Dynasty: 21th Dynasty, Reign of Psusennes I (1047-996 BC)

Size: Height: 48 cm, Width: 38 cm

Place of discovery: Tanis – Nile Delta

Material: Gold, lapis lazuli, glass paste

This gold funerary mask, found by the French archeologist Pierre Montet in 1940, is one of the masterpieces of the Egyptian Museum and the most beautiful artefacts coming from the excavations at Tanis (now Tell San el-Hagar). The king is portrayed with the nemes-headdress with a uraeus (the holy cobra protector of royalty) and idealized features and usekh necklace.