Masks and Cases
Masks were very important in Ancient Egyptian burials because they not only protected the mummy, but also enabled the spirits to recognize their names by their masks when they returned to the tomb. In addition, the masks provided the dead a face for the afterlife.
The famous mask is the golden mask of Tutankhamun, which was made from solid gold. Most masks of the pharaohs were made from gold, which were often inlaid with beautiful gemstones. Gold was related with sun god who had gold flesh. Masks were made from a substance known as cartonnage, which is the mixture of linen or papyrus strips with a gummy substance. The cartonnage was painted after it is dried.
Mummy Cases
Mummy cases also have the function of protecting the mummies from wild animals and tomb robbers. Their main job is to act as a substitute of the human body to house the spirit of the deceased.
There were dramatic changes in the design of the mummy cases through history. At the beginning, the mummy cases were just plain wooden boxes. There was even a mummy found in reed basket. By the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, two mummy cases were used for extra protection. By the same time, the mummy-shaped cases appeared. There were also decorations made on the mummy cases. Sometimes, the books of the dead were depicted on the cases.
