ostracon ancient art
catalogue

Egyptian Wooden Animal Sarcophagus, Ptolemaic Period, 332-31 BC

Wooden animal sarcophagus, perhaps intended for a serpent, fashioned as a shrine with nice cavetto cornices on top and a vertical sliding door in front.

Carved from a single piece of cedar with interior grooves to fit the front panel.

These kinds of shrines could house mortuary statues, mummified remains of animals or symbols associated with a particular deity.

For a snake coffin in the Brooklyn Museum, cf. inv. no. 37.1358E. For a shrew coffin with sliding door, cf. inv. no. 37.1362E

Light weathering to the bottom, interesting piece.

H. 21.4 cm (8.2 in)

Ex Orange County private collection, thence US art market.

980 USD