G. Mudalige, Jadetimes Staff
G. Mudalige is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Technology & Innovation
An ancient Egyptian coffin, believed to date from around 650 BC, has been painstakingly restored after decades of conservation work and has finally returned to Swansea University’s Egypt Centre. Originally made for a man named Ankhpakhered in Thebes, the coffin was in a deteriorated state when it was gifted to the university in 1997 by Aberystwyth University. Over time, it had even been used as a storage box for other Egyptian artifacts, further contributing to its poor condition.
The restoration process, undertaken at Cardiff University, involved thousands of hours of meticulous work by conservation experts and students. The coffin, made of wood and covered in a layer of textile and decorated plaster, required careful cleaning, reconstruction, and consolidation to prevent further deterioration. The wooden head of the coffin, which had become detached, was reattached, and large missing pieces were painstakingly reconstructed. The result of this extensive restoration has been described by the staff as "beyond our wildest dreams."
The restored coffin is now in a stable condition, allowing the vibrant depictions of Egyptian gods and hieroglyphs to be clearly seen. These inscriptions provide valuable insights for Egyptologists into the coffin’s history. Interestingly, markings on the lid indicate that the coffin was later reused for another man named Djedher. However, when the coffin arrived in the UK at the turn of the century, it contained a female mummy, leading experts to speculate that the body might have been placed in the coffin to increase its sale value to British collectors.
The coffin is currently in storage, but there are plans to put it on display in the House of Death gallery at the Egypt Centre, where visitors will be able to appreciate the craftsmanship and the rich history of this ancient artifact. The restoration of the coffin is a testament to the dedication and skill of the conservation team, as well as the importance of preserving historical artifacts for future generations.
