tour 12 of 12
Mummy: The Inside Story
Nesperennub's snake amulet
One of the most intriguing features revealed by
the 3D images of Nesperennub is a small object in the shape of a
snake, which lies just above the right eye. It takes the form of
the cobra, the hieroglyphic sign for the sound
'dj'. The object does not show up on conventional
X-rays and seems to be made of a substance of relatively low
density; wax is a possibility, since this was believed by the
Egyptians to have magical properties and was used to fashion
objects and figurines that were placed on the
mummy.
Amulets in this
shape are rare, but one made of gold was found in the sarcophagus
of Prince Hornakht (about 850 BC) at Tanis, and another has been
detected by X-rays over the right eye of a mummy dating to the Late
Period (661-332 BC) in the Leiden Museum. Because these
snake-amulets are so rare, their precise significance is unknown.
Their positioning on the forehead might suggest some connection
with the
uraeus
serpent - this protective cobra goddess regularly adorned the
headdress of the king, but occasionally appeared on mummies and
masks of private
individuals.
The computer
technology that has revealed Nesperennub's snake amulet has
allowed us to view his body and other treasures without causing any
damage to his mummy. As the technology is applied to other remains,
we can hope to learn a lot more about life and death in ancient
Egypt.