Ancient Egyptian Faience Mummy Mask

Beaded mummy masks abounded during the Late Period, covering both decorative and symbolic purposes in burial practices. Their unnaturalistic style and the similarities between beaded mummy masks in general make it unlikely that they were modelled after the face of the deceased individual. They seem to have been more likely generic images of a dead human face as the absence of expression and the blue-greenish skin complexion potentially indicate this. However, such masks have also been interpreted as visual representations of the god Osiris – himself also a dead being – frequently depicted in the tombs with similar skin-colour. Their main function would have been the protection of the dead, and in our example, as the figure represented is wearing the beard of Osiris, it also could have shown his or her hope for reincarnation.