Abdominal Prop

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This prop was found inside the abdomen of Tabakmut. Consisting of two pieces of cane wrapped individually and then tied together with a rag, its presence within the body suggests it was used as a jack to aid in the embalming process. The mummification process reached a zenith during Dynasty 21, with bodies made as lifelike as possible. The preparation of the body often entailed not only the removal and separate preservation of the internal organs, but also the insertion of false eyes and the packing of the limbs and other areas to enhance their appearance. This prop could have been folded, inserted through the incision made in the lower abdomen, and then re-opened inside the body. It could thus have made it easier for the embalmers to remove the viscera (which were not in this case returned to the body) and insert packing material. It is also possible that the prop was used to enhance the shape of the mummy and facilitate the bandaging process.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art