Outermost Coffin of Tutankhamun – Egypt Museum

The outermost coffin of Tutankhamun is significant artifact from ancient Egypt. It is the three that were originally placed one inside the other in the Tomb of Tutankhamun. It was found inside the outer gilded coffin. It was designed to encase the innermost coffin and provide additional protection for the mummified body of Tutankhamun.

The outermost coffin, second coffin of Tutankhamun, also known as the middle coffin, depicts the mummified figure of Osiris, lord of eternity, with his arms crossed upon his chest and holding his divine insignia, the crook and the flail. It features various symbols and hieroglyphs that hold religious and symbolic meanings.

The Second Golden Coffin of Tutankhamun. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 60670

The coffin is made of compact wood and covered in gold leaf, with intricate carvings and detailed decorations. The lid of the coffin was fixed in place by little gold-headed nails of electrum, an alloy of silver and gold.

The craftsmanship and attention to detail displayed on the second coffin reflect the importance and wealth of king Tutankhamun.

Soon after the discovery of the tomb in 1922, both the inner and middle coffins were transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, while the outer gilded coffin was left inside the tomb.

Preliminary examination carried out on the outer coffin inside the tomb revealed that it was suffering from general weakness and it had also developed cracks in its gilded layers of plaster especially those of the lid and base. An immediate intervention to restore the coffin inside a suitable environment is now required.

The Second Golden Coffin of Tutankhamun
Photo: Sandro Vannini

Outermost coffin of Tutankhamun is a remarkable example of ancient Egyptian funerary art and provides valuable insights into the beliefs and rituals surrounding death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt.

New Kingdom, late 18th Dynasty, reign of Tutankhamun, ca. 1332-1323 BC. From the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings, West Thebes. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 60670