Coffin of Ahhotep Tanodjmu

The coffin of Ahhotep Tanodjmu was found in the offering hall of tomb CC 37 in the Lower Asasif, stacked with thirteen other coffins. The style, with a white background and sparse decoration, dates it to early Dynasty 18. The deceased is shown in a long striated wig and broad festival collar. An elongated figure of the sky goddess Nut, her arms outstretched in a gesture of protection, dominates the decoration of the lid. Horizontal bands of inscription that begin on the lid and continue down the sides invoke funerary gods, whose figures are shown between the bands on the sides of the box.

Inside the coffin was the mummy of a woman with her right arm across her chest and her left arm by her side. When the shroud that covered her was lifted, the excavators found two figures. On her legs was a small round basket containing a heart scarab (26.7.575). Two scarabs had been tied to her left hand with string: one bore the name of the Herald, Reniseneb; the other had a winged kheper beetle with a sun disk on its base. Another small basket, this one containing three copper forceps and a kohl stick, was found underneath the body.