Rishi coffin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rishi coffins are a type of coffin that originated in Ancient Egypt and used prominently during the 17th Dynasty of Egypt. The word "rishi" is derived from the Arabic word risha (ريشة) that means "feather." A distinctive feature of Rishi coffins are the designs on them, which involve illustrations of feathers, hence the name.[1]
The first evidence of the existence of the Rishi coffin dates back to the 13th Dynasty, when such a coffin was discovered in an 1860 excavation of the tomb of a "great scribe" named Neferhotep.[2] Rishi coffins became prominently used during the rule of the 17th Dynasty, with rulers such as Intef VII, Seqenenre Tao and Kamose all interred in such types of coffins.[3][4]
Rishi coffins were seldomly used during the rule of the 18th Dynasty.[5] However, one example of a Rishi coffin during this period of time has been discovered, that being the coffin found in KV55.[6] This coffin belongs to the father of Tutankhamun and a son of Amenhotep III, although it has been disputed whether the coffin belongs to Akhenaten. The coffin, although well preserved, has its face damaged and the name of the king deliberately scratched off.[7]
Description
A typical Rishi coffin is a large coffin made of wood that has an anthropoid shape, similar to the early forms of anthropoid coffins that originated in the early years of the Middle Kingdom.[3][4][5] On the exterior of the coffin, illustrations of individual feathers formed huge wings that cover the body from the shoulder to the feet, while the head is that of a human wearing a nemes headdress.[3][4][5] The aim of the design is to depict the deceased in the form of a pure human soul, which the ancient Egyptians depicted as a human-headed bird.[5]
Unlike earlier forms of anthropoid coffins, Rishi coffins are independently designed and can stand on their own without the need for an external sarcophagus.[6]
