Nesitanebetashru Mummy

Nesitanebetashru was an ancient Egyptian woman who lived during the Third Intermediate Period. Her mummified remains were there at the temple of Deir el-Bahri near Luxor, in the Theban Necropolis, by French archaeologist Gaston Maspero in 1881. Her name, in Egyptian hieroglyphs, means “May Isis give life to Ashru”. Nesitanebetashru’s mummy was inside a sarcophagus of wood and covered in a layer of plaster. The sarcophagus has images of the goddess Nut, the god Horus, and Osiris, the god of the afterlife. The mummy was in linen and had a gold mask that covered its face. Experts believe Nesitanebetashru was an important person during her time as her burial was elaborate and decorated with rich symbols. She may have been a royal or noblewoman or the wife of a high priest.

The mummification process was intricate and followed ancient Egyptian religious traditions. The body was washed with a mixture of spices and oils and then dried out with natron, a type of salt. The internal organs were then removed and placed in canopic jars before the body was wrapped in linen bandages. The brain was also out by hooking it through the nostrils and discarded, as it was unnecessary in the afterlife.

Today

Nesitanebetashru’s remains are on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. In fact, Her mummy serves as a fascinating insight into the ancient Egyptian civilization and its religious beliefs surrounding the afterlife.