Ibis Coffin (Thoth)
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About this Brooklyn Icon
The Brooklyn Museum is commemorating its 200th anniversary by spotlighting 200 standout objects in its encyclopedic collection
This fantastic ibis coffin depicts the bird in a resting position, crouching as if upon a nest. The head and feet are cast in silver, and its body is gilded in gold, with black paint detailing the tail feathers. The bird’s wooden body holds the remains of a mummified ibis, and both the coffin and its contents represent the lunar god Thoth. This coffin is thought to have come from one of Thoth’s sacred sites, Hermopolis Magna. Thousands of ibises were dedicated to Thoth’s temple there to praise him and ask for his protection and blessings. There are no inscriptions on the work so it is impossible to determine if this fine example was created to hold the remains of a particularly important bird, or if it was merely meant for a wealthy patron. Modern scientific analyses suggest that parts of the coffin, including its head and feet, were added in modern times, before the object entered Brooklyn’s collection in the 1940s. Still, this piece is a striking work dedicated to the popular god of wisdom and knowledge.
Object Label
This elaborate ancient gilded ibis coffin contains a simple ibis mummy. Most coffins of this type have bronze heads and feet. Scientific testing suggests that the silver fittings seen here are quite likely modern replacements for original bronze fittings.
Caption
Ibis Coffin (Thoth), 305–30 B.C.E.. Wood, silver, gold leaf, gesso, rock crystal, pigment, 16 3/4 x 8 x 22 in. (42.5 x 20.3 x 55.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 49.48a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth, photographer), 49.48_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)
Tags
Gallery
Not on view
Gallery
Not on view
Title
Ibis Coffin (Thoth)
Date
305–30 B.C.E.
Period
Ptolemaic Period with later additions
Geography
Possible place collected: Tuna el-Gebel, Egypt
Medium
Wood, silver, gold leaf, gesso, rock crystal, pigment
Classification
Dimensions
16 3/4 x 8 x 22 in. (42.5 x 20.3 x 55.9 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
49.48a-b
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
Can you tell me more about this coffin?
Ibises were among some of the most numerous animal mummies found in the archaeological record. They were related with Thoth, the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom. This example is a particularly elaborate coffin.As I'm sure you've seen throughout this exhibition the wrappings for these mummies could range from modest and undecorated linen to this wooden coffin with gilding and bronze attachments. The silver you see on this coffin was actually added much later, probably by in the 19th century.The cemetery this particular ibis came from contained not only numerous other ibis mummies but also baboon mummies. Both of these animals were associated with the god Thoth.Tell me about the ibis statue.
It's one of our star objects! It is obviously a very elaborate example of an ibis coffin. The gold body of this statue is where the body of the actual bird's mummy would be placed. As you may have read in the label, the silver head and feet were likely added later, but they do look like ancient bronze versions that did exist. Scientific testing suggests that the silver comes from the Americas.In ancient Egypt, the ibis was sacred to the god Thoth who was the god of wisdom as well as medicine and magic. He was also said to know the future. He was a very popular god to appeal to in uncertain times.Why is the ibis so special?
The ibis was associated with the god Thoth, who was the god of wisdom and knowledge. Thoth would often take the form of an ibis-headed man.Ibises bred at the temple in Saqqara to eventually be mummified were even referred to as "The Ibis, The God and the Soul of Thoth."Ibis mummies could be donated to Thoth by Egyptians hoping for guidance from the deity. This, as I'm sure you can see, is a particularly elaborate ibis coffin. It was a high quality donation to the god!What would this be used for?
This is a coffin for an ibis mummy. The ibis was associated with Thoth, the god of wisdom and the mummified bird was believed to carry prayers to the god.You might be interested to know that the metal legs of this ibis coffin were likely made in the late 19th, early 20th century. They were based on ancient models.Why would they choose a specific animal? Would the owners be rich or royal?
The choice of the ibis would have been motivated by the belief that the ibis was a representative of the god Thoth. Donating a mummified ibis was thought to be a way to send prayers to Thoth, the god of wisdom. A coffin like this would have indeed been quite pricey. The person who bought it was not necessarily royal, but would have been rich.This is beautiful. How heavy is it?
This ibis coffin is very beautiful, isn't it. I don't have an exact weight, but I can tell you that the coffin itself, the body of the bird, is made from gilded wood and the head and feet are made from silver.Thanks!
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