Coffin of Khnumnakht

This Middle Kingdom funerary container is painted with polychrome hieroglyphs providing spells to ensure the deceased's safe passage into the afterlife. A prominent feature is the 'false door' motif on the side, flanked by the protective eyes of Horus which allowed the occupant to look out into the world of the living. The figure of Maat, goddess of truth and cosmic order, is depicted standing with her arms raised on the right end panel.

The coffin serves as a primary source for the 'Coffin Texts,' a vital corpus of ancient Egyptian funerary literature that influenced later Hermetic concepts of the soul's ascent and the afterlife. It represents the transition from the Old Kingdom royal funerary rites to a more democratized religious practice where non-royal individuals could access divine protection through magical inscription.