Aug 195 min read

Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun Amongst the Vines

Reproduction Details

Type: Casket, furniture

Date: Dynasty 18, reign of Tutankhamun, c. 1336-1327 BC

Findspot: Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings

Materials: Wood, ivory, faience, calcite, ebony, glass

Size: Length 72cm

Carter number: 450 (lid), 551 (casket)

Current location: Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Object number: JE 61477

Print Reference: DP109A

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This article focuses on a reproduction of a scene from a casket found in the Tomb of Tutankhamun, dating to c. 1336-1327 BC. The casket’s lid features what Howard Carter described as its "chief glory": a richly detailed scene showing the royal couple, Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun, in a pavilion adorned with festoons of flowers, fruit, and vines. The king, leaning on his staff, accepts bouquets of lotus and papyrus flowers from his wife, a scene that beautifully captures the intimacy and symbolism of the era.

Casket 551: Discovery and Purpose

This casket is one of 50 chests and boxes discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb. Found in the northeast corner of the Annex chamber, it was resting on baskets and wine jars. Though empty at the time of its discovery, it is believed that this highly decorative piece was used to store clothing, possibly ceremonial garments due to its ornate design.

The casket, labelled 540, can be seen in the top right corner of this photograph taken by Harry Burton in Tutankhamun’s tomb (#p1603 © Copyright Griffith Institute)

Construction and Materials

This casket exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of artisans during Tutankhamun’s reign, reflecting the influence of the Amarna art style. Designed to resemble a shrine, it features distinctive cavetto cornices, reminiscent of the golden shrine that housed the king’s body.

The casket © Global Egyptian Museum

Constructed from red wood, the casket is overlaid with slabs of intricately carved ivory, stained and set in bas-relief. These ivory panels were glued down and held in place with copper nails, which unfortunately caused the ivory to crack over time as the wood beneath warped. Additional materials, such as dark blue faience, calcite, glass, ebony, and gesso-gilt, were applied to enhance the stained ivory’s colours, resulting in a vivid palette of white, blue, black, gold, and red.

A Floral Paradise

The scene on the casket’s lid is a lush depiction of the royal couple surrounded by a vibrant array of plants. Vines twist around two pillars representing a pavilion, showcasing grapes, lotus flowers, papyrus fronds, and mandrake fruits. This scene is one of many from the Amarna period that illustrates the natural world’s abundance and vitality, concepts highly valued by ancient Egyptians. I have created several reproductions of such scenes, which vividly portray this connection between royalty and nature.

The Royal Couple

The royal couple are depicted standing upon a reed mat in a floral pavilion with a banner strung up behind them decorated with more fruits and flowers. The king holds out a hand to the flowers being presented to him by his wife and sister Ankhesenamun.

Tutankhamun is depicted in an intricate Nubian wig with a royal uraeus or cobra on his forehead. He wears a fine linen kilt, secured with a decorative belt and a red sash and white sandals on his feet. Around his neck is a floral collar and his wrists bear simple jewelled cuff bracelets. He is leaning forward slightly against a walking stick, of which 130 examples were found within the tomb. This has made many speculate that the king suffered from an ailment that affected his gait, although others have suggested that these staves could have been a symbol of authority.

Ankhesenamun is similarly dressed in her finest clothes, including a linen dress with tassels that opens at the front to bear her breasts, a floral collar, a red sash and white sandals. Her wig is also intricately woven, with a long braid made up of groups of three slightly curled strands which are held in place with floral hairbands. She has two uraeus on her forehead which are crowned with sun disks and lotus flowers. Upon her head is a headdress which takes the form of a platform shrine bearing a perfume cone and two more uraeus.

Amarna Art

My reproduction of a stela showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their children beneath the Aten

Amarna art, developed during the reign of Tutankhamun’s predecessor Akhenaten, represented a significant departure from the traditional artistic conventions of ancient Egypt. Named after the city of Amarna, the new capital founded by Akhenaten, this radical art form is closely associated with the religious and cultural reforms he introduced, particularly the worship of the Aten.

Following the tumultuous reign of his predecessor, Tutankhamun's time as pharaoh was marked by efforts to return Egypt to its traditional religious practices and social structures. The art style used during his time represented a transitional phase, blending elements from the preceding Amarna period with a revival of traditional artistic conventions.

In this scene, we can see many hallmarks of Amarna art still being employed by the artisans of the time:

The more naturalistic and fluid representations of the human form used in early Amarna art, with softer lines and less rigid postures, can still be seen. However, this has been tempered by a return to more conventional proportions and poses, with a characteristic emphasis on symmetry and balance.
The exaggerated features such as elongated limbs, full lips, almond-shaped eyes, folds of skin near the mouth, and sagging bellies have been moderated, resulting in a more harmonious blend.
While traditional idealism is restored, there is still a notable focus on detail and realism seen in Amarna art, particularly in the depiction of plants and flowers. The artisans paid great attention to capturing the textures, forms, and colours of nature.
Amarna art often celebrated scenes of daily life and the natural world, like this walk in a floral pavilion, which was less common in earlier Egyptian art. This focus reflected a shift towards a more human-centred worldview, at least within the royal court.

Translation

Above Tutankhamun:

“The good god, lord of the two lands, Nebkheperure, Tutankhamun heqa Iunu shemai (The living image of Amun, ruler of southern Heliopolis), [given life] like Ra."

Above Ankhesenamun:

"Great royal wife, lady of the two lands, Ankhesenamun (Her life belongs to Amun), she lives."

Reproduction Notes

My reproduction of the scene was done using reference photographs of the object made by Harry Burton and modern ones found online. It is intended to show the artwork in all its glory and I have recoloured the image using the standard ancient Egyptian palette instead of representing the colours of the design on the actual casket.

I have not reproduced the cracks in the surface of the object and have instead repaired the damage to show the original layout of the whole scene. This is main damage is a long split down the centre of the panel to the left of the bouquet Ankhesenamun holds, which has become more pronounced since the original photography of the casket in the 1920s.

As with all the objects discovered in the tomb, Howard Carter made extensive notes on the casket which have been digitised by the Griffith Institute, which I have used to learn more about its construction and decoration.

An example of Howard Carter's notes on the lid detailing the showing the use of gold bosses to embellish the scene (Card/Transcription No.: 540-5, © Copyright Griffith Institute)

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