The Mirror Case in the Form of an Ankh of Tutankhamun
Mirrors, made of polished gold, silver, copper, or bronze, were part of the cosmetic accessories of women and men. They were sometimes preserved in cases such as this elaborate one in the form of an Ankh, or life sign. It is carved in gold-plated wood and the king's name is inlaid on the lid with colored glass and semiprecious stones. The interior of the case is lined with silver. The mirror it once contained was not found.
Originally the case contained a mirror, but when Carter examined the large cartouche-shaped chest placed in the Treasury of king Tutankhamun Tomb , he found that the thieves had already stolen the mirror. He suggested, therefore, that it was probably made of a precious material. The case consists of two parts, both of which were made of wood overlaid in sheet gold. Thin sheets of silver lined the interior, and the same metal was used for the knobs by which the case was sealed. (See : Ancient Egyptian Mirrors )
Originally the case contained a mirror, but when Carter examined the large cartouche-shaped chest placed in the Treasury of king Tutankhamun Tomb , he found that the thieves had already stolen the mirror. He suggested, therefore, that it was probably made of a precious material. The case consists of two parts, both of which were made of wood overlaid in sheet gold. Thin sheets of silver lined the interior, and the same metal was used for the knobs by which the case was sealed. (See : Ancient Egyptian Mirrors )
Colored glass is used
for the majority of the inlays on the lid, but carnelian and quartz were
utilized as well. An inscription with Tutankhamun's names, epithets, and relationship
to specific gods is written around the loop of the upper sections of
both parts of the box and also in a column in the vertical part. Within
the loop of the lower part of the case are two cartouches, each with a uraeus
at its side.
The cartouches, which contain the throne and personal
names of the king, and the serpents, are surmounted by solar disks. The
corresponding area on the lid has the throne name of the king written
with a winged beetle in place of the traditional one. It is flanked by
two serpents whose heads are surmounted by solar disks and whose tails
terminate in the hieroglyphic sign for "infinity" (shen).
Below the name
is a lotus, and the entire composition, inlaid in glass and
semiprecious stones, was probably meant to be a reference to a myth
involving the birth of the sun god. The shape of the case takes the form of the hieroglyph ankh which can
mean not only "life," but also "mirror." Such a use illustrates the
adaptability and versatility of the writing system of ancient Egypt.