A king would have worn this type of false beard with an upturned end after his death. The beard indicates that the king is a god. Queen Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BC) is shown wearing a royal beard even though she is a woman.

Wooden painted beard, probably from a coffin. Green and yellow paint to represent a plaited beard and yellow line along the back. With peg. Repaired. 17cm long (including peg). The beard was considered to be a divine attribute of the gods, whose closely plaited beards were 'like lapis lazuli.' Accordingly, the king would express his status as a living god by wearing a 'false' beard secured by cord. Such beards were usually wider towards the bottom. It was usually after their death that a king was portrayed wearing the divine Osirid form of beard with upturned end, as on the gold death mask of Tutankhamun. Deceased non-royals are often shown with short, tuft-like beards.S.Quirk A.J.Spencer "The British Museum Book of Ancient Egypt."

Collection

Egypt Centre, University of Swansea

Inventory Number

3543562

Title

A king would have worn this type of false beard with an upturned end after his death. The beard indicates that the king is a god. Queen Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BC) is shown wearing a royal beard even though she is a woman.

Object Type

Image

Measurements

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