Egypt largely consisted of desert. Wood was a relatively rare and expensive commodity. Wooden mummy labels were often shaped like tomb stones and hung around the neck of a mummy with rope. They mostly mention the name and age of the mummy. The Demotic example below (V 3) contains an additional order to bury the mummy. The name of the deceased and additional information were sometimes also written on the mummy linen itself, thus allowing identification in the embalmer’s workshop, during transport and at the burial site.

Mummy label of Tnaphersais. Hermonthite nome, 1 April 15 BCE

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Translation of the Demotic text: 'Petosiris, son of Oteyris, says to Totoê s, son of Imuthê s, the Overseer of the Mystery of Osorbuchis: "perform burial for Tnaphersaïs, daughter of Hôros, her mother is Nb.t-wḏ3". Written in year 15, fourth month of the pr.t-season, day 6.'

 

 

 

 

Mummy label of Senplenis. Provenance unknown, 2nd-3rd cent. AD

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Σενπλῆνις               ‘Senplenis,   
γυνὴ Πατα[             wife of Pata[ 
. . . (ἔτους) μη [       48 years old.’ 

Mummy linen of Theognostos. Panopolite nome, 2nd cent. AD

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Θεόγνωστος Ὡρείωνος ἐβίω(σεν) (ἔτη) κγ. 
‘Theognostos son of Horeion, he has lived 23 years.’

Bilingual mummy linen of Tatriphis. Panopolite nome, 2nd cent. AD.

Greek: 
[ . . ]τρῖφις Κολάνθου 
[τ]οῦ Λύκου 
(ἔτους) ἕκτου Ἐπεὶφ ιε 

Demotic (written from right to left): 
Ta<-t3>-rpj t3 šr.t Kld^c3 t3 šr L[ . . . ] 
                              p3 šr Trtrj [ . . . ]

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Greek: 
[ . . ]triphis daughter of Kolanthos, son of Lykos. The 6th year, Epeiph 15. 

Demotic: 
Tatriphis, daughter of Kolanthos son of L[ykos], the daughter (?) of Tertery[ . . . ].