The Coffin of Nytamenkhamun: A Case Study of Australia's Encounter with Ancient Egypt

Abstract

This thesis explores Australia’s encounter with the culture of ancient Egypt through a case study of the coffin of Nytamenkhamun, an ancient Egyptian coffin currently in the collections of Museums Victoria. This thesis first identifies the main elements of the iconography and surveys the inscriptions on the coffin. Following this, it employs an Object Biography approach to the artefact and explores the role of this coffin in various collections and curatorial narratives over the last century. The study of Nytamenkhamun’s coffin provides an entry point to delve into an analysis of the enduring popularity of ancient Egypt in Australia.