Sociology and Anthropology 6(4): 433-446, 2018 http://www.hrpub.

org
DOI: 10.13189/sa.2018.060408

Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of

Funerary Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom
of Ancient Egypt
Seria Yamazaki1,2

1
Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan
2
Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

Copyright©2018 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License

Abstract In the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2000– for resurrection. Personal adornments seem to have been
1650 BCE), various personal adornments were used as highly valued because the deceased could use them to
grave goods. This paper concentrates on the regional present a desirable appearance for ‘Osirification.’
variability of those adornments by analyzing hundreds of Furthermore, they could be used as amulets to protect the
tombs located in Egypt. In addition, ‘ideal’ assemblages deceased during the journey to the next world. This study
and colors of personal adornments for funerary rituals will clarifies what kinds of personal adornments were needed
be examined through iconography such as frise d’objets, for funerary rituals including ‘Osirification,’ and how
mummy masks, and anthropoid coffins. The results show widespread this practice was in the Middle Kingdom by
that during the late Middle Kingdom, broad collars were examining the iconography and carrying out quantitative
buried with the deceased exclusively in the Memphis– analysis of unearthed personal adornments.
Faiyum region, while single-string adornments were used The five major approaches that have been used to study
everywhere. Moreover, while royal broad collars ancient Egyptian personal adornments, including beads
resembled images seen on the body containers, non-royal and amulets, are as follows: 1. collecting and classifying
broad collars were quite different. It is apparent that the beads and amulets (e.g. [1, 2]); 2. searching for the
ideal personal adornments were exclusive to royalty while meaning of each amulet (e.g. [3, 4]); 3. conducting
other personal adornments were used generally, regardless quantitative analyses of the beads and amulets (e.g. [5, 6]);
of the region, for those with either royal or non-royal 4. summarizing personal adornments by their features and
status. diachronic changes (e.g. [7–9]); and 5. compiling case
studies and discussing the use of personal adornments in
Keywords Ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom,
burials (e.g. [10]). It can be said that studies of beads and
Personal Adornments, Funerary Ritual
amulets preceded the study of personal adornments.
Among the study of personal adornments, approach
number 4 above is the one most often used, and is useful for
getting approximate information. Grajetzki’s research [10]
1. Introduction represents a more advanced stage, because it provides more
The Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt was a period of specific arguments about the use of personal adornments in
reformation and social change, specifically with regard to burials, and especially those in the Middle Kingdom. It is
funerary customs. Moreover, belief in the afterlife became significant that Aldreds [7], Wilkinson [8], Andrews [9],
popular among commoners and they were able to associate and Grajetzki [10] used qualitative analyses, and that
themselves with Osiris, thereby increasing their interest in quantitative analyses have never been applied. As a result,
preparing for the next world. New types of grave goods general tendencies such as regional variability remain
were created, and also various personal adornments such as unclear. Consequently, ancient Egyptian personal
single-string necklaces and bracelets, broad collars, and adornments have not yet been thoroughly discussed. From
girdles were buried with the deceased. In the Middle this point of view, this paper would contribute to clarifying
Kingdom, being identified with Osiris was very important the exact use of personal adornments in Ancient Egypt.
434 Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of Funerary
Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

2. Materials and Methods

In this study, excavation reports and museum collections
provided the source materials analyzed for the research.
First, the iconography was examined, mainly on three
types of artifact. These artifacts include frise d’objets
(based on other previous studies and museum collections),
fourteen mummy masks (Table 1), and nine anthropoid
coffins (Table 2), to the extent that they were recognized as
being decorative. All three types of artifact are body
containers. According to Cooney [11], the body containers’
various functions included keeping the body of the dead
intact and acting as a physical portal between the worlds of
the living and the dead. It can therefore be said that the
body containers were closely associated with burials and
had religious purposes. Furthermore, the
deceased—including females—were transformed into
male deities such as Osiris by being placed in coffins [12],
which suggests that body containers and personal
adornments painted on them have a close connection with
‘Osirification.’ In other words, ideal personal adornments
for funerary rituals were represented on body containers. In
this analysis, the personal adornments shown on them
frequently will be clarified.
Second, the actual distribution of personal adornments
was investigated quantitatively. Specifically, personal
adornments were classified by their forms, and by the body
part on which each was worn, and then the number of
tombs in which each of them had been found was tallied by
region. These regions include the Memphis–Faiyum Figure 1. Map of Egypt showing the regions of Memphis–Faiyum,
Region, Middle Egypt, and Southern Egypt (Figure 1). Middle Egypt, and Southern Egypt (Drawn by the author)
Personal adornments that included loose beads were
observed in nearly 400 Middle Kingdom tombs distributed
over the sites shown in Figure 1. Among them, the number 3. Analysis of the Iconography
of tombs in each region in which intact or reconstructable
personal adornments were found totaled 174 in the 3.1. Body Containers
Memphis–Faiyum Region [26–38], 53 in Middle Egypt
[39–44], and 91 in Southern Egypt [25, 42, 45–57]. Though 3.1.1. Frise d’objets
these tombs were the focus of this study, they represent the The frise d’objets is one of the decorations enclosed in
number we are able to count rather than all the tombs. It box coffins used mainly during the early Middle Kingdom
should also be borne in mind that Middle Egypt flourished (Figure 2). Many kinds of objects—including commodities,
almost entirely during the early Middle Kingdom. In ritual instruments, and of course jewelry—were painted
addition to the regional variability, similarities and [13–15]. It has been said that these many objects would be
differences between royalty and non-royalty were needed in the afterlife [16, 17]. Though various personal
identified. adornments were identified, the frequency with which they
Finally, the ‘ideal,’ as depicted in iconography, was appeared is quite different. According to Willems [18], the
compared to the ‘reality’ suggested by unearthed objects to principal items depicted in frise d’objets are broad collars
reveal how these two differed by region or social group. with weights and broad bracelets/anklets.
 Sociology and Anthropology 6(4): 433-446, 2018 435

Broad collars were especially essential because frise d’objets on box coffins (CG 28024, CG 28085, CG 28094, JE
32868, JE 32869, JE 42947), which are stored in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, always showed no single but 2-4 kinds of
broad collars such as ‘broad collar of silver’ and ‘broad collar of lapis lazuli.’ It suggests that bearing various broad collars
as grave goods was ideal for funeral rites. Besides broad collars and broad bracelets/anklets, sweret bead necklaces, which
consist of a red barrel bead and sometimes with green/blue spherical/tubular beads, were shown on five of them (CG
28024, CG 28085, CG 28094, JE 32868, JE 32869).

Figure 2. Fragment of frise d’objet showing broad collars with weights [81]

3.1.2. Mummy Masks

Three kinds of adornments—diadems, broad collars, and sweret bead necklaces—appeared on mummy masks (Figure
3 and Table 1). Broad collars were painted on all fourteen mummy masks, and sweret-bead necklaces were depicted on
nine of them. Diadems appeared on mummy masks less often than broad collars and sweret-bead necklaces. In fact,
diadems were only painted on the mummy masks used in Middle Egypt during the early Middle Kingdom.

Figure 3. Examples of mummy masks showing broad collars, sweret beads, and a diadem ([62], Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MFA 1987.54, Drawn
by the author)
436 Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of Funerary
Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

Table 1. List of mummy masks analyzed in this paper

Represented adornments
No. Provenance Tomb no./Name Sex Period References
Diadems Broad collars Sweret beads
1 Asyut ? F 11th dynasty + + - [58]
2 Asyut ? M 11th dynasty + + + [59]
11th dynasty or early [60], Museum of Fine Arts,
3 Asyut ? ? + + +
12th dynasty Boston（MFA1987.54）
11th dynasty or early The Walters Art Museum
4 Asyut ? M + + +
12th dynasty （78.4）
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
5 Asyut -/Khety-Igr ? 12th dynasty + + -
(CG36279)
tomb 10, Shaft A/ late 11th dynasty or Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
6 Deir el-Bersha ? ? + ?
Djehutynakht early 12th dynasty （MFA21.423）
7 Meir -/Iwi ? 12th dynasty - + + [61]
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
8 near Meir -/Senebi M 11th dynasty - + +
(S.R.172)
Saqqara, Teti tomb HMK30/ reign of Amenemhat
9 M - + + [62]
Pyramid cemetery Gemni I
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
10 Saqqara ? F Middle Kingdom - + +
(S.R.178)
[56], The Metropolitan
Thebes, Southern reign of Amenemhat
11 MMA 1102/Wah M - + - Museum of Art
Asasif I
（MMA40.3.54）
Egyptian Museum, Cairo
12 ? ? ? Middle Kingdom - + +
(RT24.4.26.1)
Shaft 42/
13 Dahshur North M 13th dynasty - + + [63]
Senu
[64], Louvre Museum
14 Mirgissa tomb 130/Ibet F end of 12th dynasty ? + ?
（E26061）
+=yes, -=no, ?=unknown

3.1.3. Anthropoid Coffins

Personal adornments, including broad collars, sweret beads, and ‘Lower Egyptian costumes,’ are depicted on
anthropoid coffins (Figure 4 and Table 2). Broad collars were observed on all nine anthropoid coffins, as they were on the
mummy masks, and the number of sweret beads depicted was second to broad collars. The ‘Lower Egyptian costumes’
are one of the regalia, and consisted of belt, tail, beaded apron and hip-drape, and swallow amulet [19]. They are portrayed
on two anthropoid coffins [20, 21], figure 4. ‘Lower Egyptian costumes’ are also painted on frise d’objets. It is apparent
that the personal adornments depicted on anthropoid coffins are mostly the same as on frise d’objets and mummy masks.

Figure 4. Example of an anthropoid coffin showing a broad collar, a sweret bead necklace, and ‘Lower Egyptian costumes’ [20]
 Sociology and Anthropology 6(4): 433-446, 2018 437

Table 2. List of anthropoid coffins analyzed in this paper

Represented adornments

No. Provenance Tomb no./Name Sex Period ‘Lower References

Broad Sweret
Egyptian
collars beads
costumes’

Shaft 65/ late 12th

1 Dahshur North M + + + [20]
Sebekhat dynasty

reign of
2 Lisht North pit 763/ Senebtisi F + + - [30]
Amenemhat III

tomb 132/ reign of Fitzwilliam Museum

3 Beni Hasan M + + -
Userhat Senusret III （E.88.1903）

4 Deir el-Bercha tomb 14/ Sepi M 12th dynasty + + + [21]

The Metropolitan Museum

middle 12th
5 Meir -/Hapiankhtifi M + - - of Art
dynasty
（MMA12.183.11c）
The Metropolitan Museum
6 Meir -/Nephthys F 12th dynasty + + - of Art
（MMA11.150.15b）
[65],
tomb 331/ reign of National Museum of
7 Rifa M + - -
Khnumhotep Senusret III Scotland
（A.1907.713.5）

tomb II/ late Middle [66], Manchester Museum

8 Rifa M + + -
Nakht-ankh Kingdom （4739)

tomb II/ late Middle [66], Manchester Museum

9 Rifa M + + -
Khnum-nakht Kingdom （4740）

+=yes, -=no, ?=unknown

3.2. Others collars observed on the body containers discussed above,

because paddle doll collars do not have terminals or
Female figurines like ‘faience fertility figurines’ are one weights. Perhaps they were not representation of broad
type of artifact that commonly displayed different types of collars but other adornments like chokers. Many personal
jewelry [22]. ‘Paddle dolls’ (Figure 5 and Table 3) and adornments that do not appear in body containers are
faience fertility figurines (Figure 6 and Table 4) are both represented on paddle dolls and faience fertility figurines.
figurines of women, and closely related to dancing girls of Further, stone sculptures have characteristics as
this life [23]. The personal adornments depicted on them commemorative objects. On these, several personal
were very similar, with body chains and single-string adornments such as single-string necklaces with a
adornments in particular frequently represented. bag-shaped amulet and pectorals, which were not shown in
Additionally, cowrie-shell girdles are frequently depicted coffins or on mummy masks, were depicted. Broad collars
on the faience fertility figurines. On paddle dolls, broad are also depicted though not more often than single-string
collars are also depicted, but they are different from the necklaces with a bag-shaped amulet.
438 Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of Funerary
Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

Figure 5. Example of a paddle doll (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MMA 31.3.35a, b)

Figure 6. Example of a faience fertility figurine (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MMA 08.200.18)
 Sociology and Anthropology 6(4): 433-446, 2018 439

Table 3. List of paddle dolls analyzed in this paper

Represented adornments
Tomb Collars without Tattoo or
No. Provenance Period Single-string Body References
no. terminals and Bracelets painting
necklaces chains
weights
Thebes, Museum of Fine Arts,
1 S.F. 8 11th dynasty - + - ? ?
Sheikh Farag Boston (MFA13.3567)
Thebes, Museum of Fine Arts,
2 S.F. 12 11th dynasty - + ? ? ?
Sheikh Farag Boston (MFA13.3603)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
3 816 11th dynasty - + - + + Museum of Art
Asasif
（MMA31.3.35a, b)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
4 816 11th dynasty + - - ? + Museum of Art
Asasif
（MMA31.3.37a, b)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
5 816 11th dynasty - - - + ? Museum of Art
Asasif
（MMA31.3.36a, b)
[67], Egyptian
Thebes,
6 816 11th dynasty - + - ? + Museum, Cairo (JE
Asasif
56274)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
7 813 11th dynasty - + ? + - Museum of Art
Asasif
（MMA31.3.38)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
8 818 11th dynasty - + - - + Museum of Art
Asasif
（MMA31.3.43)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
9 839 11th dynasty + - ? + ? Museum of Art
Asasif
（MMA31.3.45)
The Metropolitan
Thebes,
10 828 11th dynasty - + + ? ? Museum of Art
Khokha
（MMA15.10.90)
early Middle Kingdom (or British Museum
11 ? ? - + - ? ?
First Intermediate Period) （EA6459）
National Museum of
12 Thebes ? early Middle Kingdom + - + ? ? Scotland
（A.1911.284）
Brooklyn Museum
13 ? ? Middle Kingdom - + (+) + +
（37.100）
Brooklyn Museum
14 ? ? Middle Kingdom - + + + +
（37.101）
Brooklyn Museum
15 ? ? Middle Kingdom - - - + +
（37.102）
Brooklyn Museum
16 ? ? Middle Kingdom + - - - -
（37.104）
Brooklyn Museum
17 ? ? Middle Kingdom - + (+) + +
（37.105）
Brooklyn Museum
18 ? ? Middle Kingdom + - + + +
（16.84）
19 ? ? Middle Kingdom ? ? + + ? [68]
20 ? ? Middle Kingdom ? ? + ? ? [69]
21 ? ? Middle Kingdom - + ? ? ? [70]
Museum of Fine Arts,
22 ? ? Middle Kingdom + - + ? ?
Boston (MFA72.4287)
Museum of Fine Arts,
23 ? ? Middle Kingdom - + - + +
Boston (MFA13.5100)
Fitzwilliam Museum
24 ? ? Middle Kingdom + - + + -
（E.50.1946）
Fitzwilliam Museum
25 ? ? Middle Kingdom + - + + -
（E.49.1946）
Petrie Museum
26 ? ? Middle Kingdom ? ? (+) + (+)
（UC59277）
+=yes, -=no, ?=unknown, (+)=probably yes
440 Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of Funerary
Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

Table 4. List of ‘faience fertility figurines’ analyzed in this paper

Represented adornments
Tomb
No. Provenance Period Single-string Cowrie-shell Single-string Broad Body Tattoo References
no./Name
necklaces girdles bracelets bracelets chains
1 Lisht South pit 3/Hepy early 12th dynasty + - - + - - [71]
2 Lisht South pit 3/Hepy early 12th dynasty + + - + - + [72]
[73], The Metropolitan
3 Lisht South pit 3/Hepy early 12th dynasty + - ? ? - - Museum of Art
（MMA34.1.125）
pit 3/
4 Lisht South early 12th dynasty + - + (+) - - [74]
Hepy
late 12th dynasty The Metropolitan
5 Lisht North pit 752/- or early 13th + + ? - + + Museum of Art
dynasty （MMA08.200.18）
The Metropolitan
middle 13th
6 Lisht North pit 885/- ? ? ? ? ? + Museum of Art
dynasty
（MMA22.1.180）
7 Lisht ? ? + - + + - - [75]
Petrie Museum
8 Lahun ? 12th dynasty (+) (+) - (+) - +
（UC16725）
‘Kahun’
9 - 12th dynasty ? + - + - + [76]
(dwelling site)
‘Kahun’
10 - 12th dynasty ? + + - - + [77]
(dwelling site)
TT316/ [78], Egyptian Museum,
11 Thebes, Asasif 12th dynasty + + ? + + +
Neferhotep Cairo (JE 47710)
12th dynasty or Brooklyn Museum
12 ? ? + + - - + +
early 13th dynasty （44.226）
Manchester Museum
13 Thebes 5/- 13th dynasty ? (+) ? ? ? ?
（1787）
[79], The Metropolitan
Middle Kingdom
14 Thebes, Asasif 809/- ? + ? ? ? + Museum of Art
or New Kingdom
（MMA14.1.416）
Morris 2011, 79; The
Middle Kingdom
15 Thebes, Asasif 828/- ? + ? ? ? + Metropolitan Museum of
or New Kingdom
Art （MMA15.10.93）
Western British Museum
16 ? Middle Kingdom - + ? ? - +
Thebes （EA52863）
Louvre Museum
17 ? ? Middle Kingdom + + + + + +
（E10942）
[80], Ägyptisches
18 ? ? Middle Kingdom + + + + + + Museum, Berlin inv. no.
9583
+=yes, -=no, ?=unknown, (+)＝probably yes

3.3. Ideal Personal Adornments for Funerary Rituals turquoise respectively. It was also important to show broad
The analyses confirmed the different kinds of personal collars made of various materials in frise d’objets. Based
adornments depicted in body containers and other artifacts. on our findings, we are now able to reconstruct an ideal set
In other words, the personal adornments depicted depended of personal adornments for funerary rituals (Figure 7):
on the nature of each artifact. Furthermore, the personal polychrome broad collars, broad bracelets/anklets, sweret
adornments depicted on the body containers can be beads, and ‘Lower Egyptian costumes.’ Broad
regarded as ideal items for funerary rituals including the bracelets/anklets were frequently shown together with
purpose of ‘Osirification.’ It is very obvious that of these, broad collars in the frise d’objets. The depiction of a
the broad collar was the most important item. Broad collars sweret-bead necklace was common to the frise d’objets,
were painted on mummy masks and anthropoid coffins in a mummy masks, and anthropoid coffins. Finally, ‘Lower
polychrome style, often using red, blue, and green colors to Egyptian costumes’ were shown in the frise d’objets and
imitate the semi-precious stones carnelian, lapis lazuli, and anthropoid coffins.
 Sociology and Anthropology 6(4): 433-446, 2018 441

female tombs. Therefore, it is suggested that personal

adornments used as grave goods in the Middle Kingdom
could be categorized into two main groups (Figure 8):
personal adornments needed for the process of
‘Osirification,’ and personal adornments that confirmed
the identity of the deceased.
This categorization is not only evident in iconography
but also in archaeological finds. For instance, a mummy
named Wah was buried in Thebes during the early Middle
Kingdom and several personal adornments were found
when this mummy was unwrapped. They were
single-string necklaces and bracelets, a finger ring, broad
bracelets and anklets, a broad collar, and a sweret bead [25].
However, they were not placed in the same layer of linen
bandages. According to the report, the broad bracelets and
anklets, broad collar, and sweret bead were placed in the
Figure 7. Reconstruction of the ideal personal adornments for funerary
rituals (Drawn by the author) layer that was closer to the body of the deceased than the
other personal adornments. In this study, broad bracelets
Other personal adornments like cowrie-shell girdles and and anklets, broad collars, and sweret beads were
pectorals painted on artifacts other than body containers reconstructed as the ideal personal adornments for funerary
seem to have been regarded as adornments that signified rituals. Therefore, Wah's personal adornments may have
the deceased’s identity—including gender and social class. been intentionally put in the bandages separately.
In fact, cowrie-shell girdles have been considered as
amulets protecting females [24], and are mainly found in

Figure 8. Categorization of personal adornments in the Middle Kingdom

442 Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of Funerary
Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

4. Analysis of the Excavated Personal Adornments

4.1. Regional Variability
Middle Kingdom personal adornments excavated from tombs can be classified into twelve types, as shown in Figure 9.
Table 5 summarizes the number of tombs in each region [26–38], [39–44], [25, 42, 45–57] from which personal
adornments were excavated. As a result, it is clear that single-string adornments were those most often found in tombs,
followed by broad collars. We now examine these two types of adornments in more detail.

Figure 9. Classification of personal adornments of the Middle Kingdom (Drawn by the author)
Table 5. Number of tombs in which each type of personal adornment was found
 Sociology and Anthropology 6(4): 433-446, 2018 443

Single-string adornments often consisted of spherical were exclusively buried with royalty, or with people who
beads or barrel beads, so for the purposes of this study, were very close to them. Although non-royalty could use
those beads are considered parts of the single-string the anthropoid coffins on which the ‘Lower Egyptian
adornments. This kind of personal adornment was the one costumes’ were painted, they could not afford the ‘Lower
most frequently buried with the deceased in all regions Egyptian costumes’ as actual grave goods.
through the Middle Kingdom. The raw materials used for Finally, amulets such as shell-shaped pendants and
these beads varied and included faience, gold, silver, and amulet cases were made of gold or silver, and were used by
many kinds of semi-precious stones such as carnelian, lapis both royalty and non-royalty as burial goods. Furthermore,
lazuli, and turquoise. In the Memphis–Faiyum Region and as we saw above, it is evident that the raw materials used
Southern Egypt, the number of tombs with beads for for single-string adornments varied equally in all regions,
single-string adornments made of gold, silver, and and this variation was common to both royalty and
semi-precious stones exceeded the number of tombs with non-royalty. This suggests that limits on the types of raw
beads made of faience. Even in Middle Egypt, the number materials used for broad collars were not applied to other
of tombs with beads made of gold, silver, and ornaments.
semi-precious stones was almost same as the number of In brief, many personal adornments, including their raw
tombs with beads made of faience. Gold and silver were the materials, were common to royalty and non-royalty,
materials most frequently used in Southern Egypt. though there were differences between specific personal
Broad collars were found almost exclusively in the adornments, such as broad collars and ‘Lower Egyptian
Memphis–Faiyum Region from mid-dynasty 12 onward. costumes.’ Additionally, royal personal adornments
Middle Egypt was second to the Memphis–Faiyum Region, resembled the iconography on the body containers.
beginning with the early Middle Kingdom tombs. A few
broad collars were found in Southern Egypt, and they were
in early Middle Kingdom tombs. This tendency can also be 5. Comparison between the ‘Ideal’ and
observed with regard to broad bracelets/anklets, which
were found almost exclusively in the Memphis–Faiyum
‘Reality’ of Personal Adornments for
Region. Funerary Rituals
In summary, with regard to the regional distribution of
personal adornments, single-string adornments made of We will now compare the iconography and the
various materials were found in the largest number of unearthed objects. As has already been discussed, the
tombs in all regions throughout the Middle Kingdom. personal adornments represented on body containers are
Broad collars and broad bracelets/anklets were found considered the ideal grave goods for ‘Osirification.’ These
almost exclusively in the Memphis–Faiyum Region, ideal personal adornments and their actual
especially from the mid-dynasty 12 onward. distribution—especially from mid-dynasty 12
onward—are compared in Figure 10 below. Please note
4.2. Similarities and Differences between Royalty and that sweret beads are not considered here because of the
Non-Royalty near-impossibility of positively identifying beads found in
excavations as being sweret beads or not.
As already noted, broad collars were found almost
exclusively in the Memphis–Faiyum Region. However, Figure 10 demonstrates the actual use of both groups of
there are differences between royal and non-royal broad personal adornments, which were needed for ‘Osirification’
collars. Royal broad collars are made of various and also to establish the identity of the deceased. It is
semi-precious stones, gold, and silver, while those for obvious that the reality of royalty in the Memphis–Faiyum
non-royalty, such as the people who were buried in Region was the one most similar to the ideal, because
Harageh and Riqqeh [28, 29], were almost always made of besides personal adornments indicating identity, all the
faience. Moreover, weights have only been found in royal types of personal adornments needed for ‘Osirification’ are
tombs. These differences lead us to compare the included. Secondly, non-royalty in the Memphis–Faiyum
iconography. In short, royal broad collars resembled those Region are similar to the ideal in terms of broad collars and
on body containers, while non-royal broad collars were broad bracelets, but the broad collars are not polychrome.
quite different. Finally, the reality in Middle Egypt and Southern Egypt
There were also differences between the ‘Lower was quite different from the ideal, though they could have
Egyptian costumes’ of royalty and non-royalty. During the personal adornments showing the identity of the deceased
late Middle Kingdom, the real ‘Lower Egyptian costumes’ made of semi-precious stones, gold, and silver.
444 Archaeological and Iconographic Analysis of the Use of Funerary
Personal Adornments in the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt

Figure 10. Actual use of personal adornments needed for ‘Osirification’ and to show the identity of the deceased from mid-dynasty 12 onward (Drawn
by the author)

6. Conclusions Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for JSPS

Fellows (No. 17J02366).
In this paper, the personal adornments represented on
body containers were premised on their being the ideal
grave goods for ‘Osirification,’ and they were compared to
unearthed personal adornments. As a result, it is apparent
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