Egyptian death and afterlife, Room 62

Painted and inscribed coffins give a body an outer form prepared for burial. Rooms 62 and 63 together explore Egyptian ideas about death and the afterlife through coffins, funerary equipment, texts and mummified remains. The objects were made for people who expected preparation and ritual to affect their existence after death. Images, words and objects could each have a role. The combined display includes shabtis, small figures intended to carry out work for the deceased in the afterlife. The rooms contain human and animal remains, which you can choose to include or leave out of your visit. For those who stay, the decorated surfaces offer a way to begin with the care and beliefs surrounding burial. Scientific work such as CT scanning adds evidence about the remains while leaving some questions open.