Egyptian artefacts in Georgia - and a mummy of a young woman

A young female Egyptian mummy and ancient artefacts are exhibited in the Georgian National Museum. The Department of Oriental Art of the Museum of Fine Arts in Tbilisi, Georgia, has an exhibition of Egyptian artefacts in the Georgian National Museum.

In one corner is an Egyptian mummy and sarcophagus, circa 7th and 11th centuries. The top part of the sarcophagus has an inscription of the name of the mummy – a young woman called Takharus, the Priestess of Goddess Mut. Mut was one of the oldest dieties, associated with water. On the sarcophagus she is depicted with the wings of a white vulture, holding the ankh (the symbol of life), and wearing the united crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. In other pictures she is depicted as a cobra, cat, bull, or lion. The sarcophagus is reused. The first layer dates to 11th century BC, and the second layer to 7th century BC. The first layer is visible under the second layer of the painting.

There are also 4th-5th century textile samples (tapestry weaving) made of linen, wool, and natural dyes – one with a picture of a centaur. Samples of Coptic textiles are preserved in the Georgian National Museum and are probably burial textiles. The textiles were woven with flax of natural colours, such as brown, blue, red, purple, yellow, green, and black. These natural dyes were obtained from indigo, madder, saffron, and cinnabar. In the design are symbols such as the tree of life, lions, rabbits, and winged youth.

There are miniature bronze figurines and two giant basalt statues of baboons, circa 13th century. Baboons were associated with Thoth, the God of wisdom, science, and measurement.