Tomb 10A - Discovering Djehutynakht (2000BC)

Sebastian Smee of Boston.com/The Globe has written a charming article about Djehutynakht (pronounced “Je-hooty-knocked’’), the Egyptian governor in the Middle Kingdom.

There are some things that bring the ancient Egyptians closer to us, and some that make them seem further away. Their religious beliefs, for instance, can be dauntingly arcane. And hieroglyphics, too, are hard to parse. But when Djehutynakht, a governor in Middle Kingdom Egypt, informs us that he has no wish to spend eternity eating his own excrement, I think we can all relate.

There were other things Djehutynakht (pronounced “Je-hooty-knocked’’) was adamant he would rather not do for all time, such as standing on his head. And here again, I’m in utter sympathy: “[T]o be upside down is my detestation,’’ he informs us in a passage of script that can be found on the inside of the outer coffin in which he was buried.

On the other hand, carousing, drinking, and eating were all on his list of activities to look forward to in the hereafter.

There is something very moving about the intensity of the ancient Egyptians’ desire not to be forgotten, not to vanish into dust, and indeed to thrive in the afterlife. The Museum of Fine Arts tries, in its own way, to honor this desire with its excellent new show, “The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC.’’

For more info check out the following:

Scan results (Boston.com)

Related article (Boston.com) {Note at bottom of article there is a link to more photos in very small print}

PDF -- "High-resolution imaging of an ancient Egyptian mummified head" (R Gupta, Y Markowitz, L Berman, P Chapman - American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2008 - Am Soc Neuroradiology)

There is a 2nd opinion on the scan results (here), however you have to have access to the Journal of Neuroradiology, which I don't... :(