The mummy of Queen Henuttawy was discovered in the Deir el-Bahari Royal Cachette (TT320). She was the wife of Pinedjem I of the 21st Dynasty. Her entire body was colored yellow, with her cheeks and lips painted red to enhance her appearance.
Her head was adorned with an artificial wig made of black string, and she was given stone eyes. Henuttawy’s mummy was placed in two wooden coffins, which were likely covered in gold, although all the gold had been removed. Inside her stomach, a golden embalming plaque was found, bearing the Eye of Horus, the names of the Four Sons of Horus, and an inscription that included the name of the queen.
The mummy exhibits several new techniques developed during the Third Intermediate Period for mummification, particularly the subcutaneous packing of linen and sawdust to preserve the body’s shape. However, in Henuttawy’s case, the face of the mummy burst due to being packed too tightly. It was restored to its original form in 1974.
This artifact dates back to the Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, circa 1070-945 BC. It is currently housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, with the inventory numbers JE 26204 and CG 61090.
