Ancient Egyptian Collection

Travel through the Australian Museum’s Egyptian Collection

Travel back in time with us to explore daily life in ancient Egypt. Discover captivating stories from over 2,000 years ago through selected pieces from the Australian Museum’s Egyptian Collection.

Egyptian funerary boat model

This Egyptian funerary boat model, made of some 30 parts, is the most complex object in our Egyptian Collection. Purchased at an auction in 1913 by Ernest J. Wunderlich, a trustee of the Australian Museum, it has no documentation or provenance.

Funerary mask from Abydos - 4th century BCE

In 1912 The Australian Museum acquired a set of cartonnage body masks from from Abydos from tomb 422, opened by Thomas Eric Peet an archaeologist and future academic at the University of Oxford.

Funerary Egyptian masks - Graeco-Roman period

Masks have a long tradition in Egyptian funerary practice and were thought to provide protection and mark idealised individuality to assist a person’s afterlife journey.

Ancient Egyptian objects documented in 3D

Explore some of the Ancient Egyptian objects in our International Collection captured in 3D with photogrammetry.

Yellow coffin from Akhmim

A mummy, well wrapped in bandages in a painted coffin without a lid from Thebes in Egypt, was gifted to the Museum in 1912 by brewer, politician, and philanthropist, Robert Lucas-Tooth.

Bull Apis - E39829

The life and death of Egyptian god.

Afterlife: The coffin and spirit of Egyptian official Neter-Nekhta

Discover Neter-Nekhta's coffin and learn about his journey to the kingdom of god.

Afterlife: Coffin for a Mummy

Repairs, modifications and repainting.

Afterlife: Missing Bones

Puzzle of the Egyptian Mummy: What happened on the journey to eternity?

Afterlife: Man in a Coffin

A practice of forensic examination.

Lists of hieroglyphical signs and words in the funerary inscription of Neter-Nekht

Scraps of Coptic Culture

Symbols and identity in complex Egyptian history.

Legacy of the Egypt Exploration Fund in the Australian Museum

Since 1882 the Egypt Exploration Fund focused on digging for objects and distributing them widely to subscribing organisations around the world, including those in United Kingdom, United States, South Africa, India, Japan, and Australia.

Abydos and its Relics

Abydos in central Egypt is an important source of our knowledge of ancient history.

The Light of Immortality

Symbolism of faience in ancient Egypt.

Egyptian funerary boat model in the Australian Museum: dating and analysis

Our Global Neighbours: Studying Egyptian Flints

The Wadi el-Sheikh quarry complex extends for several kilometres - millions of flint blades and knives were produced in antiquity.

The faces of Mummies

Melissa Holt, project conservator at the Australian Museum, tells us about the conservation treatment of four Ancient Egyptian Cartonnage coverings, including three masks! Read part one, in this special AM blog series.

Conserving an Egyptian mummy unwraps a surprise discovery

Read how a conservation project uncovered important facts about the Museum's mummy.

Art in ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian art has survived for over 5000 years and continues to fascinate people from all over the world. An ancient premise has become a modern reality: art is a path to eternal remembrance.

The Painter in ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian wall paintings provide a fascinating glimpse into the past. In tombs it was the painter's task to preserve the dead individual's spirit. Most tomb art generally followed consistent rules and held special meaning to the ancient Egyptians.

Funerals in ancient Egypt

The funeral and burial of an ancient Egyptian was a complex process.

Tombs in ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt a tomb, if built and designed properly, had the power to restore life and give immortality to the dead owner. Tomb architecture was complex and its art in the form of painting, sculpture and script gives a glimpse into the beliefs and daily life of the ancient Egyptians.

Religion and gods in ancient Egypt

Religion governed life at all levels of Egyptian society.

Ancient Egyptian Timeline

A timeline showing the dates, periods, dynasties and significant events in the history and art of ancient Egypt from the Predynastic Period (before 3100 BCE) to the end of the Roman Period (395 CE).

Glossary of ancient Egyptian terms

Terms relevant to ancient Egyptian art, beliefs and technology.

How were ancient Egyptians mummified?

The Egyptians had a long tradition of mummifying their wealthy dead.

Animal mummies in ancient Egypt

Almost every kind of animal that lived in ancient Egypt has been found as a mummy - from bulls, birds, snakes and crocodiles to fish, cats and scarab beetles. Many animals were seen as manifestations of gods.

The Jeweller in ancient Egypt

Jewellers in ancient Egypt needed to know and follow a strict set of rules in order to fulfil the religious function of jewellery. Specific materials, colours and designs were often associated with certain gods and goddesses or had magical qualities of protection.

The Sculptor in ancient Egypt

Stone sculptures created by ancient Egyptian craftsmen are some of the most impressive and informative remnants of the ancient world. Sculptors had an important role in ancient Egypt as they carved substitute bodies for the tomb, small funerary statuettes and tombstones.