Fly whisk, from royal burial

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This fly whisk made of strands of faience beads is among the grave goods from the grave of a 17th Dynasty queen and her child at Qurneh in Egypt. It was found inside the queen's coffin, under the mummy's head.

The fly whisk consists of 16 strands of long faience beads, united in a twisted thread handle.

This grave, from the burial place of the kings and queens of Thebes, is remarkable as it dates from a time when Egypt was politically divided and relatively poor. The queen and her child have been lavishly equipped for the Afterlife.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-180-000-282-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1909.527.9
• Date: 17th Dynasty
  Around 1641 to 1539 BC (2nd Intermediate Period: 17th Dynasty)
  
• Material: Ceremonial tail / belt / mummy
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Ceremonial tail / belt / mummy
  
• Subject: Cartonnage and heads
  
• Who: Professor W.M. Flinders Petrie (Excavator)
  
• Where: Ancient Egypt, Qurneh
  
• Event:
• Description: Ceremonial tail consisting of a bunch of sixteen strings of barrel-shaped blue faience beads, presumably from a belt round the wrapped mummy of the owner: Ancient Egyptian, from Qurneh, 17th Dynasty
  
• References:
  • Petrie, W.M. Flinders. Qurneh. London: School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1909. 
  • Qurneh / by W.M. Flinders Petrie. London, B.S.A.E. & B. Quaritch, 1909, 6 - 10 
  • Sheridan, J A (ed). Heaven and Hell and Other Worlds of the Dead. Edinburgh: National Museum of Scotland, 2000. 
• Translations:
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