Most of the objects in this case come from a single tomb. It belonged to a couple named Ramose and Hatnefer. They received this rich burial equipment from their son Senenmut, one of the most important officials who served the pharaoh Hatshepsut.

There was a great disparity between the burials of Senenmut’s father, Ramose and his mother, Hatnefer. Ramose’s coffin was very simple and his body was wrapped in linen and a reused shirt. In contrast, Hatnefer’s mummy was covered with the gilded mask you see here. Its eyes were carved of alabaster and obsidian set in ebony sockets. The fine green heart scarab, with the gold setting and exquisite chain, was placed on her chest and the rings were on her fingers. Her mummy was also wrapped in a shroud inscribed with texts from the Book of the Dead. From all this, archaeologists have concluded that Ramose died sometime before his wife, when the family was quite poor. When Hatnefer died, Senenmut was able to fit out her mummy in style and reburied his father in her tomb.

One of the most amazing things preserved from this burial is the basket in the left corner of the case. Look inside it. You’ll see loaves of bread, dates, and raisins that have been there for almost thirty-five hundred years! The large pottery jar nearby contains wine and has never been opened. The alabaster vessel behind it contains some type of ointment, which still remains in a semi-liquid state. A sample of this amber-colored liquid is in the small vial next to the jar.

Now walk around to the other side of the case where you’ll see enough linen to outfit an entire family. These pristine sheets were found neatly folded in the whitewashed chests. Note the differences in quality, from very coarse to extremely fine. The two folded sheets at the left are of the sheerest fabric, with more than one hundred threads per inch. They are about sixteen feet long and forty inches wide and each weighs no more than a quarter of a pound. Picking up one of these is like holding a cloud in your hands.