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Just how well-looked after is the Ka Nefer Nefer mummy mask in St Louis Art Museum? I was struck by an old photo of the object, which gave the face a very apprehensive look. I then tried to find out where it had come from and found another photo, similar but not the same on Zahi Hawass' blog. But then I noticed something else about Hawass' photo. Take a look at the official SLAM photos accompanying the joyous news that they will (for the moment at least) continue to take care of this object for the Egyptian people - to whom it rightfully belongs in their building-site-which-was-a-museum. Take a look at the mask's right shoulder (on our left) which is perfectly well-lit in Hawass' photo. Notice what appears to be a missing chunk of gesso (resin)? Note on the Hawass photo the clear signs of scraping on the wrist on the right hand side which is where the hieratic inscription, "the Osiris Neferu" has been scraped off (Johnston says its the "left" hand, but the scraping is visible on the right)
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Just how well-looked after is the Ka Nefer Nefer mummy mask in St Louis Art Museum? I was struck by an old photo of the object, which gave the face a very apprehensive look. I then tried to find out where it had come from and found another photo, similar but not the same on Zahi Hawass' blog. But then I noticed something else about Hawass' photo. Take a look at the official SLAM photos accompanying the joyous news that they will (for the moment at least) continue to take care of this object for the Egyptian people - to whom it rightfully belongs in their building-site-which-was-a-museum. Take a look at the mask's right shoulder (on our left) which is perfectly well-lit in Hawass' photo. Notice what appears to be a missing chunk of gesso (resin)? Note on the Hawass photo the clear signs of scraping on the wrist on the right hand side which is where the hieratic inscription, "the Osiris Neferu" has been scraped off (Johnston says its the "left" hand, but the scraping is visible on the right)
