10 October 2011 Can You Say Nectanebo

Here is Sam in front of the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II, the last native Pharoah of Egypt. The sarcophagus has a funny history–it was never used as a sarcophagus. It is believed that Nectanebo fled to Ethiopia when the Persians invaded his kingdom and his body has never been discovered. But the sarcophagus eventually turned up in Alexandria where it had been used as a bathtub!

I think I’d love to have a bathtub etched with ancient hieroglyphs, wouldn’t you?

Sam and I had a fun afternoon at the British Museum, where we saw sarcophagi cum bathtubs, mummies, shabtis, canopic jars, statues, jewelry, and everything we’ve been studying about Ancient Egypt.