Traditional Egyptian mummy masks were placed directly over the faces of wrapped mummies. The mask on exhibit at CSUB is unique in that it would have fit over the head and shoulders of the mummy.

By Kathy Miller, Director of Public Affairs and Communications, California State University, Bakersfield

“The Art of Death in Ancient Egypt,” an exhibit of ancient Egyptian artifacts, will be on display at California State University, Bakersfield’s Todd Madigan Gallery from Oct. 1 to Nov. 8. The collection, on loan from the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, follows the fascinating evolution of funerary practices through Egyptian history by showcasing items specifically created for the afterlife.

This canopic jar with a human-headed lid dated from 1539-1292 B.C. will be part of the exhibit at CSUB. Canopic jars were used by ancient Egyptians to store mummified organs of the deceased.

Art enthusiasts, ancient historians and budding archaeologists who visit will get a first-hand look at artifacts spanning the ages, beginning with Predynastic and Old Kingdom periods and progressing through the later Roman and Greek-influenced Coptic period.

The collection’s centerpiece features a stunning hand-painted sarcophagus dating back to the Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 22, circa 945-712 B.C. Other unique items, such as an offering table, Coptic period child’s tunic, and gold-painted mummy mask, will make this a one-of-a- kind exhibit in Kern County.

The CSUB exhibit will feature two fragments of the coffin of Ta-(net)-Gebtiu-(net)-tawy, an elite woman (1075-945 B.C.). During this time period, coffin scenes mainly depicting rebirth in the afterlife were painted in bright colors against a yellow background.

The gallery is open from noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 8 p.m. Fridays. Admission to the gallery is free and donations are welcome. Parking is $2. For more information call 654-2487 or visit www.csub.edu.

Special events for the community are planned throughout the exhibit’s run, including:

Thursday, Oct. 1: Opening night reception in the Todd Madigan Gallery

From 6:30 to 8 p.m.; free admission and parking; reservations are encouraged to rsvp@csub.edu or 654-2136.

Friday, Oct. 2: “Living Forever: Death in Ancient Egypt” with Carol Redmount

Lecture begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Donahoe Hall GJ102, followed by exhibit viewing in the gallery. Redmount is the Egyptian curator at the Hearst Museum. Free admission.

Friday, Oct. 9: “Early Christianity and Treatment of the Dead in Late Roman Egypt” with Robert Yohe

Lecture begins at 6 p.m. in the Doré Theatre followed by exhibit viewing in the gallery. Yohe is a CSUB professor and the director of CSUB’s Laboratory of Archaeological Science. He is also associate director of the Tell El-Hibeh project in Egypt and recently returned from the excavation. Free admission.

Friday, Oct. 23: “Beasts, Death and the Sun: a selective introduction to ancient Egyptian religion” with Shelley Stone

Lecture begins at 6 p.m. in the Doré Theatre followed by exhibit viewing in the gallery. Stone is a CSUB professor who does archeological research at the Greco-Roman site of Morgantina on the island of Sicily, Italy. Free admission.

Thursday – Sunday, Nov. 5-8: “The Scepter in the Sand” by Michael Mejia

World premiere play by Michael Mejia in the Doré Theatre. Join three archeology students as they stumble upon a cursed scepter and are drawn into the struggles of the ancient Egyptian gods. Art exhibit will be open an hour prior to each performance. Call 654-3150 for show times and ticket information.