Funerary masks
Masks were often placed over the face of the mummy. These would protect and preserve the physical features of the face and act as a substitute if the mummy's real head was lost or damaged. When the soul returned to the tomb, it would still be able to recognise its body by the mask. Masks were not intended to be portraits. Rather, they were an idealised version of the dead person and represented how they wanted to look in the afterlife.
The majority of funerary masks were made of cartonnage (papyrus or linen coated with plaster) as it was cheap, light and easy to shape and paint. Masks could also be made of wood or precious metals but these were reserved for the wealthy, with only royals being able to afford masks of silver and gold.
