Merit’s wig
Unknown Artist
Another exceptional artifact that belonged to Merit is her wig, made with real locks of hair that were sewn together and braided. The hair is parted in the middle and curled into ringlets that end with braids on either side of the face and on the back of the neck. This type of hairdo was often decorated with flowers and diadems, which were very fashionable in the mid-18th dynasty, as can be seen in the paintings and statues of the period.
Period: New Kingdom
Dynasty: Eighteenth Dynasty
Reign: Amenhotep II / Tuthmosis IV / Amenhotep III
Provenance: Deir el Medina / tomb of Kha (TT8)
Acquisition: Schiaparelli excavations (1903-1906)
New Kingdom, 1425-1353 BCE
Human hair
45.0 x 30.0 cm
S. 8499
Image and text courtesy of Museo Egizio, 2022
Where you'll find this
Egyptian Museum
Permanent collection