A clay anthropoid coffin found in the ancient cemetary near Deir el-Balah, south of Gaza. The coffin is cylindrical in shape and widens at the shoulders with an opening for the body. The head and shoulders are not delineated and a human face and arms are depicted on the lid.
The Deir el-Balah cemetary was located nearby a stronghold established by the Egyptians on the main route from the Nile Delta to Canaan.
This item comes with a certificate of authenticity of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Enclosed is a small description of its historical background in English and Hebrew.