Late Period - Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664–30 BC. A bronze oblong, rectangular coffin, elevated by the imposing presence of a serpentine deity, in the form of a cobra, delicately poised atop its austere lid. The cobra was not merely an aesthetic embellishment but a potent symbol of divine protection and authority. Its presence atop the coffin encapsulated the notion of safeguarding the deceased on their journey through the afterlife, a passage fraught with challenges and trials. These bronze coffins, though designed to cradle non-human inhabitants of the earthly realm, were no less significant in their symbolism and purpose, offering a unique glimpse into the Egyptians' profound reverence for the interconnectedness of all life forms. For a similar, please see The British Museum, Miscellaneous number: H1088.2. Size: L:25mm / W:35mm ; 25g Provenance: Private London collection, pre-2000s.