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We are delighted to share a new feature in collaboration with Naoko Nishimoto, who has been working on one of the more unusual objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun: a folding bed (JE 62018; Carter no. 586).

At first glance, the bed is easy to overlook. Unlike the richly decorated pieces found alongside it, it is simply painted white and shows signs of wear. It carries no inscription. Yet, as Nishimoto’s research makes clear, this modest appearance hides a remarkably complex piece of design. She describes it as “one of the most sophisticated artifacts” among surviving examples of ancient Egyptian furniture.

In developing this work, Nishimoto has drawn on a wide range of material. Alongside museum collections and published research, she has made use of photographs, object cards, and excavation records held at the Griffith Institute. These archival sources provide an important visual and documentary foundation for her study, sitting alongside other strands of evidence.